Hi/<br />I'm trying to get Mercury 25 serial number 09594704 working for the Scouts here in Southampton, England. I'm using the Seloc manual for 1- and 2- Cylinder Mercury 1965-1991. <br /><br />Everything looks like it shows in the manual, except that the Walbro WM carburettor has a plastic fuel pump body, with a spring and a couple of metal check valves, under the pump cover. I've dismantled and cleaned the carburettor and replaced all the gaskets/diaphragms. I've also fitted new spark plugs and changed the lower unit oil. The plastic baffle over the air intake has quite a big piece broken off; I hope that doesn't matter too much. <br /><br />Compression readings are 110psi/130psi on top/bottom cylinder when pulling on starter cord. I'm using new unleaded gas and Quicksilver oil at 50:1.<br /><br />When I try to start it, it usually kicks back hard against the starter cord. It sometimes starts, and will run at a fast idle but vibrates, misses and stops when I push down the fast idle lever. It runs best with the low speed mixture screw on the carb completely closed. If I catch it quickly and engage forward gear, I can get it up to full speed and it will happily plane the 4m RIB with two adults. It stops when I throttle back.<br /><br />I'm guessing that the ignition is way too far advanced and that's causing the kick back. Should I just shorten the link rod to the ignition trigger (there's currently about 3/4 inch of thread showing) till it idles properly? Or have I misunderstood something? Once I have it running reasonably well, I guess I can try to set the timing out on the river with a strobe light.<br /><br />Thanks for your help,
