Old merc won't run without choke/hard starting

[beeryboats]

I have a '74 4 hp, single cylinder merc longshaft that will not run without the choke on full and is hard to start. Usually needs starting fluid to get going. Not enough fuel right? Parts are impossible to come by, but where should I start? Fuel pump, carb kit, or could the compression be low? There is nothing in the manual for this problem either...

 

[WillyBWright]

Re: Old merc won't run without choke/hard starting

Welcome to iboats and clean the carb.<br /><br />Hopefully you won't need any new parts, but what you'd need should still be available. Most carb rebuilds just need gaskets and float valves. All of those should be available for that.