On Jun 13, 3:14*pm, "Chuck" wrote:
My neighbor has a 2001, 75hp, carbureted, four stroke Mercury outboard
(75ELPT, *SN OT395139).

It idles a bit rough but runs great at full throttle and everywhere in
between.

When looking at it, I noticed that the two electric fuel enrichner solenoids
(chokes) were very hot when I touched them. *I checked them with a voltmeter
and both were still energized at 13.5 volts even after the motor had been
running for 20 minutes. *What is keeping them energized?

Are these enrichners activated by pressing in the ignition key like my old
Merc motor was, or are they controlled by temperature or what? *Thanks.

Chuck, I don't think there is a problem there. Those solenoids are
probably next to closed when the engine is cold, and as the engine
warms, there's a sensor that will allow electrical current to go
through the solenoids to open them. Almost all your carburated
automotive engines worked on this principle. where you had current
running though a solenoid of some sort to open the chokes as the
engine warmed. The reason they are hot is probably because they are
made that way. they are a "constant current" switch which takes the
voltage through a "secondary" or "hold in" coil in the solenoid
itself, and holds the chokes open. I would say that when you shut the
engine off, they release and the chokes close. Then even when the
engine is warm, if you turn the ignition back on, the solenoids will
activate to hold the chokes open.

But then again, I don't really know. I'm a starter mechanic.