Getting ready to try to start very old outboard motor.

[rujr]

I have a 1978 2.4l mercury black max 200hp I have pulled out of storage and am attempting to get running. I stood the motor up, cleaned the choke plates with sprayable sea foam. I took out all of the plugs which look fine, retorqued them with antisieze, applied dielectric grease to both plug ends. The electrical components look good. Put a new water pump kit in the lower unit, new lubricant in the lower unit. Before I spend any more money on the engine, I want to make sure it runs. Tomorrow I plan to hook up to a battery and water, figure out the electrical, and pull from a small fuel tank with 50:1 mix and the recommended amount of sea foam. It has been five years since run. Is there anything else I should do prior to trying to start or should I go for it? Maybe there is someone with some experience getting older engines to fire?

[OMCStratos]

I like to pull the plugs and GROUND OUT the spark plug wires to the block. Roll the motor over a little bit and prime the crankcase with a heavy dose of fogging oil or something to make sure the bearings and everything is lubricated. Sometimes spray some oil in the cylinders and turn the flywheel by hand. This also helps prime the fuel through the reeds and makes for an easier startup. Do a compression test also.

[rujr]

Great information. That is the information I am looking for. Thanks.

[outasite]

I would pull the drain plugs at the bottom of the carbs,see if they are clean or if there is slime or goo in the bowls.If there is just a slight bit of varnish,a can of carb clean spray, may clean them up.

[rujr]

So just spray a can into the carbs with the drain plugs open?

[outasite]

You would need to get the carb spray with the long thin tube extension.with the drain plugs out,put the nozzle in the drain holes and "flush out" the bowl.If when you pull the drain plugs out,if they seem clean on the ends,the carbs are most likely,ok as is.-------If they seem funky,it's best to pull the bowls and clean them right.A plugged jet will burn down a cylinder!!!

[eli]

fogging oil is a good tool to help fire when taken out of storage and it also gets oil in

[flabum1017]

So just spray a can into the carbs with the drain plugs open?

If there is varnish on the plugs, it's best to take the carbs off and rebuild them..... last thing you want to do it run it with clogged carbs starving it of fuel and more importantly oil..............

[rujr]

Thank you for the tips. All will be followed.

[rujr]

I followed all of the provided tips and the motor fired perfectly! I am stoked! Thanks for the input. Successful start!