Northwest Fishing Reports

So I bought my boat last summer, garaged its whole life (7 years). Put it on the water and it started first or second pull all summer long. In the fall it started taking a few more pulls to start it up. This winter I used it for duck and goose. I know cold weather makes it tough starts on small motors. It took awhile to start it, it would run poor for a little bit and then die. It would start right up and run after that. I would plane out and cruise. If I got off the throttle to slow down or stop it would die and not start for about 5-10 min. I'm not exactly super knowledgable with small motors (25hp merc). I'm not sure if it was just the cold weather (15 degrees) or if my motor is telling me it needs a little care. I am going to replace the plugs but beyond that I'm not real sure what to do for a tune up. Things are a little different than my jeep motor. Any suggestions?

2 stroke by the way

I have a 15hp jonson 2 stroke and during the summer it starts with ease also and during the winter its about as easy to turn on as a 95 year old devout nun.

You might wanna run some carb spray through it that helped mine out.

I don't have a gas powered outboard, but my lawn equipment (rototillers, lawn mower, grass trimmer and snow blower) all get treatments of "Stabill." I think it helps to dehydrate any condensation in the tank, and I never have trouble starting them. Good Stuff!

My snowblower is a 2-stroke and it starts about as easy in winter as my 2-stroke weedeater does in summer. Might have to leave the choke on a little longer until it's warm, but nothing too bad. You might be onto something as far as an issue with plugs. Maybe the gaps are off a bit or are gummed up and it takes longer in the winter to either get burn off the gunk or spark thru it?

I guess that wouldn't explain it running for a while then bonking for 10-15 minutes. Unless by then you or an automatic system has choked it back by then.

That's the extent of my 2-stroke motor knowledge. ;-) They're a very simple motor though, can't be too many things to troubleshoot. Good luck!