Mariner 3.5 starting problems

[bromleybysea]

I bought a new Mariner 3.5 4-stroke outboard a couple of weeks ago. My old Honda had finally died after 25 years of hard service and I needed to replace it whilst cruising a long way from home. In Weymouth the only dealers stocked Mercury/Mariner motors and I got the 3.5 at what seemed like a good price, delivered to the boat. But what a bas##$d to start! It eventually starts after a lot of pulling and various combinations of throttle and choke, particularly hard if it's warm. I do what it says in the book but it makes no difference. A brand-new engine hard to start? I have a small inflatable and it m beginning to wonder if I can't physically get in a position to give it a really good "snap". What am I doing wrong?

 

[footsoldier]

New, two weeks old! The obvious thing is go back to the dealer.

 

[ashtead]

Maybe the dealer is best source of advice or buy a secondhand 2 stroke 3.3 hp mercury for £400?

 

[lustyd]

Did you complete the running in procedure? Could just be tight tolerances that will wear in. Usually you need to do X hours at Y revs then change the oil which will be full of metal or somesuch with a new engine.
Should be easy to start if you've done all that though so either back to dealer or service it, likely to be something simple

 

[KeelsonGraham]

I have the same engine. Even new, starting was always easy. However, it’s quite sensitive to the position of the throttle, and the position of the fuel tap is far from intuitive. It almost seems to be the opposite of the instruction label.

 

[chris-s]

We _had_ the same engine, easy to begin with but after the first season, and being seviced it became a real pita to start when warm. Was glad to see the back of it. Bought an old 2stroke 2.? hp yamaha and you so much as look at it and it starts. Lighter too.