Dead Donkey - Mercury 8LP

[diver 1]

I have a Mercury 8LP - 1998 2 cyl 2 stroke which is the donkey engine on my rib.

Its been fine every time I've checked it until last weekend when it just wouldn't start.

I quickly realised its fuel supply has been contaminated with water so left it, used the main engine and had a look over the weekend.

I took the carb off, stripped it down and cleaned and flushed the carb with fresh petrol and compressed air and reassembled.

It still refused to start. There is a good spark on both plugs which are new. There is a stro ng smell of petrol vapour at the plug holes when I pull the chord with the plugs removed.

I eventually got it running and starting every time but only with the throttle on the side fo the carb held partly open. It will not run at tickover at all.

Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks!

[Nos4r2]

Blocked idle jet at a guess.

[uncle al]

the best way I have found to check if the jets are clear, obviously the ones that are straight through is switch on a torch, put a piece of white paper on the torch ,then put your jet onto the white paperso that you can look straight down the jet and any debri / dirt is obvious, I have used this method on site for years so I know it works.