Mercury 80 carb problem?

[fishdog4449]

Hello All, I have a 1982 Glassmaster 17 footer with an Mercury 800 (80 horse, same year) on the transom. I bought it about 4 weeks ago, and yesterday was the 4th or 5th time ive had her out. I decided to take a took a short boat ride before picking up the rest of the crew, I was about a mile out, just trolling alon g at idle, and the motor cuts out. I restarted it, worked fine, then when I went to WOT from idle she hesitated quite a bit, which she's never done before. When I tried to start the motor after arriving at the dock and picking up my friend, she won't start unless I held the throttle at the max without being in gear (probably about 2000rpm). I look at the side of the motor and see gas dripping down from the bottom of the cowling.
So I popped the hood, looked around, saw gas dripping out of the bottom carb. Took the plastic cover off the air intake and theres about 2 inches of gas sloshing around in the front air-intake container and periodically getting into the bottom air intake.(ill try to get a picture up)
I would guess that the stalling is from gas getting sucked into the bottom air intake, but where is it leaking from in the first place?
It looks to me that compartment is completely sealed off, so it's beyond me how gas got in there in the first place.

Any help or ideas would be great!

Besides this, its been a great motor. Always started on the first try, etc.

 

[Barnacle_Bill]

Re: Mercury 80 carb problem?

Probably trash in carbs keeping needle and seat from working properly or bad float. Rebuild carbs. Check all fuel lines first to be sure none of them are cracked.

 

[fishdog4449]

Re: Mercury 80 carb problem?

Probably trash in carbs keeping needle and seat from working properly or bad float. Rebuild carbs. Check all fuel lines first to be sure none of them are cracked.

Thats what the Mercury people told me, I'm buying the carb rebuild kit and working on that this weekend.
I replaced the fuel lines yesterday.