Small outboard only runs on choke: clogged carb
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Applies to: Tohatsu MFS, Mercury, Honda and other small carbureted outboards
Symptoms
- Starts on choke, dies when you push it in
- Won't idle, surges at low speed
- Sat over winter with fuel in it
Why it happens
Ethanol fuel left in the carb evaporates and leaves varnish in the tiny idle jet and passages. Small outboards clog fastest because their jets are so small.
How to fix it
- Drain the carb bowl and use fresh fuel.
- Remove the carb and clean the pilot jet and passages with cleaner and fine wire.
- Check the fuel pump diaphragm and fuel line filter.
- Before storage, run the carb dry or use stabilizer.
Tools and parts
- Carb cleaner
- Carb rebuild kit
- Fuel stabilizer
What the factory service manual covers
Fuel system: carb disassembly, jet sizes, float height. The full procedure, specs and wiring diagrams are in the factory service manual for your machine.