1988 175etxg idels smooth wont accelerate

[thomas.unangst]

I was wondering if I could get some assistance diagnosing and solving a problem with my outboard. Its a 1988 175ETXG. When I start it, it fires right up and idles smoothly at about 650 rpms. when I try to accelerate in neutral the motor will rev up to about 1200-1300 rmps it will mis-fire and then either back fire, stall, or both. I've already sonically cleaned, and rebuilt the carbs, with new floats, installed new fuel pumps and put brand new spark plugs in. I'm completely out of ideas to try and either diagnose or correct this problem. Is this anything you've experienced or heard of, or do you have any ideas what this could be?

[thomas.unangst]

figured it out

I noticed the magneto control lever was sticking, preventing the timing advance. I cleaned up the magneto and checked the timing. Good to go.

[99yam40]

thanks for posting what you found,
I would not have guessed that would have been the problem.
Not many of those old motors still running so have not seen one to even know it had mechanical timing linkage