an outdrive leak somewhere and a fuel starvation issue somewhere.

or the 2 are related and either:
1) I flooded the engine and the gas was leaking out the exhaust into the
water slowly
or
2) manifold/block gasket leak, allowing water into the exhaust header. I
don't know the symptoms of hydraulic lock, other than I assume I would be
able to hear the motor sound different- knocking/chattering/pinging... I
hear none of that. Also the motor hadn't run for a good 30 minutes so I
don't know how water could have made it's way up the riser, to the block,
entered the block throught the exhaust ports, and then trickled out to the
exhaust to get back into the water 30 minutes after last running/starting.




I'd bypass the "clean/rebuild the carb" routine and install a new
carburetor.