Brand new motor is stalling. 115hp Merc Outboard 4 Stroke

[dubya1982]

We just bought the boat on Friday. Dropped it in the water today.

I read in the manual that the best way to break it in is to run it at lower RPMs 90% of the time and then WOT 10% of the time for at least 2 hours. No problem.

We kicked off at 2pm and would run the throttle at half speed/rpm for 9 minutes, then open it up for 1 minute, then slow down and repeat.

We were having a great time and had been out for about 3 hours when all of a sudden the motor started stalling/sputtering and losing power. With the throttle pushed forward it felt like the motor was going into neutral. I turned off the ignition and we checked the fuel. It looked like it was a little low (I had just put 20 gallons in that morning) but not too low. I started the engine and it beeped for a couple of seconds. I accelerated and we went about 100 feet and it sputtered again and lost power. Turned off, waited a few minutes, same result.

We got towed to the nearest marina and filled it up with gas, only took 6 gallons. Started the engine, heard the beep, went 100 feet, sputtered/stalled out again.

So every time we turn it off and turn it back on we can run normally for about 20 seconds then we lose power.

I think it is something simple, but I don't know what it is. That beep could be a number of different things, according to the manual.

I'm taking it to the dealer Tuesday and having them fix it. Shouldn't cost me anything since the boat is 2 days old. But I would like to know if any of you know what this could be since I suspect it isn't anything major.

 

[Lone Duck]

Re: Brand new motor is stalling. 115hp Merc Outboard 4 Stroke

Low oil warning beep and shut down.

 

[dubya1982]

Re: Brand new motor is stalling. 115hp Merc Outboard 4 Stroke

Is it normal for it to already be low after only 3 hours of use? I'll check it tomorrow. If I top it off do I have to reset anything or will it just work normally when I start it up and start throttling?

 

[Lone Duck]

Re: Brand new motor is stalling. 115hp Merc Outboard 4 Stroke

Is it normal for it to already be low after only 3 hours of use? I'll check it tomorrow. If I top it off do I have to reset anything or will it just work normally when I start it up and start throttling?

Yes it is strange that the oil is low after 3 hrs. I could be dead wrong and it might be another warning beep. Go ahead check the oil , but do not top it up. take it to the dealer and let them trouble shoot. That way they are aware that you had a problem and have seen it for themselves. It may pay off for you if problems appear later on.

 

[dubya1982]

Re: Brand new motor is stalling. 115hp Merc Outboard 4 Stroke

Thanks for the reply. I checked the oil today and it is in the normal range, so I can't imagine that that is the problem. The motor feels like it is in some kind of limp mode, or limited power mode.

Anyways, I'm going to take it to the dealership tomorrow and post the results. If nothing else, it may help someone else who finds this post while searching Google.

 

[blackhawk180]

Re: Brand new motor is stalling. 115hp Merc Outboard 4 Stroke

Got the exact same motor and the only time it so much as coughed was when I ran it (almost) out of gas due to a POS gas gauge. The other 200+ hours, it's purred like a kitten.
I heartily agree with all advise previously given. If it's got clean oil, clean gas and a steady stream out the pee hole and the problem persists, take it to the dealer. The last thing you'd want to do is something to void your warranty. Unfortunately, this time of year is crunch time for the dealers but if they sold you the unit, they should bump you to the top of the list. Good luck with your problems and let us know how it turns out.
And consider treating yourself to a MercMonitor if it does not already have one. It monitors all critical engine functions including precise fuel flow and has it's own alarm system. I love mine (placed it in the hole previously occupied by the POS fuel gauge)

 

[Mi duckdown]

Re: Brand new motor is stalling. 115hp Merc Outboard 4 Stroke

dubya. post results from the dealership. as we can all learn from it

 

[dubya1982]

Re: Brand new motor is stalling. 115hp Merc Outboard 4 Stroke

Got the exact same motor and the only time it so much as coughed was when I ran it (almost) out of gas due to a POS gas gauge. The other 200+ hours, it's purred like a kitten.
I heartily agree with all advise previously given. If it's got clean oil, clean gas and a steady stream out the pee hole and the problem persists, take it to the dealer. The last thing you'd want to do is something to void your warranty. Unfortunately, this time of year is crunch time for the dealers but if they sold you the unit, they should bump you to the top of the list. Good luck with your problems and let us know how it turns out.
And consider treating yourself to a MercMonitor if it does not already have one. It monitors all critical engine functions including precise fuel flow and has it's own alarm system. I love mine (placed it in the hole previously occupied by the POS fuel gauge)

I thought about getting one of those. I'm not an engine guy at all, so I have no idea how to diagnose or fix problems. I looked at them on ebay, but they seem really hard to install and wire up. Any idea how much one would expect to have a dealer install one?

 

[dubya1982]

Re: Brand new motor is stalling. 115hp Merc Outboard 4 Stroke

dubya. post results from the dealership. as we can all learn from it

I certainly will. Nothing is more frustrating than a thread with a problem that resembles yours and no end resolution given for others who find the thread on Google because they're having the same problem.

I've found about 20 posts from 20 different websites where people are describing my exact problem. Not a single one had the OP come back and say, "hey guys, this is what the problem was and this is what it took to fix it."

 

[blackhawk180]

Re: Brand new motor is stalling. 115hp Merc Outboard 4 Stroke

Your motor is pre-wired for the MercMonitor, I almost guarantee it. Mine had the cable run all the way to the ignition switch from the motor so all I had to do was plug in the new cable from the MercMonitor (had to get a gender changer) then power through a fuse (included) and fired it up. Later, I connected it to my Lowrance HDS 7 with the NMEA 2000 network connectors and now can display almost anything I want on the HDS screen. Amazing amount of information but it's not cheap.

 

[dubya1982]

Re: Brand new motor is stalling. 115hp Merc Outboard 4 Stroke

I am back from the dealership.

Turns out the alternator was bad on the brand new engine. The service guys couldn't believe it, I guess it was faulty from the factory. They pulled one off another motor on the showroom and put it in mine so I wouldn't have to wait for them to order the part. It was done 2 hours after I dropped it off.

I haven't taken it out yet to test, but they say that was the problem. I guess only time will tell.

 

[dubya1982]

Re: Brand new motor is stalling. 115hp Merc Outboard 4 Stroke

Your motor is pre-wired for the MercMonitor, I almost guarantee it. Mine had the cable run all the way to the ignition switch from the motor so all I had to do was plug in the new cable from the MercMonitor (had to get a gender changer) then power through a fuse (included) and fired it up. Later, I connected it to my Lowrance HDS 7 with the NMEA 2000 network connectors and now can display almost anything I want on the HDS screen. Amazing amount of information but it's not cheap.

So how cheap is 'it's not cheap'? LOL... I would really like to get one, just not sure of the price. Also a little weary of the installation, like I said before I'm not very handy when it comes to stuff like that.

If I had engine malfunction or failure like in this post where my alternator went bad, will the monitor tell me that?

 

[blackhawk180]

Re: Brand new motor is stalling. 115hp Merc Outboard 4 Stroke

MercMonitor install is super easy if the wiring was run all the way to the controls like mine but could be more problematic if you had to run the cable from the motor. The monitor will tell you voltage and sound an alarm if it drops below minimums and dozens of other things you want to know about your motor. I figure it saves me about 1.3 gal/hour running so it will eventually pay for itself, if I live that long.