Help w/Kicker

[cureless1]

I had my kicker serviced six months ago ($300.00) used it for the springer season put it away and have not used it until now. The carb is gummed up and won't intake gas.

Any ideas or help. Its a 8hp 2-stroke Merc.

Thought about fixing it with a big hammer!!!!!

[Pete]

I'm having fun with my 8 HP Merc, too. Mine is a 1989 vintage and I'm learning curious things. It seems that the fuel lines down stream from the filter develop deposits which, after time, flake off and clog the carb. I think the solution is replacing the lines. At least that's what I'm trying now. I'll report on my lack of success soon. I hate not being able to fish when the hogs are calling!

[Fishalot]

Pete how does this effect the running of the motor. Does it troll good but when you try to run at full speed act a little slugish? I have a 89 also and that is how it acts.

Fishalot

[abercrombie]

have either of you tried using some Marvel Mystery oil in you gas/mix? when I had my 2stroke, I used to do my mix, then add Marvel to that mix.. it kept the lines clean, carb clean, spark plug clean.. and everything well lubricated.. worked for me.. I used it in my 90 GMC 4X4 for 11 years.. kept the plugs like new and the injectors clean.. never had a minutes problem with that truck..

[Pete]

Carb rebuild kits may help, but they don't have jets. I think I've solved my problem, grooved jets. Arrgh! Replace all 172 little tiny pieces of the carb, then take it all apart again to replace the piece that isn't part of the kit!

[trap50]

[img]graemlins/idea.gif[/img]
Just a thought. Before you connect your fuel line after you run the gas out of your OB. If it sets for any lenght of time inbetween starting. I always pump up the primer bulb on the fule line and use a small screw driver or something to flush the gas line from the tank. The gas evaporates there also leaving oil to be pumped into your motor.

[FishinMission]

I got a '91 15 Merc.....started coughing last winter and running crappy. Looked at the fuel filter....it was O.K. but I had a little piece of crud in the jet. I pulled the "jet" out, removed the crud, and put it back in. Then I ran it, and fined tuned the mix and it worked great. And still does....
I'm not sure which is better....some say that by running your motor out of gas causes your carbs to stick because the gas evaporates, and leaves the varnish.
Solution???? Fish all the time, and never let it sit!!

Mark

[ 10-28-2002, 04:34 PM: Message edited by: FishinMission ]

[dampainter]

OH! ...OH!.....OH! I can help!!!!.....get a yamaha!!!! sorry, couldn`t stop myself.

[ 10-28-2002, 06:54 PM: Message edited by: dampainter ]

[Pete]

Hmm, lets see. Merc carb jet: $12.20 ... Yamaha: $2200.00 .... I think I know the right answer!

[skein]

There's an additive called SeaFoam that seems to do a good job of dissolving the tarnish around carb jets. I got it at NAPA.

Skein

[1pump]

If you don't use your kicker year-round, get a product called Sta-Bil and add it to your gas tank. Keeps your gas fresh during the off-season.
I've had my 25hp Merc since new ('87) and I always run it out of gas after it goes on the trailer. Never had a problem, ever. I've never even had to adjust the carb in 15 years. And it's the only motor on my boat, and I'm a trolling freak.
There's not much to those little carbs, but if you gotta mess with the jets, either clean 'em with compressed air or replace them. If you try to run a wire or something like that through the jet, you'll damage that soft brass and cause a jetting change, and then you'll never get it adjusted right. I installed a steel 5/16" automotive fuel filter on my fuel line. Costs about $3 and catches the crud that the little strainer on the motor won't catch.
Alcohol fuels- Next month, if you live in the PDX area, you're gonna be getting 7-10% ethanol in your gas. I haul gas for a living and it's my job to make sure the gas I deliver to the local Gas-n-Guzzle has the required amount of denatured alcohol in it. This crap will knock crud loose from in-ground fuel tanks, boat tanks, and the tank in your tow rig. If you're lucky, it'll just plug your filter. And it ain't good for a two-stroke, period. And try to stay away from ARCO gas. They buy sub-grade 85 octane gas and dump 10% alcohol by volume in it to bring the octane up. Year-round. That's why it's cheap.
Sea-Foam- The stuff does work; Just don't faint when your motor (or engine) starts pumping a smoke screen big enough for a battalion to hide behind. It'll clear up in a few minutes. Good for killing mosquitoes, too. Carquest has it too, along with Sta-Bil.

[1pump]

Hey cureless-
You said that the carb won't "intake" gas? Are you actually getting gas to the carb? You should have a semi-transparent filter/strainer. Is it filling up like it's supposed to?

[fishing is life]

you may already know but using fuel stabilizer before running the gas completely out of the engine helps. also you might have luck if you use new gas not old stuff.

[Pete]

The motor runs great until a chunk of junk gets into the jets, then it refuses to start. I have good fuel flow to the filter and good spark. It will start fine with starting fluid, but then it just sounds like it has no fuel and the motor dies. The only way to get it started again is to fix the jets. Of course, that only addresses the symptom - the gas line from the filter to the carb has to be replaced to solve the problem.

[cureless1]

All good ideas, I have replaced the gas line also replaced old gas with new.

What if anything can I do now to get the carb to flow and get un gummed and sucking in gas?

[fishing is life]

cureless, looks like you have to rekit the carbs.

[Miss B Haven]

Hmmm... I've heard that the new fuels are hard on some rubber components and can degrade them (something about the alcohol/additives and certain rubber compounds in lines, gaskets etc). I haven't had this problem yet but it sounds like this may be a real life case of that! Good luck. :depressed:

[Yellow North River]

Before you put the motor away after use, do you disconect the fuel line and run all the gas out of the carb, if you don't do this the fuel evaporates and leaves the oil which gums up the needle valve. Check to see if you are getting fuel in to the cylinders, disconect plug wire try to start than pull plug check to see if it is wet if it is not wet your needle valve could be stuck. When this happened to me a mechanic told me to tap on the carb bowl with the handle of a screw driver to free it, this worked for me. good luck

[Miss B Haven]

Pete - Check your e-mail!

[cureless]

Hey I want to thank everyone for all the advice I was able to start the motor up last night.

It took a combination of everyones advice to get it to work I kept spraying carb cleaner and starter fluid into the carb intake combined with hitting it with a hammer lossened it up and it started and ran perfect for over 30 minutes. I shut it down and fired it up several times over the next hour.

When I was done I ran it dry. I will go home tonight and see if it will fire up?

I will also make sure I have some additive in the gas to keep it good when it sits.

thanks again Ifish, save me money and get me out fishing this weekend is a good thing..

thanks Cureless

[graybeard]

What I found with my trolling motor when the carb was crudded up is that it would run perfect one time out, the next time it wouldn't idle at all. I'd tinker with it when I got home and it would start running fine again. Very inconsistant. I finally took it to the shop and had the carb cleaned. Life is just to short for ruined fishing trips.

[plugcut]

I have the same motor on my boat. Many mechanics have told me never ever use starter fluid on a 2 stroke cause it has no lube in it and can crack a piston, cause it runs really hot. It's ether and burns at a much higher temp then gas. I was told to use WD-40 instead. Glad you got it to go without spending a bundle like I did.

[Gizmo Man]

Don't forget to change your plugs. Go to an auto parts store and get them for half of going to a boat dealer.

Change them once a year and carry and extra set in your boat.

Part of the problem may be the plugs.

Giz...