Well, my old project boat's power source is an old 1972 Mercury 80hp. I'm
having a problem with it now and am really getting frustrated.

The history, this motor sat for a number of years without starting or use.
Last year I got it started a couple times briefly then it quit and I
couldn't restart it. After messing around with it this year I got another
coil, put it in, and it finally fired up. Since then I've had it going
several times, and even for durations of 10 mins in the water tank. That
was last week.

This week, I have had a harder time starting it, and when I do get it going
it doesn't seem to go for long. Actually, it'll run then die suddenly like
someone unplugged it. Twice today its been like that, and then its a pain
to get it going again. A few times it started right up after it died, but
the most recent try, it started finally, and quit 10 seconds later without
any further success starting it.

What could this be?

Any ideas would be appreciated. Some of the wires on connecting to things
had been cut and fixed as they were all cracked up and corrosion started in
them.. I've unwrapped a good portion of the wires there and spliced in good
stuff to replace the really bad wires.


Thanks
Chris

Takes 3 things to run: air, fuel, fire. Check for spark when it does not
start. Then if good spark, that is the spark will jump a 1/2" gap with a
bright spark, then check if carb is gunked up. Try pouring a a few drops of
premis fuel down the carb and see if you get run.

"Chris" wrote in message
news
Well, my old project boat's power source is an old 1972 Mercury 80hp. I'm
having a problem with it now and am really getting frustrated.

The history, this motor sat for a number of years without starting or use.
Last year I got it started a couple times briefly then it quit and I
couldn't restart it. After messing around with it this year I got another
coil, put it in, and it finally fired up. Since then I've had it going
several times, and even for durations of 10 mins in the water tank. That
was last week.

This week, I have had a harder time starting it, and when I do get it
going it doesn't seem to go for long. Actually, it'll run then die
suddenly like someone unplugged it. Twice today its been like that, and
then its a pain to get it going again. A few times it started right up
after it died, but the most recent try, it started finally, and quit 10
seconds later without any further success starting it.

What could this be?

Any ideas would be appreciated. Some of the wires on connecting to things
had been cut and fixed as they were all cracked up and corrosion started
in them.. I've unwrapped a good portion of the wires there and spliced in
good stuff to replace the really bad wires.


Thanks
Chris

Chances are you need to rebuild the carbs. It could be the fuel pump has
dry rotted on you as well. I assume you are pumping the bubble on the fuel
line to fill the carb bowls.

--
Tony
my boats and cars at http://t.thomas.home.mchsi.com

-
"Chris" wrote in message
news
Well, my old project boat's power source is an old 1972 Mercury 80hp. I'm
having a problem with it now and am really getting frustrated.

The history, this motor sat for a number of years without starting or use.
Last year I got it started a couple times briefly then it quit and I
couldn't restart it. After messing around with it this year I got another
coil, put it in, and it finally fired up. Since then I've had it going
several times, and even for durations of 10 mins in the water tank. That
was last week.

This week, I have had a harder time starting it, and when I do get it
going it doesn't seem to go for long. Actually, it'll run then die
suddenly like someone unplugged it. Twice today its been like that, and
then its a pain to get it going again. A few times it started right up
after it died, but the most recent try, it started finally, and quit 10
seconds later without any further success starting it.

What could this be?

Any ideas would be appreciated. Some of the wires on connecting to things
had been cut and fixed as they were all cracked up and corrosion started
in them.. I've unwrapped a good portion of the wires there and spliced in
good stuff to replace the really bad wires.


Thanks
Chris

yes I do pump the fuel to fill the carb bowls.. I pump it until its hard,
and then try... after it quits though typically I could pump the bulb again
as the bulb is not usually really hard anymore...


"tony thomas" wrote in message
newstune.1086$x96.868@attbi_s72...
Chances are you need to rebuild the carbs. It could be the fuel pump has
dry rotted on you as well. I assume you are pumping the bubble on the
fuel line to fill the carb bowls.

--
Tony
my boats and cars at http://t.thomas.home.mchsi.com

-
"Chris" wrote in message
news
Well, my old project boat's power source is an old 1972 Mercury 80hp.
I'm having a problem with it now and am really getting frustrated.

The history, this motor sat for a number of years without starting or
use. Last year I got it started a couple times briefly then it quit and I
couldn't restart it. After messing around with it this year I got
another coil, put it in, and it finally fired up. Since then I've had it
going several times, and even for durations of 10 mins in the water tank.
That was last week.

This week, I have had a harder time starting it, and when I do get it
going it doesn't seem to go for long. Actually, it'll run then die
suddenly like someone unplugged it. Twice today its been like that, and
then its a pain to get it going again. A few times it started right up
after it died, but the most recent try, it started finally, and quit 10
seconds later without any further success starting it.

