Re-built my 2HP Evinrude - Now won't start! Grrrrr

My grandfather gave me a 1984 2HP Evinrude (E2RCRS).

As a learning project I bought the following parts and installed them:

Head gasket
Carb kit including float and needle
Impeller
Spark plug
Plug wire and boot
Fuel hose

After that it started but ran kind of rough. I could play with the carb needles to smooth it out a bit, but it never ran well and wouldn't rev up to WOT.

So I took the carb down again and soaked it for a few days and put in a new kit. Its spotless.

Started it up again and it ran better, but still had issues. I played with the needles to get it to run WOT which it did quite smoothly for about 10 seconds then stalled out and wouldn't start again.

So I did the carb AGAIN, put in a new ignition coil, new point, new condenser, new complete plug wire assembly.

Now it won't start at all.

I have very strong spark and decent compression, so I assume its a fuel issue.

If I pull the lower (high speed) needle gas pours out so I know its at least getting to the lower part of the carb.

Any thoughts?

double check your float height.... it may not be letting enough fuel in at WOT....

also, have you checked the manual to see what the correct adjustments are for the idle set screw? Have you checked the timing?

Check for air leaks in the fuel system, I had a faulty quick disconnect on my Mercury that caused rough or no idle and one day out on the water it would not start, had to use the TM to get back.

The bad QD would suck air but not leak fuel so there was no real indication that it was faulty.