Cricket Too
Lieutenant Commander
- Joined
- May 14, 2003
- Messages
- 1,732
This is with a '99 Merc 250 EFI. I was cruising at around 46-4700 and went to pull back on the throttle and nothing happened, stayed running at 46-4700. I pushed it more open and it responded and then caught and I was able to back the RPM down, so I continued cruising home and as I went to slow down at the end of my canal, it happened again and I was heading straight for a bulkhead, with maybe 100ft to spare.
I backed all the way down on the throttle and it wouldn't slow down at all, I hit Neutral and it just flew up to 6K, I had no choice so I had to ram it back into gear so I could turn the boat, the lower unit grinded but grabbed and I was able to turn, once I was out far enough I hit Neutral again and it flew up to 6K again, and I just turned the key off.
Let it sit a minute and tried again, as soon as it started it railed up to WOT in Neutral within a half second, I instantly shut the key off, when I looked down the tach was stuck on 6800 - $!**###!!!! I took the cover off and didn't notice anything visibly wrong, tried it one more time with the cover off and I could hear as it was cranking that it sounded like the throttle plates were open, so I didn't bother with it anymore. Ended up getting a tow back up the canal.
Went out this morning and started to look around and noticed the roller at the bottom of the throttle plate linkage wasn't touching the cam attached to the cable. Started poking around and just happened to look over and saw a wire sticking out of the starboard side bottom throttle plate. Went over and looked and it was the connector from the small fuel/water separator that had popped off and ended up in the throttle plate holding it open.
I put it back on the filter and started the engine and it fired right up and idled perfect.
I haven't had a chance to test drive it yet, but my biggest question now is what are the chances that my lower unit isn't destroyed after having to ram it in gear at 5000+ RPM??
I put it in gear at the dock and it went right in both forward and reverse and went right back in Neutral no problem too, tried it a few times. It does feel like it slips into gear easier than it used to, it used kind of clunk in and now it just slips in with no noise. I'm assuming my clutch dog is destroyed and that it won't hold any pressure as soon as I get on the throttle.
Any opinions/advise, other than where to find a good price on a new lower unit.
Thanks.
I backed all the way down on the throttle and it wouldn't slow down at all, I hit Neutral and it just flew up to 6K, I had no choice so I had to ram it back into gear so I could turn the boat, the lower unit grinded but grabbed and I was able to turn, once I was out far enough I hit Neutral again and it flew up to 6K again, and I just turned the key off.
Let it sit a minute and tried again, as soon as it started it railed up to WOT in Neutral within a half second, I instantly shut the key off, when I looked down the tach was stuck on 6800 - $!**###!!!! I took the cover off and didn't notice anything visibly wrong, tried it one more time with the cover off and I could hear as it was cranking that it sounded like the throttle plates were open, so I didn't bother with it anymore. Ended up getting a tow back up the canal.
Went out this morning and started to look around and noticed the roller at the bottom of the throttle plate linkage wasn't touching the cam attached to the cable. Started poking around and just happened to look over and saw a wire sticking out of the starboard side bottom throttle plate. Went over and looked and it was the connector from the small fuel/water separator that had popped off and ended up in the throttle plate holding it open.
I put it back on the filter and started the engine and it fired right up and idled perfect.
I haven't had a chance to test drive it yet, but my biggest question now is what are the chances that my lower unit isn't destroyed after having to ram it in gear at 5000+ RPM??
I put it in gear at the dock and it went right in both forward and reverse and went right back in Neutral no problem too, tried it a few times. It does feel like it slips into gear easier than it used to, it used kind of clunk in and now it just slips in with no noise. I'm assuming my clutch dog is destroyed and that it won't hold any pressure as soon as I get on the throttle.
Any opinions/advise, other than where to find a good price on a new lower unit.
Thanks.