Saving Old Seagulls

Would appreciate help with a poor running 40+

Symptoms are : hard to start (will fire up with starting fluid); needs to have the choke on to remain running; stops running after a time anyway, choke or no choke.

Condition : Pretty good. Good, new gas properly mixed; New plug; new throttle lever. 10:1 mixture; Needle recently removed and (I thought) re-installed according to instructions. Submerged to the proper depth in water. Water pump working. No obvious issues seen.

It ran better before the needle was out, so I suspect I did something wrong there.

Any assistance would be appreciated. Thanks.

Cannot get the links to the carb diagram on the website to work!

BUT spring fitted under the head of the needle?

No 3 needle for 10:1

Start with with grub screw screwed in until flush with top of piston. Screw down if it runs too rich (four-strokes)

Check jet is clean!

Jet centrepiece located so that its retaining screw is in the slot in the head of the centrepiece NOT the round hole?

Washer under the head of the centrepiece?

Top of carb correctly located?

Check flow of fuel to carb. Filter in tank and fine filter on the carb inlet banjo.
Tank venting?

Do you get an overflow of fuel when tickling the carb before starting?

Check all the above but sounds like fuel flow problem hence tank venting and filter checks unless you get a good overflow when pressing the tickler button.

DO NOT use starting fluid, it contains no oil! Spray petrol/oil mix into carb intake.

click to enlarge. NB prices are out of date!