View Full Version : Salt water in carburator
water and sky
06-10-2006, 04:31 PM
My Mercury 15 horse took some salt water into the carburator. The engine has less than 20 hours on it. Now it won't idle. It will run at higher throttle settings just fine. Is a new carb the only remedy?
RODACTION
06-10-2006, 04:41 PM
First, how did the water get in the carb, through air intake, or through fuel intake ?
And no, you will not need a new carb.
Probably just need to open it up and clean it out. the carb that is. Idle jet is likely clogged. Simple procedure.
water and sky
06-10-2006, 08:06 PM
I think that the water entered through the fuel system due to condensation over the winter.
It is just junked up. Buy a new bowl gasket, open it up, clean the crystals and tar out, and it will run like new.
I think that the water entered through the fuel system due to condensation over the winter.
If it was due to condensation over the winter, it isn't saltwater. Anyway, the fuel itself may be causing this too. Have you changed your fuel completely? Next step is the carb cleaning. Shouldn't be a difficult fix.
Had the same problem wiyh my 2000 9.9, float keep sticking with about 10 hrs on it, took it in thinking warranty would cover it, they told me salt water also got into it? don't know how, had a fuel seperator in line and the motor has a fuel filter and a micro screen in the bowl, if you would of seen the size of chuncks in the bowl it would blow your mind, how did something that big get past the filters and that micro screen in the bowl,there was some green corrision in the bowl also that looked like salt water corrision? talked to some others they feel the fuel system was not througly cleaned at the factory, found little black pieces and some other stuff in there, warranty would not cover it, told them to put the pieces in a box after wanting over 200.00 to clean it out and put it back together, cleaned and put it back together myself, if you don't leve the bowl off to long the gasket on the bowl is reuseable, ran great after wards, pretty simple to do yourself, Doug
Water (salty or otherwise) can enter the carb from the top around that stainless plate bolted to the top of the carb. There are several vent passages there, and if you hose down this area or splash some water in there when running, then the carb can ingest water. I would like to make a shroud for this that doesn't allow water to run right in, but haven't done it yet. I pretty well have to open my carb every year and clean it out. If I backtroll for Halibut and the motor goes underwater much, then I may have to clean it up every couple trips.
shaggy357
06-15-2006, 09:42 PM
Some lame brain didn't put in stabil or run the gas out of my little Johnson 18 one winter. Went to start that baby in the spring and not even a cough. Pulled the carb and headed for the garage and fresh gas. Cleaned maybe 5 minutes in needle seat and bowl area. Put it back together and pulled out a fresh tank of gas. That motor was purring on the second pull.
Some of the newer carbs may be a little more complicated. My task only took maybe an hour total.
Good luck. Hope you do well with this one.
Steve