1985 90hp 6cyl Mariner

[mattmjm90]

This is my first outboard. I've owned it for a year now and would like any information on you guys can give me. My main reason for this post is that I was wondering if any of you could tell me an average temperature of the water coming out of the tell tale should be. I turned it on an hour ago and it was idling beautifully. I shut it off when I noticed water wasn't coming out of the tell tale. Some mud daubers had clogged it up. I used a pick to clear it and suddenly waters spewed out. I turned it back on and it had a nice stream. I'm just nervous cause I thought I was going to be spending a lot of money. It is probably cooling fine, but like I said I'm nervous.

Sometimes it will flood really bad when I try to start it. I have to disconnect the fuel line and take the cover off the motor and put my hand over the carbs to really choke them to get the gas out to even get it to start. Not sure if the whole hand on the carb thing is effective or dangerous to the motor or not. I've seen it done on an old truck before when it flooded and I was stranded in the middle of the lake, I was desperate.

 

[Chris1956]

Re: 1985 90hp 6cyl Mariner

Matt, That is an inline six cylinder, correct? They have no thermostat, so they run dead cold at idle, and warm at part throttle and hotter at full throttle, depending on load in the boat, boat size and prop used.

If you have had it a few years and never changed the water pump impeller, I strongly recommend that.

BTW - It is likely you are not flooding it, but rather not sufficiently choking it. To clear a flooded motor, you prop open the choke plate, advance the throttle and crank it until it starts. Putting your hand over the carb throats acts to increase the choking. Those motors almost never flood when starting anyway.

To start it, pump the primer bulb until hard. Lift the cold start lever, all the way. Hold the choke button down and crank the motor until it fires up. Now release the choke button and if the motor starts to die, push the choke button. Continue until the motor is warm and runs at high idle w/o choke. Now lower the cold start lever.

 

[mattmjm90]

Re: 1985 90hp 6cyl Mariner

Thanks. The only problem I have with it now is a leaky trim cylinder. I have the part in hand but I don't have a spanner wrench, vise, nor a torch. I have to save some money to take it to a mechanic.

 

[Chris1956]

Re: 1985 90hp 6cyl Mariner

matt, You can make a spanner wrench to open the rim cylinders. I used two 6" pieces of angle iron. Drill a hole at each end of the two angle iron lengths. One end of each length gets bolted together. the other end of each lenght gets a screw and a nut. the screw needs to be the correct diameter to fit the holes in the trim cylinder. it should be long enough to protrude 3/8" beyond the nut. Now adjust the spanner to fit the holes in the trim cylinder and open the cylinder.

BTW - if you have the two external cylinders and the boat mounted trim pump, there is a special tool to install the teflon piston seal into the cylinder liners.

 

[mattmjm90]

Re: 1985 90hp 6cyl Mariner

Mine does have the two external cylinders. Thanks. I did make a spanner wrench for it but it just broke. I welded allen wrenches to a metal bar. It needs a torch on it to help break it loose. I would do it myself but I just moved for college and no longer have access to my dads shop.