28. Gas is ok, carb ok. Compression good on all 4 cylinders and I get spark ok, yet it will not start. Turns over ok with new battery. Do you have any suggestions?

With compression, fuel, ignition all OK, the engine has to start.

It may be that your choke is not closing completely. Due to the updraft design of the carburetor, the choke must close completely so that the poppet valve in the choke valve can provide the correct fuel mixture.

If I were on your boat, I'd remove the flame arrestor and look up the throat of the carburetor. If the choke is working and the carburetor and fuel supply is in fact OK, there should be raw fuel puddled in the bottom of the carburetor intake throat after 10 to 15 seconds of cranking. If the intake throat is dry (after that amount of cranking), there is a problem with the carburetor.

If there is fuel puddled in the bottom of the carburetor, then the engine is not starting due to some problem in the ignition system. If you are getting a good secondary discharge out of the coil, then it may be that the engine is out of time. This would be a good guess in the event that someone worked on the engine lately. - Updated: November 6, 2003