Brand New Mercury 5hp will not run

[Tspringer]

So we just got a brand new two-stroke 5 hp mercury in the box never run from Nassau had it shipped up to Eleuthera where we are because our 15 hp Yamaha died and this brand new never run before mercury absolutely will not start no matter what.

Anyone who has any suggestions at all on how to get a brand new engine to actually run I would be grateful.

We have followed all of the instructions exactly, and nothing makes any difference. It has never fired on any level no sputtering no nothing it access if there’s no spark plug present.

[Bill O]

Do you have the clip on the safety lanyard installed on the stop switch?

Otherwise pull the plug and check for spark.

[Tspringer]

Originally Posted by Bill O

Do you have the clip on the safety lanyard installed on the stop switch?

Otherwise pull the plug and check for spark.

Yes, lanyard is fine. I even tried holding the kill switch out, no difference.

If the ignition system needs repair on a brand new engine then I certainly don’t want that engine. I’m not looking for ongoing repair needs from a brand new engine.

Deeply regretting Mercury choice.

[Bill O]

Probably is something simple. You need 3 things to run the motor, fuel, spark and air. Maybe the float became stuck in the carb during shipping and not letting any fuel in to be burned.
As suggested previously, pull the plug and check for spark. This will tell you if it is a fuel or spark issue. If you pull the plug and it is wet, then it may not be getting any spark. Wipe the plug electrode off and check for spark.
If the plug is dry and you have spark, then it is a fuel issue. Can you get to the bowl drain screw on the carb? In a safe place (not to lose the drain screw), remove the drain screw to see if the is fuel in the bowl. If no fuel in bowl gently tap carb body and it may release a stuck float.
Report back w/your findings after you done the above testing.

[sailingharry]

A squirt of ether (starting fluid) into the carb can tell a lot. Keep this to a very light minimum, as you have a two stroke and ether doesn't have oil. Might be able to use a squirt bottle of gas/oil mixed. Back in the day, you could literally pour raw gas down a carb to make it run. But whatever, if a shot of fuel to the carb makes it run, you have everything else good and can dig into fuel.

+2 on checking for a spark. Loose wire, etc could cause this.

When you pull the cord, do you get compression?

I'm not sure I'd be quick to blame Mercury. I'm sure you are frustrated, but I'm quite sure your issue is something simple, like the float stuck, fuel shut off, etc.

[wholybee]

The 5hp Mercury 2 stroke is the same engine sold for years as Nissan in the US. While quality might have declined, they are probably the most reliable outboard ever made.

I doubt that anything would be wrong with the ignition system, but if it is old stock and has been sitting a long time, the carb might have stuck or clogged somehow. I would check for spark because that is easy, and if there is spark I would remove the carb and open the bowl and clean it.

[s/v Jedi]

It’s built by Tohatsu and the most reliable outboard one can buy.

Check for fuel, check for spark.

[Firemandivi]

I can't imagine a new mercury motor being bad. As was already mentioned check a few things first.
1. Check that there is a spark from the spark plug.
2. Take the float bowl off the carb, to check for fuel, also make sure the float is moving and isn't stuck. My guess is the float is stuck and once you fix that you should be fine.
3. Check that the jets aren't clogged, which they shouldn't be on a brand new engine.


Two strokes are easy to work on but I also agree that you shouldn't have to work on a brand new engine. Best of luck to you. If you still have issues take some pictures of the carb taken apart and post them.

[MicHughV]

As pointed out above, the trouble with buying outboards in the B'mas is that the outboard has likely been sitting in some or other storage facility for some time. It may not even be a 2023 model....easy enuff to check.
Being as that it is a 2 stroke, it may have been run at the factory at some time, and left with fuel in the carb, which has gummed up something.

One other thing I'd check is the spark plug cap, I've come across a cap before that had an insert in there, preventing the cap from igniting the spark plug...also check the wiring inside the cowl, something may have come loose in there for one reason or another, loose wire to the kill switch etc...

It's gonna be one of two things....fuel or spark...

I woulda bought a Yamaha myself, but being as that may be, I'd check the electric side first...check for a spark, etc...if that all works, you're gonna know it's a fuel issue...fuel line, clogged fuel filter, carb.. a pain in the arse for a new engine, but under current circumstances, your options are limited.

[idclic]

Happened to us with a brand new Yamaha 4 stoke engine. I was close enough to the dealer to bring it back. Turned out the fuel line was kinked from the factory! As mentioned before check for spark and and see if your spark plug gets fuel (it will be wet).
Good luck!

[wholybee]

The fuel line on this engine is about 10 inches long and straight, so it shouldn't be kinked. But following that same train of thought. The shaft that runs from the fuel on/off knob to the valve under the tank can come loose. There isn't much holding it in place. There is a fuel filter inside the tank. It is accessed by removing the fuel shutoff valve from the bottom of the tank. It's worth looking at all of that.

[capt jgw]

A couple years ago I bought a new Mercury 3.5 four stroke. It ran for about twenty minutes never to run again. I took it back.

[Tspringer]

OK - I spoke at length several times with the dealers service lead. I checked spark - it does have good spark. I verified it was getting fuel to the carb. I have tested with the small internal fuel tank and the new external tank. Using brand new clean fuel from the USA and the correct 25:1 mixture.

I removed the carb and verified that the float bowl and needle valve were moving correctly and nothing else looked out of place. The tech lead did not want me to go through the rest of the carb and frankly I don't want to do anything else to this little PoS.

So our plans change. Our friends visiting Eleuthera do not get to go sailing and we get to motor 10 hours in calm tomorrow to Nassau. Thursday the Mercury goes back for a full refund.

Now we have to find an engine in Nassau. No way I have any interest in owning a Mercury at this point. If it is so great that it wont even run brand new fresh from the box that is pretty much all the testimony I need.

Hopefully I can find a small Yamaha but initial price checks had a 8 hp Yamaha at $2100 which is stupid. Maybe a Suzuki?

If anyone has a used engine in Nassau please let me know. We have a friend arriving next Tuesday for 3 weeks and really do not want that trip to fall apart too.


Terry


Terry

[Tspringer]

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

It’s built by Tohatsu and the most reliable outboard one can buy.

LOL It literally will not run even though it is brand new right out of the box. I would hardly call that reliable and certainly not the most reliable outboard one can buy.

I call it junk. It goes back to the dealer for a full refund Thursday and I will never own another Mercury. It does not get any worse than failure when brand new.


Terry

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by Tspringer

LOL It literally will not run even though it is brand new right out of the box. I would hardly call that reliable and certainly not the most reliable outboard one can buy.

I call it junk. It goes back to the dealer for a full refund Thursday and I will never own another Mercury. It does not get any worse that failure when brand new.


Terry

For an outboard to fail, it must first work. If you can’t handle this then I don’t know what to say, other than Yamaha isn’t a bad choice. I don’t think there are other options because these make all the motors regardless of the name on the cowling.