Idle Adjustment on Mercury 210 Carb

[Mikum1968]

My Utopia only idles at 500-700 rpms while on the hose. Usually dies quickly. If I throttle up a bit (around 1000 rpm), the boat will idle forever.

The Mercury service manual says it should be 1000-1100. Does anyone know if this is the rpm in my driveway on the hose?

Local shop says 1000-1100 in my driveway should result in 500-700 in the water.

The boat has never idled well (like a lot of other jet boaters, I turn the wheel to engage the low speed "thrusters") since I bought it and now I know why.

I can find the idle adjustment screw in the service manual but i also read online that the ECM has something to do with the idle speed? Am I ok to simply warm the boat up in my driveway on the hose and adjust the idle to 1000-1100 using the set screw?

The idle adjustment screw is labelled as "f" in the attached diagram. Seems simple enough to adjust.

Anyone know anything about the "idle timing screw" labelled as "m?"

I did .pdf seach of the manual and could not find a procedure to adjust the idle.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Michael

 

[Dr Honda]

It should be right at 1000 rpm. There is no load on the pump in the driveway.

Personally... I wouldn't adjust it in the driveway. Put it in the water, and do it there.

Yes... you can adjust "F" to set it. There is a lock nut.

"M" is on the top half of the arm, and they can move differently as it is spring loaded in the middle. Don't mess with it, unless you have a timing light, and follow the book procedures. You could introduce pre-ignition, and burn a piston. (not good)

 

[Mikum1968]

Thanks. I will go to the lake, start the boat and let it work up and adjust the rpms to 1000-1100 rpm idle while it is in the water.

 

[Dr Honda]

I would adjust it to around 900 in the water if it was mine.

 

[Mikum1968]

Thank you Dr Honda! I super appreciative your help and i will NEVER use Seafoam in my boat again. I promise.

Michael