Help... 2.4 Merc.... the story of!

[MooreRacing]

Ok so here goes, I'm going to try this again... Maybe the fine folks of BFR can help!

....So, I got my Dads old race boat about 15yrs ago, since then the whole time I have owned it, buying parts or getting info on the 2.4 has been a FREAK'N NIGHTMARE!

I have been called a liar. I've been told I don't know what I'm talking about. I've been told many, many times that the 2.4 I have sitting in my drive-way doesn't exist....That Mercury never made the model I have in '78! I said all that to say this, If you are going to tell me the same thing, I'm use to it, expecting it, and am completely numb to it!

...So, here goes it is a 1978 (20") OFFSHORE 250hp 2.4 BLACK MAX, and yes, it said ALL those things on the cowl! Here is the next problem, because I'm a knuckle-head, the first time I took it out... I lost the freak'n top cowling, so I have no proof of what it said, other than "Hard to see" photos!

Why I am writing......I am giving-up try'n to dial this thing in! After 15yrs of thinking "I knew what I was doing"....I'm done! I need help! All the manuals that came with it, DO NOT have that freak'n model in them! I can never find ones that do, everybody over the years has given advise some good, some bad, on timing, carb set-up etc. but I'm still having problems! I have always wondered if becuase of the factory mods, things like timing etc. need to be set different than a stock 200..... Maybe I'm the problem, I don't know, but I want to be on the water, not at the freaking dock fixing it! Now because of age, I'm sure it needs rings and seals to get back to what it was... But I'm thinking I need someone smarter than me to take a look at it! I moved to NorCal and I realy haven't found anyone yet that gives me the "Warm Fuzzies" to take it to... Any help on where to go would be a much appreciated! ...I've tried looking things up on line, I talked to people, and to shops.. I've had this thing for 15yrs, trust me, I've tried to do right....

...Here is a few of my favorite things; Dosen't want to start when cold, hell even after it's warm sometimes, coughs coming off the line, cuts-out at mid throtle at times....but then runs like a champ at WOT!?!?! ....am I wrong to think timing and carb issues? I have set the timing/linkages/carbs to the factory specs so many times, I can do it in my freaking sleep! I'm seriously starting to think I am freak'n LEGALLY RETARDED! So the reason I'm ranting, after I gave up for a while and the boat sat for the last 5yrs, we took it out last weekend and I got to once again enjoy all the things I HATE about that freakn motor!

....Oh yeah, and now it will barely keep the battery charged!

Stats:
Heavy boat (Hallet 19' sport skier)
Heavy merc hydraulic "Parabolic" jack plate
2.4 (250hp they never made)
Bob's nose cone w/low water pickup
Ron Hill 24p Chopper

I was running high on the jack plate, 4 adults, full tanks, calm water, and trimmed to the moon.... 4.5psi fuel pressure, 30psi water pressure, the tach was right around 5500 (Can't remember for sure, seems low, but there was 4(Large) adults with me) and GPS read 61... Seems pretty good for the set-up and amount of folks riding with me right??? I can live pretty darn happy with my WOT for a family boat, I just want to fix the freak'n IDDLE to WOT problems!

...PLEASE HELP!