Help, Just trying to help my future father-in law! have a 1997 25 hp merc and every backyard fellow has messed with this engine, good compression( equal),good spark 8mm jump, need procedure to set intial carb setting and pick up timing, no pointer I can find. Engine wants to backlash harshly went starting. ultra- sonic cleaned carb and check reeds (ok). Just some basic merc info, what a way to start a marriage. got some background in small engines and don't want to waste my bucks on a manual, thanks for your help!

It would be very hard to adjust pick up timing far enough out to cause a kickback.
Check the flywheel key.
I don't have a manual handy right now but rule of thumb on the carb Idle air screw is 1 1/8-1 1/4 turns out