Outboard Help

[4x4bassin]

I had a little (big problem at time)with my merc last week and was wondering if this has happened to anyone here. I was on a backwoods atv/fishing trip a couple weeks

ago , we travel with everything loaded onto the bike racks including the motor . We got to the lake , setup and then proceded to go out fishing , well the good old

reliable merc finally let me down . The thing wouldn't start and after pulling for ever we gave up . I checked for fuel/spark and everything was good but just wouldn't start !

I have done this trip many times before with no issues so I thought about it and the only thing I did different was for the month previous to this trip I stored the motor

on it's side and i'm thinking that did something to it !

My father in-law took the carb apart and checked it out with no visible problems and just cleaned it and put it back together , after 3 pulls she started up and idled no

problem .

Has anyone here had any issues with storing an outboard on its side and screwing up the carb , trust me I really don't want this to happen again. Paddling around a 14 ft

alluminum on the last weekend of lake trout season is no fun ! Mind you we did pretty well considering , we caught 20 lakers drifting and paddling about .

Any suggestions

[barrystrs]

He didn't find any dirt in the carb, yet that fixed it, so it was probably a stuck needle valve. I don't know the orientation or design of that carb, so I don't know if it is more likely to get stuck while on its side. My guess is that if you have never had trouble in the past, it won't happen again. You could take whatever tools are required to remove the float bowl with you, just incase.

[BillM]

2 stroke or 4 stroke? If 4 stroke, you need to make sure it's laid down properly so the engine oil doesn't make it into the top end.

[davey buoy]

If a 2 stroke,I agree with Barry. Needle stuck,or dirt got into the seat.

[4x4bassin]

2 stroke , I have read about leaving 4 strokes on there side and causing big problems but nothing really about 2 strokes ! and yes I usually

take a small outboard tool kit with me on these kind of trips but as it always happens I forgot it and the motor craps out, first time ever

That will not happen again !