P.S. i am new to fixing vehicles etc like this but 100% want to pull it apart myself and trouble shoot, as all shops have a logn wait time and i am looking to get back on the water for summer.

This engine was said to be fully refurbished just over 20 hours ago as read on hour meter, but unsure if it actually did due to the current problem. Does look pretty clean in general tho with some visibly new gaskets from first glance.

about 5 months ago i purchaed a boat with a 4.3ltr Mercruiser MPI raw water cooling (220hp)

after the second use, we had the boat out all day parking up for diving now and then, then steamed the hour back towards the docks, parking up just outside the harbour for another dive. when I went to turn the engine on, it tried cranking over and didnt start twice. A small fire then started on the large wire connecting to the starter motor which burnt out that cable. the boat would also not start anymore. I was towed back to port to fix on dry land.

I had been quite sick following and hadnt tried to fix it properly after not starting etc a few months back after a quick try. presently now pulling the spark plugs out i found water in the cylinders on one side of the engine with rusty spark plugs. I have sprayed insude with CrC to try help with any rust etc formed and left to soak for a while.

I am also unsure how to turn the engine over by hand (with a breaker bar) assuming it is now seized due to being hydrolocked, and wont start. I havent taken belt off the front and thought you just had to put the breaker bar on the big nut on the bottom pulley? but the nut just span instead of the belt and or pulley. do I have to take the belt and pulley off to spin it from something behind? Sparks where out while trying.

Am I right to say this could most likely be a head gasket? or a faulty Exhaust manifold (which are new)?

The starter was removed and checked, but unsure how to realign it properly? as you cant see into where it connects with the fly wheel and i am guessing it is just not sitting quite right.

any advice would be highly appriciated cheers.

Hello everyone, I purchased a 1977 Mercury 200 20hp 2 Stroke outboard and I’m having some trouble finding any free service manuals or even an owners manual. I have found some for sale on ebay and oldmercs.com but I’m not sure if they are accurate. I have the 1965-89 2-40hp service manual but it doesn’t provide in depth info like spark plug gap, compression, piston ring info, etc. Any help is appreciated!

Having trouble with the Navionics Garmin App. I am logged in (and I double checked) and up to date (I redownloaded the app) and it isn’t showing my subscription. Apple knows I have a map subscription but the app itself does not. The app has also removed my markers/waypoints. I’ve checked sync.

Any suggestions? Anyone else with this issue?

TIA ~ happy boating ⚓️🛥️🐟

It’s been 2 months since we’ve been out. I’m in a warmer area 60-78 degrees. It’s a 2 stroke Mercury18XD 80’s. I just got it this year, we’ve been out about 7 times since August. The last 2 trips, it’s been taking awhile to start it. I feel like I might be flooding it, so after another 5-10 minutes I can get it going.

This is the longest however it’s sat garaged. Do I need to put the engine in a bucket and get it going so it’s not as hard on the water?

Is there some sort of spray I can start using to get the engine firing up faster before flooding it? I can’t pull as much due to an injury rn, so I’m trying to make it as easy as possible until I can switch it for a 4 stroke. (This is an old pic, the seats and other parts were replaced right away and it looks amazing!)

Please take a look at linked images. This is left side driving country, I didn't mess it up! :D

Smaller white box is a size of the car in the image.

Bigger white box trailer is about 1.5x the size of the car and it's the trailer+boat. The dotted white box is where I'd put the boat. I do have enough space to rotate the boat based on my measures as the driveway is shared with house that is not in the image, but beyond that point

I want to get a 16ft boat and I wonder if I will be able to make the turn from the same side lane?

It's legal here to cross the full white line, and I assume that with crossing from the other side I so have enough space to align the trailer?

I recently bought a 24ft Bayliner, and I need to buy a trailer to move and store it. What is the smallest acceptable size trailer I can purchase to properly store and move the boat? I've been looking at ads on-line , and 22 seems to be the most common size close to my boat.

I need help finding a gift for someone who recently just fixed up their own boat. 20 Ft with steering wheel. Fishing. Science. Pictures. Oysters (no license) but interested in restoration projects.

So I got this boat almost free, and I need to change the floor/interior completely. I want to make sure the engine is okay first before proceeding with that much work, but I have no prior experience with inboard motors. I know it's an L drive and I do have the manual, but it does not provide much information on that.

It has been sitting for 10 years parked and the previous owner said it ran fine last time they tried. Where do I even start? Is there a way I can just make sure the motor is okay or not?

I punched a hole in my cowl last night when trimming it up too far. It hit the light. When I took it out this morning, it only ran at 5k RPM instead of 6.2k RPM at WOT. Speed is reduced by 10mph also. Runs a little rough. Any ideas what could cause that? Hard to think a hole in the cover would.

