Help needed

[alberatzi]

Hey everyone! I have a a problem I'm hoping y'all can shed some light on. I have an 87 Ranger 360V with a Mercury Black Max 175 2-stroke on back. She won't start or idle, but she was running before I took her in to have new steering & throttle cables installed. What am I missing? The carbs were purged, the engine has a new fuel filter & the fuel pump screen is clean. The boat has new primer bulb & hoses, along with a fresh on-board filter. She also has several new vacuum lines & new plugs, all of which are throwing spark. Considering I gave $1247.74 to have all the new gear installed, I don't feel like having to cough up more money to have her running again. Wisdom & guidance are deeply appreciated; thank you in advance for all of y'all's help!

[jc2bg]

The issue/s with that engine would be difficult to diagnose online, but other than returning it to the place that worked on it, you might try posting on the Mercury 2.0/2.4/2.5 liter forum. Some good folks over there know a lot about both old and newer Mercuries. If the place that worked on it *knows* that it was running when they got it, then they should stand behind their work. If they don’t know that it ran and didn’t run it to perform the services they did…. Situations like that are tough.

[wmitch2]

So, why not take it right back to the shop that did all that work and charged you all that $$$, and ask them WHY ??? Bud, I'd have been there the very next day !!! AND, they'd know just how UPSET I was !!! But remember, it takes SPARK, FUEL, and AIR to make an engine run. If one is missing, it will not run. BUT, it should have never left the shop unless it didn't run !!!!

[fishn]

How did they check the carb work without starting the engine?

[jc2bg]

How did they check the carb work without starting the engine?

I didn’t get the impression that the shop did all the work that was done: some was done by the OP or elsewhere. Could be wrong about that, of course…

[Migs]

Kill switch maybe???

[wmitch2]

Kill switch maybe???

There's a great Thought" !!11

[fishn]

Will it throw a spark if the kill switch is not engaged? I don’t know, just asking…

[fishn]

Maybe I read too much into it, you bring up a good question about who did the carb work, jc2bg

[like2build]

Mercury Black Max 175 2-stroke on back. She won't start or idle, but she was running before I took her in to have new steering & throttle cables installed. What am I missing?
1) The carbs were purged
2) new fuel filter & the fuel pump screen is clean.
3) The boat has new primer bulb & hoses
4) fresh on-board filter.
5) several new vacuum lines
6) new plugs, all of which are throwing spark.

Considering I gave $1247.74 to have all the new gear installed, I don't feel like having to cough up more money to have her running again.

So you took the boat in to a shop just for a new throttle cable and steering cable, or were the 6 things I numbered above also done to the carb/engine/fuel system? Or did you do those 6 things yourself? I you did them, was that after the shop performed their work, or did you do that AND the boat was running before you took it in for cables?

To replace the steering cable the shop likely needed to lift the engine off the transom and they might have needed to remove/loosen the wiring harness to give enough room to work. If that's the case this could just be a matter of a wire or two that are loose/disconnected. It's worth calling the shop, telling them the situation, and they may be able to look at it quickly and fix the issue. They should not charge with a fee if it was their work and the engine won't run after they had it.

[518RangerJeff]

Try some starter spray in the carbs. Also push and hold the choke in for like 20 seconds then turn the key to start.
Also check the stator connections.