25hp merc problems

[boater1234]

I have a nice 25hp merc as some people know here.I'm having some other issues with it i'm trying to figure out.I'm hoping someone has this engine,It's a 2003 25hp 2stroke merc manual start.

When i go wot and want to come to a fast stop like on a dime just letting off the throttle the motor lifts up but not a ton but i can feel it in the tiller.I took it to my marina and he told me these motors are designed like that in case you hit something it automatically kicks up.So it will do the same on a fast dead stop he said.Everything was working perfect out and in the water.Well i'm hoping someone can relate to this.

It locks in reverse and neutral but no matter what i do it doesn't lock in foward.I'm hoping someone here will tell me this is normal.Also i noticed the exhaust is so close to the water when it gets rough it will go under the water for a second and then out again.This won't hurt anything will it?It doesn't get like completely submerged,it gets some water in it from the rough water and then it comes out.The motor runs like a bat out of hell,it will get it.32mph with 2 big full adults and all the gear is like 800lbs total weight.

Also i'm not 100%sure but i think the powerhead gasket may be leaking or it just may be from water getting under the cowl because it was so rough out.If i had a leak how could i tell,would it over heat or what would it do.I went over 15miles yesterday with it and it ran perfect so it may just be water that got under the cowl from being rough out.

Any help on this would be great,thanks.

 

[Bondo]

Re: 25hp merc problems

I'm hoping someone here will tell me this is normal.

Ayuh,.... Just like the guy at the marina explained,.... It's perfectly Normal....

 

[sutor623]

Re: 25hp merc problems

Ayuh,.... Just like the guy at the marina explained,.... It's perfectly Normal....

Yup I second that. My merc does not lock at all in forward as a safety mechanism. Trust me if you hit a rock or log with the motor you do not want it ripping your transom off!

 

[boater1234]

Re: 25hp merc problems

Wow i would of never thought it was normal unless i heard a few people like you guys say it is.Well i guess i just need to slow down for a longer distance so it won't pop up.Just being curious what is the best hole to run this motor on coming from the bottom hole up.I usually will have the same weight as i do know.I have it on the third hole up from the bottom.If i go down one more it trys to pull hard to the left were i can barely control the tiller so i would think either were i have it or one hole up.

 

[carholme]

Re: 25hp merc problems

Don't know how high your engine is mounted on the transom but it sounds like your trim tab is out of whack. What is it's present position?

Gerry

 

[boater1234]

Re: 25hp merc problems

It's dead straight(the trim tab).I got my answers i wanted as far as the engine probs i have been having.I guess everything the motor is doing is 100% norml as far as not locking and coming up if i stop to fast.

 

[carholme]

Re: 25hp merc problems

My response was to your problem about the engine pulling to the left. You should be able to operate with the engine in the bottom hole, hanging straight down and then adjusting the trim tab to unload the pulling to the left.

As far as height on the transom, here is an idea of where it should be:

http://www.boatmotors.com/ref/shaft_length.html

Here is the service manual for your engine:

http://1manual.com/Mercury manuals/Service Manual PDFs/TwoStroke/826883r2/cover.pdf

You must have Adobe Acrobat reader installed to use this manual. If you scroll down to the lower part of the opening page, you will see the various engine components in red. Click on the one you want and when the first page opens, click on the "Save As" icon at the top LH corner of the page and you can save it to your computer.

See trim tab adjustment in Section 6, Gear Housing, page 6A-41

Gerry

 

[boater1234]

Re: 25hp merc problems

The cavitation plate is near dead even with the bottom of the boat.The height is perfect.The trim tab like i said is straight as an arrow.It's not to the left or right.When i put the trim down past the 3rd hole from the top it starts to pull hard to the left which makes me think i need to move the trim tab to the left so it goes straight.Usually most trim tabs i see on outboards i have seen are to the left.

 

[carholme]

Re: 25hp merc problems

Correct, please let us know how it works for you. Hope all goes well.

Gerry

 

[boater1234]

Re: 25hp merc problems

Thanks Gerry for the help.I really wish i could find out what the srial number for this merc is.Like i said the potion of the serial number was taken of the sticker on the motor itself and the siver nickel sized plug on the powerhead was painted over with black so i tried to gentley remove the paint by scraping it off and someone scratched some of the small numbers out,why i have no idea.I called the guy who sold it to me and told him what i found and said someone went through an aweful lot of trouble to make sure no one can see the serial numbers.He said this was his friends motor from the start and was with him when he bought it.I said did he do this and he said i would assume so.I told him that still makes 0 sense to me.I really don't know what to make of it but it is a little late now i guess to do anything.

Is there any other area to find a serial number on this motor?

 

[carholme]

Re: 25hp merc problems

What numbers do you have on the powerhead disc that are readable? Can you post pictures of the remaining sticker and the disc?

Gerry

 

[jbjennings]

Re: 25hp merc problems

Thanks Gerry for the help.I really wish i could find out what the srial number for this merc is.Like i said the potion of the serial number was taken of the sticker on the motor itself and the siver nickel sized plug on the powerhead was painted over with black so i tried to gentley remove the paint by scraping it off and someone scratched some of the small numbers out,why i have no idea.I called the guy who sold it to me and told him what i found and said someone went through an aweful lot of trouble to make sure no one can see the serial numbers.He said this was his friends motor from the start and was with him when he bought it.I said did he do this and he said i would assume so.I told him that still makes 0 sense to me.I really don't know what to make of it but it is a little late now i guess to do anything.

Is there any other area to find a serial number on this motor?

It should be obvious that your motor was stolen.....
The 2-stroke mercs didn't change a lot, so if you can get in the ball park of the year, or just post a pic of it, you can get close enough to order parts.
If the trim tab is perfectly in line with the motor, then it is serving no purpose other than a sacrificial anode. It should either have a twist cast into the tab, or should be rotated a certain distance to counteract engine torque. If it's not pulling to one side at wide open, I wouldn't worry about it. If your engine is too high, the bow will rise and it will porpoise (go up and down), if too low the bow will "plow".
JBJ

 

[boater1234]

Re: 25hp merc problems

JBJ it's pulling to the left really hard when i have the pin all the way to the last hole near the engine.As i go up from one hole to the next the pulling goes away till i hit the third hole from the bottom then it almost has no pull either way.This has happened with every motor i have had it always seems as i said prior the tab needs to move to the left a bit to correct it.When i had the serial number sticker or what was left of it on the motor it said it was a 2003.I went to get a few items for it already and they fit perfect so i'm gonna stick with that.I know like you said they havn't changed a whole lot as a 96 i had was exactley the same as this one that is 7yrs newer.The sticker was not correct for the motor as the last letters i could see was EL which means electric long and this is a manual short shaft so someone went through a great deal to hide the numbers.I know for sure even if i could read the serial numbers on the sticker it would wrong anyway.