Thanks

For the record, the boats kept in a heated garage….so no damage has been done by waiting. I winterize every year just in case the heater would go out in the garage.

Hi everyone-

First year as a boat owner and I think I might've made a bad newbie mistake. My tritoon with a Merc Verado 150 is currently sitting in my family's unheated barn in the midwest where it's about 27 degrees.

I had planned to have the boat winterized in October, but at the time I didn't want it to sit out in the weather waiting in line at the dealer. I asked if there was any way I could arrange for a same day winterization, and was told to call back in the first or second week of November when the availability was better.

I called back in the second week of November, and they were still booked out. This time I made an appointment for this upcoming week.

Unfortunately in the meantime the temps have dropped to below freezing, and with the snow forecast for this week I'm not even sure I'll be able to drive the boat up to the dealer given the possible road conditions.

Per my dealer's instructions I tilted the motor down to vertical 2-3 weeks before the first freeze and a good amount of water drained out. Since I believe it's an EFI engine, I don't think fogging is a consideration.

How badly did I mess up? My dealer didn't seem too concerned with freezing prior to being winterized as long as the motor was tilted all the way down, but I'm stressing out a bit now.

Tomorrow I’m taking out a group of people- around 6, which will be the biggest group I’ve taken since I started boating 8 months ago (signed up for a boating club). They’re all older and respectful, so the partying will be kept to a minimum but there will still be drinking. I’m not going to drink any alcohol.

I’ve seen videos of FWC (Florida wildlife) conducting “safety checks” and subsequently arresting the captain. I even watch the video where an individual blew 0.00 and was still arrested. Those field sobriety test are designed to make people fail.

Getting arrested would have serious consequences for me as I hold a safety clearance (pilot).

So how can I avoid getting onboarded by the FWC… following all boating laws, wake zones, and not having empty cans all around the boat? Any other suggestions?

Thanks

I have a 94 tohatsu/nissan 8hp and i’m trying to use the arm to steer but it only moves about 10 degrees left or right. Any suggestions?

I’m taking my boat to the shop to get some engine work done but the day I’m taking it to the shop will be mid 20’s and the feels like will be in the teens, will the boat be ok for the hour drive needed to get it there?

Hi, gang!

I'm trying to figure out the best way to paint my aluminum surface in the salt air environment.

Initially I used this method:

1. Alumiprep 33

2. Alodine (Bonderite 1201)

3. Wash primer

However, I noticed that after some time the wash primer layer began flaking off.

So I'm thinking about using alternate way to prime:

1. 99% Alcohol cleaning

2. a coat of Self-etching primer

3. a coat of Sherwin Williams High Solids Corrosion Resistant Epoxy Primer CM0483928.

Can anyone point me the right way? This seems like an easy topic, but the more I research, the more I'm confused about this topic.

Has anyone been using the LiTime lithiums for multiple years with or without any issues? Thinking about getting two 12v 100ah for my trolling motor.

Got a 2020 Merc 60HP EFI 4 Stroke that’s given me issues. Made a grinding noise at about quarter throttle. Drained to transmission oil and it was black, with a disco-ball of metallic dust. There was about 100ml of oil in there, and took about 400ml to fill, so it’s burning transmission oil somewhere.

Could the oil be being lost through the exhaust if there’s a seal gone ?

Motor’s only 4 years old, no collisions, and done about 120hrs. Just outside of warranty too…

Anyone had similar?

Great little motor. Starts on 1st pull. super lightweight and powerful 5hp ;)

Best part is that my dog and I found this for $25 today. What a treat.

https://preview.redd.it/rsj7vp0ely3e1.jpg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e0c9d4e4ed0be52f2ebb2e03d2c310459d6c101e

https://preview.redd.it/fpj4rp0ely3e1.jpg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c9830e39d70fb5cf86453db9d505a41999d5f3c8

https://preview.redd.it/m9lykr0ely3e1.jpg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bfc06bf818330b45ffdaac633031b737d9ae6780

I very good condition, kept in a boat house. Caterpillar Diesel Engines with about 1000 hours on each. The boat is in beautiful shape. Wondering if anyone has any experience on these boats. Thanks!

Came across an opportunity to buy a 1980s 34’ Silverton for $12k. After a tour and thorough review, it appears to be in pretty good working order and well maintained.. my concern is.. I don’t know what I don’t know. (I’m more familiar with pontoons and smaller vessels).. and I’m concerned I’m missing something glaring.

Is it a problem to buy a 40 yr old boat? Is it really gonna be $1k to take it out for the weekend on fuel?.. could use some guidance as a new boat owner just trying to get on the water with something fun, safe, and reliable.. preferably without going bankrupt.