Starting and Idle Problem 02 Merc 125 2 stroke

[Charlie Livingston]

I have a 2002 Nitro 185 Sport with a 2002 Merc 125 2 stroke 2+2. It has been on the dealers showroom floor since 2002 and I purchased it in June of 2006. It has had 2 1/2 tanks of gas run through the motor. It will not start hot or cold without putting it in neutral with the throttle slightly forward. Once it does crank it smokes pretty good for several seconds and then you bring it back to idle and put it in gear and it cuts off more times than not. The dealer puts it in a tank and it cranks and idles fine. I then take it to the river and again it won't crank or idle. This is my first time owning and operating a boat and any help anyone could offer from their experience or others would be greatly appreciated. I also bought a 2006 Sun Tracker 21 ft. fishing barge with a Merc 50 EFI 4 stroke and am getting it upgraded to a 90 this week. I love the 4 stroke. It starts, idles and is so quite. Thanks for any help.



Charlie

 

[Greg Meyer]

Gremlins? It is tough for a dealer to diagnose a problem when it won't misbehave at the shop...



But, here goes... Was it hot and sunny when you had the boat on the water. That is a carbed motor and it will cook out (evaporate) the gas in the float if it is not run for a long period. Also, check the fuel hose bulb... maybe even replace the bulb just to be sure. That 125hp 2+2 is a very reliable motor once you get used to it and get it "dialed in". Also, make sure you are all the way trimmed down when you start it... carbs don't like to be on a tilt when they are first starting. Also, do you "prime" it with the key switch before you start it? Just some random thoughts... Keep us posted.

 

[David Sailer]

See if the dealer will go out on the water with you! It could be as simple as learning the best operating techniques. When starting, you could be using too much choke and actually flooding it. Do not use cheap oil! The synthetic blends smoke less.



Also, bedore you try to start it, trim it up a little. keeping the motor level seems to make them start better. After she warms up, you can trim back down



Again, get the dealer rep to go out with you. you took a four year old boat off his hands, he owes you that.

 

[TOMMY RICH]

My 90 was a bear until I learned how to start it...now it's first time everytime even cold.

 

[Charlie Livingston]

Alright here is what I got from the mechanic. He took off the 2 carbs that perform the idle function and both were clean and float was functioning properly. It runs great at 700 rpm in gear at idle. If the idle drops below 650 at idle in or out of gear it starts to stall. He said for me to watch the foot and see how low in the water it sits. The farther down the more restrictive on the exhaust and it may reduce the rpm at idle. If so he said to bump up the idle to keep it at 700 rpm at idle in gear. He has let it idle for long periods at a time and taken it in and out of gear and it doesn't skip a beat except the couple of time it dropped below 650 rpm. I will be taking it out this weekend and will let everyone know how it does. It is smooth as glass after you come up to speed above 1800 rpm. Also I certainly know you can't compare a 2 stroke carbed motor with a 4 stroke efi, which I confirmed my new 90 on the pontoon is. I just like the ease of operating the 4 stroke. Thanks for everyones input.



Charlie