What could this be?

Any ideas would be appreciated. Some of the wires on connecting to
things had been cut and fixed as they were all cracked up and corrosion
started in them.. I've unwrapped a good portion of the wires there and
spliced in good stuff to replace the really bad wires.


Thanks
Chris

I'm going to verify the sparking again...

"Bill McKee" wrote in message
link.net...
Takes 3 things to run: air, fuel, fire. Check for spark when it does not
start. Then if good spark, that is the spark will jump a 1/2" gap with a
bright spark, then check if carb is gunked up. Try pouring a a few drops
of premis fuel down the carb and see if you get run.

"Chris" wrote in message
news
Well, my old project boat's power source is an old 1972 Mercury 80hp.
I'm having a problem with it now and am really getting frustrated.

The history, this motor sat for a number of years without starting or
use. Last year I got it started a couple times briefly then it quit and I
couldn't restart it. After messing around with it this year I got
another coil, put it in, and it finally fired up. Since then I've had it
going several times, and even for durations of 10 mins in the water tank.
That was last week.

This week, I have had a harder time starting it, and when I do get it
going it doesn't seem to go for long. Actually, it'll run then die
suddenly like someone unplugged it. Twice today its been like that, and
then its a pain to get it going again. A few times it started right up
after it died, but the most recent try, it started finally, and quit 10
seconds later without any further success starting it.

What could this be?

Any ideas would be appreciated. Some of the wires on connecting to
things had been cut and fixed as they were all cracked up and corrosion
started in them.. I've unwrapped a good portion of the wires there and
spliced in good stuff to replace the really bad wires.


Thanks
Chris

Try pumping the bubble while the engine is running and see if it keeps
running as long as you keep pumping.
If so - you need a new fuel pump.

--
Tony
my boats and cars at http://t.thomas.home.mchsi.com

-
"Chris" wrote in message
. ..
yes I do pump the fuel to fill the carb bowls.. I pump it until its hard,
and then try... after it quits though typically I could pump the bulb
again as the bulb is not usually really hard anymore...


"tony thomas" wrote in message
newstune.1086$x96.868@attbi_s72...
Chances are you need to rebuild the carbs. It could be the fuel pump has
dry rotted on you as well. I assume you are pumping the bubble on the
fuel line to fill the carb bowls.

--
Tony
my boats and cars at http://t.thomas.home.mchsi.com

-
"Chris" wrote in message
news
Well, my old project boat's power source is an old 1972 Mercury 80hp.
I'm having a problem with it now and am really getting frustrated.

The history, this motor sat for a number of years without starting or
use. Last year I got it started a couple times briefly then it quit and
I couldn't restart it. After messing around with it this year I got
another coil, put it in, and it finally fired up. Since then I've had
it going several times, and even for durations of 10 mins in the water
tank. That was last week.

This week, I have had a harder time starting it, and when I do get it
going it doesn't seem to go for long. Actually, it'll run then die
suddenly like someone unplugged it. Twice today its been like that, and
then its a pain to get it going again. A few times it started right up
after it died, but the most recent try, it started finally, and quit 10
seconds later without any further success starting it.

What could this be?

Any ideas would be appreciated. Some of the wires on connecting to
things had been cut and fixed as they were all cracked up and corrosion
started in them.. I've unwrapped a good portion of the wires there and
spliced in good stuff to replace the really bad wires.


Thanks
Chris

Chris wrote:
Well, my old project boat's power source is an old 1972 Mercury 80hp. I'm
having a problem with it now and am really getting frustrated.

The history, this motor sat for a number of years without starting or use.
Last year I got it started a couple times briefly then it quit and I
couldn't restart it. After messing around with it this year I got another
coil, put it in, and it finally fired up. Since then I've had it going
several times, and even for durations of 10 mins in the water tank. That
was last week.

This week, I have had a harder time starting it, and when I do get it going
it doesn't seem to go for long. Actually, it'll run then die suddenly like
someone unplugged it. Twice today its been like that, and then its a pain
to get it going again. A few times it started right up after it died, but
the most recent try, it started finally, and quit 10 seconds later without
any further success starting it.

What could this be?

Any ideas would be appreciated. Some of the wires on connecting to things
had been cut and fixed as they were all cracked up and corrosion started in
them.. I've unwrapped a good portion of the wires there and spliced in good
stuff to replace the really bad wires.


Thanks
Chris

Get a manual for that motor, and a carb kit, rebuild the carbs. They
are simple.

On Wed, 1 Jun 2005 19:38:49 -0400, "Chris"
wrote:

Well, my old project boat's power source is an old 1972 Mercury 80hp. I'm
having a problem with it now and am really getting frustrated.

"1972"? Sell it, get a new motor.

Me and the wife
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/harkra...bum?.dir=/1323