I think I finally go this little terror figured out. So from my last post, this was not sucking fuel. It's been a long road leading me back into a big circle, but I think it's solved. Let's go in chronological order here.
1. Motor wasn't sucking fuel.
2. Replaced the old fuel lines, sometimes it's only a pin hole that ruins your day.
3. Motor still not sucking fuel
4. Ordered a gasket set (aftermarket), rebuilt the carb and reinstalled.
5 Motor still not sucking fuel
6. Ordered a new o-ring and filter for the inline filter, and replaced.
7. Motor not sucking fuel.
8. Ordered a new fuel filter housing in case the old one has a small crack I didn't see, and installed.
9. Motor still not sucking fuel.
9. Ordered another after market gasket set and rebuilt the carb for a second time. I also replace all the vacuum likes.
10. Motor still not sucking fuel.
11. Ordered and installed a new reed block in case there was a pin hole in the built in rubber gasket on the reed block.
12. MOTOR STILL NOT SUCKING FUEL!
13 Bought a brand new total carb rebuild kit from Mercury for $120 and rebuilt the carb for a third time, and installed.
14 It now seems that the boat is sucking fuel. She's running a little rough, but I've been messing with this now for weeks. I think it needs to be run wide open for a while and then a final adjustment.

So, lesson learned. Don't cheap out on crappy gaskets. The mercury gaskets were much better quality but 3 times the price. I tried to save a few dollars and wound up spending hundreds, not to mention my time and sanity. I believe it was the crappy gasket sets that played with my head. Thinking the carb was eliminated as the issue when it was not. Well, at least everything is new now so if this is finally fixed, I may not have any issues for a while. It's been a great motor and this is the first thing to ever go wrong with it. I can tell you one thing, I can take a carb off a mercury 9.9 in about 5 minutes blindfolded! I'll give this a test run in the next few days and then maybe Erie for walleye. If anyone is interested, I'll be selling fresh walleye fillets for abound $500 a pound.

Glad you got it figured out, Finster.
I've got a 9.9 made in 1976. It's been through 2 or 3 water pumps, but otherwise no problems.

If I had the nerve to figure out what they cost me $ 500/Lb. for walleye fillets is probably a bargain. LOL

We had one but always called it a 9.8. Who knew huh? It got dunked under water twice but we revived it both times. Had a lot of fun w that little motor.

Fresh fuel and a shot of Starton fuel additive can't hurt. Lessons can get expensive once in a while but glad you got her back on line.

I have a 9.9 and all to get it to run good was clean the carb.

Nice work captain. Most lesser mechanics give up way before you did.

Another major issue with this motor is that it's a 1998. Seems like that's an odd ball year. I guess you could say a transitional year. Parts are harder to find for this motor. 1999+ is easy and 1997 or earlier are everywhere. Naturally, I have some red-headed stepchild.