On Mon, 27 Jun 2005 16:13:37 GMT, "Doug Kanter"
wrote:

...when it's cold. This is a 1996 Johnson 15hp 4 stroke, model J15FREDR.
Plugs are a year old. It's got a fresh tank of gas (not the "preserved"
stuff from over the winter. Takes about 3.2 million pulls to get it going.
Once it's been running for a few minutes, it's fine for the rest of the
day - 1 or 2 pulls starts it. What are the first few things to check?

Yep - it was bound to happen - you are getting too old - can't pull it
fast enough to get it started. ~~ snicker ~~

Check the choke and make sure it's closed. I think that engine has
one of those weirdo inline fuel filters under the cowl, check that,
although it's almost got to be the choke isn't working right.

You are sure you are getting plenty of gas to the carb right? Oil on
the water kind of thing?

In order, I'd check to make sure the plug isn't fouled somehow (which
it might be anyway considering that it's gone through 3.2 million
cycles), check the wire, check the color of the spark, gas/oil stuff -
all the usual suspects.

Air/fuel/ignition - that's all it is.