Expert: Everett Peacock - 6/25/2010

Question
I have a 1986 2 cylinder, 2 cycle, 9.9 hp Mercury.  It starts and runs fine but after it warms up it tends to idle too slow in neutral and die.  I've looked and the idle control stiff wire goes from the plastic "choke-idle speed" bracket to a black circular part up under the flywheel (I think this may be the timing advance ring).  Anyway the wire is bent at right angles and supposed to move this ring counterclockwise when you turn the 'choke-idle' knob clockwise to increase the neutral speed.  The problem seems to be at the lowest choke speed setting for the knob the wire is about 1/4" away from the ring.  Turning the choke knob towards higher speeds does move the wire but not enough to start moving the ring and increasing the speed.

There is no adjustment room left on the screw at the top of the plastic arm the wire connects to.  There is a screw near the leg of the cord rewind mechanism that controls the stop for the ring rotation.  Can I adjust that to increase the speed slightly?  since it runs fine otherwise I would prefer not trying to adjust the timing. I have scoured the Seloc Manual and it really doesn't provide info on this that is of any help.  Thanks

Answer
some times you can get the idle speed as you said but first make sure the slow speed mixture is correct....to do that here you go.... turn idle mixture screw all the way in...then turn  1 .5   turns out start engine and turn screw to get the highest idle speed in gear...