Not sure what to do about my little 15hp

[virtualt]

Hey guys, I have a little 1992 Rude 15hp that was hard to start, idled rough and wouldn't power up to full throttle unless the choke was completely closed.

This told me it was running lean and needed a carb clean as it hadn't been run in 2 years.

Prior to hanging it up for the 2 years it was serviced by a very reputable local Evinrude/Johnson mechanic and the carb was rebuilt along with the fuel pump.

I took it to another shop as the original had closed up and moved back to Wisconsin after having had enough of the Hurricanes.

Was told to come in and pick it up yesterday as it was all "fixed" and starts on the first pull and idles smoothly.

Paid the bill $152 (seemed high for a carb clean, which was thier diagnosis) and asked them to start it up for me as I hadn't heard it run for so long, anyhow, 50 pulls+ later and she no starts, nothing.

Then the mechanic tells me it probably needs a new carb, this is after calling me and saying it was all "fixed" and runs perfect, could the carb have gone bad in the 2 hours it took me to get there?

What would you do in this situation, this is the same shop that told me my Seadoo with the 240EFI Mercury needed the engine pulled to change the oil pump drive (that was just a sensor or float problem in the oil tank)?

Skippy

[rudetech1]

These little engines had some issues with the idle pick up tube being made of rubber hose. The top caps crack, they are a little harder to adjust. The newer carb is an improvement big time. My weekly repair on these engines is around 5-10 engines a week. I have had to replace a few carbs but they are commercial motors and have hundreds of hours on them. If it's running good now, I'd say it's a good thing and leave it at that.

[RUSTY63]

Go to the parts program pinned at the top of this forum, use your model number to find the correct information, go to the carb information and look at item number...2, 4, and 23, any of these could cause your problem, item #2 has a small tube that MUST BE CLEAN.

[virtualt]

I just got the motor back from the shop and they still cannot get it to start from cold without a shot of ether.

It now runs perfect when warm, so it is the choke circuit that is acting up.

The choke butterfly closes a and opens perfect, so where should I start?

Thanks for taking the time to help me out guys.

Skippy

[rudetech1]

Did they actually put a new carb on it or was it the same one. Either way, I'd hit a different tech. Look at the top cap on the carb, check for cracks. If it is cracked , replace it. The carbs are not that hard to repair, this little guy can be tricky. Opening the carb may reveal that the pickup jet to the idle tube is damaged or the hose clogged. Some mechanics do not disassemble them far enough to get them really clean. It does need to be clean, any debris or missadjustment throws everything off. May also try to hold a peice of cardboard over the carb throat, making a choke that fits tightly. If it fires, you are leaking air in or not enough fuel to the system for a start. I would also check to make sure that the engine has spark on the first few pulls, if not, we need to go somewhere else.

[virtualt]

Should have said, it seems to run perfect on the stand, put it back on the jon boat it it won't go over 1/4 throttle without the engine just dying.

It has a new top on the carb so it shouldn't be cracked, and why the F do they include 3 gaskets in the kit??

How much is a carb for this thing, anyone know?

I am not taking it back to the children that worked on it (18-22 yrs old tops) as they have little or no clue.

They stripped the bolt that holds the starter bedix on and put in a helicoil, and now it takes several pulls just to engage the flywheel, whereas before it caught as soon as you pulled the cord.

Can I frieght it to one of you guys?

Skippy

[rudetech1]

You may have the wrong gasket in it. There are three gaskets due to three variations of the carb here in the states( and overseas). Can't check the carb price, P.C. issues. You need to make all the adjustments in the water. You need back pressure to make it work. If you have the adjustable idle needle, back it out 2-1/2 turns to get it started and work from there. You need to match up the gaskets to the holes in the top of the carb. If you have a new top cap, it should be one of the brown ones. If you cant get it to the water, put it on the boat and fill a trash can with water, get the water to the regular height in the water. You can go to http://www.evinrude.com and use the dealer locator to find a tech. Call and ask them for the experiance level before you go,time to wait etc. Or post a question and someone will probably tell you someone near you.

[virtualt]

Here's an update for those that like a laugh.....

One of their employees has stole my outboard and quit the company!!

Now I have to wait and see if they can get it back or have to settle for "fair market price"

What would be considered "fair market value" for a 1992 15hp Evinrude short shaft anyway?

Skippy

[RUSTY63]

Fair Market value is a New 9.9HO E-Tech.

Sorry to hear about this Skippy, check NADA.com to get the market value.