Well I answered my own question tonight. After being out on someone else's
boat today, I noticed how they started theirs and what I was doing was all
wrong. Trouble was that the person who I bought it off of didn't expain
correctly on how to start it.

After I put the newly recharged battery in, I pumped the "bulb" until it was
hard and then I pushed and turned the key and waited about ten seconds; gave
her a crank and voila, started right up!

The previous owner never told me that the choke was when you push and turn
the key, he told me it was part of the fast idle lever! ****ed me off!
Good news is I saved myself $8 a plug that I can now return back to Canadian
Tire and I now know how to start my boat!!
Dean

"dmp" wrote in message
...
Hi
I'm a newbie to all this boating stuff and am having problems starting my
outboard.
First off, its a 140 hp Evinrude, about a 1983. I start off by pumping the
fuel bulb til its is hard (a fellow collegue informed me of this) and then
lift the choke lever all the way up, push in the key and start turning it
over. It cranks for about 3 mins and then I stop to let the starter
cool(if
it is hot?) Then I start again and finally it will start about another 3
min
or so.
Question is, should it take this long? I plan on changing the plugs this
weekend. Is there something else I should do? If the battery is low, will
this not help the problem? I had to take it home tonight to give it a
charge
as it stopped cranking the motor.

Thanks Dean