re: Outboard "Know It Alls" I need your help.

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Fuel filter?

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Wouldn’t run wide open if it was struggling to get fuel in general. That one detail gives it away. In almost any small engine there is a pilot circuit and a main circuit in the carb. Pilot circuit delivers a slow but steady stream of fuel to keep it running and set idle, main circuit delivers a variable amount of fuel subject to throttle. This is a classic example, gun the throttle and it runs fine cause main circuit is in control but let off throttle for a second and it goes to shite cause idle circuit isn’t doing it’s job. Idle circuit is the most likely to pick up trash because it’s always drawing fuel from the bowl.

Like my roommate in college said “almost all outboards run fine at full throttle if you can get them to full throttle”.

Lots of truth to that. Sounds like a carb problem. Take it apart and spray carb cleaner thru all orifices and I bet you’ll be fine.

Just replaced the carb on my ‘01 2 stroke merc 40. Carb costs 285.00 and I only had one to replace.

Went with a carb kit originally for 50.00 and it didn’t work. Tough lesson to learn. Parts/kits are hard as hell to find right now FYI.

My issues were from ethanol gas run by the previous boat owner. When I bought it I knew it needed a carb job. Ended up needing a new carb, fuel pump, and all new fuel lines due to the ethanol. Then had to replace the impeller/water pump, and now looking like I will have to replace the starter soon also. FML. Love the bait though and the motor runs like a top now. You should’ve seen the fuel lines though. The entire inside of the lines has hardened and delaminated. The inside broke into a million pieces and it cliched everything. It’s amazing I ever got it running at all before the new carb and fuel pump. The fuel filter looked like nothing I had ever seen before. F ethanol gas in an outboard.