94 merc 25 throttle ?

No idea if it's supposed to have a flat spot.  :-/

But as long as the fit is snug in the slot, I'd leave it alone.
Problems maintaining idle usually indicate dirt in the carb on my outboards.
Check to see if the plugs are showing black and wet.
Indicates too much fuel entering the firing chamber at low rpms.
If dry and tan then fuel starvation is taking place at low rpms.

Carb is freshly cleaned and rebuilt, no change in the problem. As for "snug" :-/ ... there is a good amount of slop in the linkage,but has been like that since I got the motor,and it ran great for the first year, this issue has come on slowly and I was keeping it at bay by adjusting the linkage and tweeking the idle...I'm over it and want to get to the root of the problem. I'll check the plugs again, they are new and have never seen much run time other than in the driveway while running in the water tank, no real "use".

One other thing, Mine doesnt have a carb cover,never did. Could that pose an airflow issue? I know my neighbors generator WILL NOT run without the carb cover on.

I think your outboards just in need of a tune up.
If you're sure the carbs clean, then I'd be checking my plugs
and checking my carb linkage and throttle synchronization.
Verify idle rpms in water with engine in forward gear.
Not on hose flush, important to set idle rpms to compensate for
back pressure created by water level in exhaust housing.

You mention that the carb is clean and rebuilt. One thing you did not mention was if you had the volume of the jets checked.

idle jets?

I think your outboards just in need of a tune up.
If you're sure the carbs clean, then I'd be checking my plugs
and checking my carb linkage and throttle synchronization.
Verify idle rpms in water with engine in forward gear.
Not on hose flush, important to set idle rpms to compensate for
back pressure created by water level in exhaust housing.

Click to expand...

Carb is clean, plugs are new. I'm at the point of trying to sync the throttle linkage. I know it needs to be done in the water...also, my outboard does not have a carb cover. could this be an issue as well. It never had one since I got it and it ran fine for a while...I think the mech just had it tweaked to run,but not "set correctly"

Many of the older carbed 2 strokes didn't have the intake baffle.
I think it was meant to be a venturi noise suppressor.
Kept intake whistle down to a whisper.

did you clean the idle jets?

did you clean the idle jets?

Click to expand...

Not really sure. This was my first venture into the carb, i'm not that familiar with the idle jets and no, I don't have a manual :-[

Your motor doesn't have a carb cover from the factory. If your talking about the roller cam on the lnkage no it should not have a flat spot, but that wouldn't casue your problem.

You can't say the carb is clean and recently rebuilt if you don't even know if you cleaned the idle jets.

Take it into te shop spend the 1.5 hours of labor and get it fixed.

take it into te shop spend the 1.5 hours of labor and get it fixed.

Click to expand...

Yup thats about where I'm at...really thought I could do it myself but I just don't really have the time or knowledge.