1981 mercury 150 outboard won't start? - The Hull Truth

silversvt26 · 03-05-2006, 10:54 AM

Ok I bought a 1981 glastron 17 1/2'1981 mercury 150 last weekend. When I was there they hooked up a sock and started the engine up after the first crank and it ran fine and sounded fine. Now a week later we tried to go fishing and we could never get the engine to start? I tried starting it with choke, without choke, pumping the throttle a little. The only thing i ever got was one time it tried to start for like 2 seconds then died. I went and bought some gas and put some into the tank but still no difference. Then I thought well maby I flooded it so I waited like an hour and tried again and all I ever got was one little spudder then it died. It turns over fast and fine from the starter but just doesn't try to start? I didn't see any kind of switch or anything that might be like a kill switch but then again I might have missed it. Any help would be appreciated and thank you.

Powerstroke · 03-05-2006, 11:22 AM

I would call old owner and ask how they start it,these older 2 cycle are touchy,there are several ways 2 cycle motors start when they are cold and old, due to compression,leaks,carbs,pumps, etc.If you feel you flooded it,put throttle to the floor, no choke and crank till she pops,battery must be 100% charged or it has a lesser chance of starting.or you can pull plugs and check for gas on them,if so pull all 6 and spin motor for 20 seconds with them out,blow plugs dry or install new and try again.Dont burn up starter motor,30 seconds on 3 minutes off.Once you know how it starts it will normally start that way the rest of its life,or until rebuild.

silversvt26 · 03-05-2006, 11:29 AM

Ok thank you for the reply. I'll try that. BTW do you have any idea how to remove the engine top cover? As you can tell i'm very new to outboards so I don't have any idea how to even remove the engine cover....lol

strikerthree · 03-05-2006, 11:31 AM

Is it a portable 5 gal gas container if so make sure the vent is open, if its an in boat tank make sure the primer bulb is ok could be just a bad primer bulb

silversvt26 · 03-05-2006, 11:45 AM

It is a 26gallon in boat tank.....and when i try to pump the bulb there is alot of resistance as in it is real hard to squeeze at all. Thanks again

Powerstroke · 03-05-2006, 01:10 PM

Theres a lever on front bottom face plate that moves letting you access panels,portable gas can idea is also a good place to start,primer bulbs get rock hard when they get old so is the bulb rock hard from gas inside bulb or old age?

halkman26 · 03-05-2006, 01:24 PM

Are you trying to start it in the lake or on your garden hose? If you put it in the water, there is more back-pressue as opposed to just hooking up a garden hose. Last summer, my engine would start on a hose, but not in the water unless I tilted it all the way up, just leaving it in barely enough for the water pump to pick up water. Turned out to be a bad timer-base. If you are just trying to start it on your hose, never mind the above.

silversvt26 · 03-05-2006, 02:16 PM

The bulb looks good, no cracks or doesn't look worn but when i squeeze it its like there is alot of pressure inside it and i have to squeeze it as hard as i had to even get it to squeeze 1/4 to 1/2 of the way.

silversvt26 · 03-05-2006, 03:34 PM

OK.......I finally got it to start! I waited until this morning and tried to start it and it was the same as before. Turned over but no start. I noticed the battery was getting low because the engine turned over slower and slower. I put in a new battery and it turned over 3times as fast and I didn't prime it or anything and low and behold.......it started. Thank you all for your help.

blueh20pc · 03-05-2006, 05:37 PM

Low Voltage from cranking on it it seems, didn't have enough juice to fire the coils off.