Why Does My Boat Engine Die After Idling? Troubleshooting & Solutions

Question
My neighbor has an old inboard mercruiser, just got it going and most of the time it goes well, but if he leaves it idling for 5 to 10 minutes, when he tries to pull away it just dies on him, can you help please

Answer
Hi John...Sorry for the delay in responding to your question.

The symptom suggests a restriction or partial obstruction in the fuel line system, or contaminated fuel, or old/stale fuel which lacks the required amount of octane, or the carb or its linkage might be defective. Best you consult a qualified and reliable marine mechanic.

Safe Boating
Ron