# Mercury 4 stroke smoking @ startup, if it starts



## joe bag o donuts

So we have a 60 hp Mercury and it hates to start. We've tried every configuration of throttle and choke setting to get it started and it just spits out smoke. After a few tries we will disconnect the gas to avoid flooding. When it finally does crank it will run for a second then die. After a couple of these episodes it will start and last time we had no trouble the rest of the day and we must have started it at least ten time. Each time, after the initial start, it started right up with no hesitation or smoke. 



So does anyone know if we are doing something wrong with the choke at the beginning or is there something mechanically wrong?

Thanks


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## Sequoiha

It shouldnt be hard to diagnose,, all engines need air, fuel, fire,,, just need to find out which one is missing at start up or has to much of,,, I can do that for you if you need... give me a call and i can talk you thru some diagnostics....


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## DOUBLE "D" & LV

Is it white or black smoke? What year is the engine? Is it the carb or fuel injection model? Do you store the engine in full down position?


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## joe bag o donuts

It's about 6-7 years old and it's a 4 stroke and I believe it's carb. We just started storing it straight up and down after our last trip. It's a white smoke.


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## DOUBLE "D" & LV

On 4 strokes, if you store the engine with it trimmed all the way negative (into the boat) the oil sits behind the pistons andcan leak past the rings. When you start it up next time, it will burn off the excess oil that went into the cylinders. After the next running, try storing it in a slightly positive trim (back of engine slightly higher than the front). This will prevent the oil from entering the cylinders. Let us know how it does.


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## a

ya didnt run it in salt water did ya? lol


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## joe bag o donuts

Thanks for all the help! We're shooting for going out tomorrow so I'll see what happens. Right now it's stored with the motor neutral like the picture. When you say store it slightly positive are you saying tilt the shaft side of the motor a little bit up? Could it be that we have a seal that's shot that's allowing oil to leak when we're trailering it? Sorry for all the questions. I'm new to the quirks of outboards. 



Thanks.


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## Sequoiha

Yes, store it a little over vertical, with the shaft up a little,,, if it is stored all the way down, toward the boat, the oil can seep past the rings and make it hard to start and smoke...


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## joe bag o donuts

Thanks for all the help Kenny. We took it out and had no problems with it. We're storing it like you recommended so hopefully we won't have any more problems. Thanks again.


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