Reply To: 1960 Evinrude 10 hp only runs when choke is pulled

[Don]

Like Cajun says, stick with the basics… When we skip over basics, we make false assumptions and often times create problems that weren’t there to begin with…
I think what I hear you saying is that the engine ran fine last year, but wouldn’t work without the choke when you first tried it this season, do I have it right?
That engine has a separate filter, did you check/clean it? Any signs of water in the filter bowl. Will the engine run without the choke if an assistant pumps the fuel primer bulb constantly?
Is your fuel/oil supply fresh and free of water? Did you try a different tank and hose?
The engine won’t run at low or high speeds without the choke, correct? If so, you can forget about my comments about throttle linkage, unless the butterfly is jammed or something obvious like that… Just a guess, and forgive me for not reviewing this post, but it sounds like your carb got gummed up over the winter….