Just got first boat

[Bayou Boy]

Hey everyone, I just bought my first new used boat. It is a bass tracker II four-seater with a 1982 mercury 40 motor#6142659. I have no luck finding any information on this motor. Not sure if I am not looking in the right places, but need help with the motor. First thing, motor will not start unless I spray starting fluid into the carburetor. Secondly, the motor will run for 30 seconds before it decides to idle up on its own. Third, the motor slowly declined died and will not start anymore. When I turn the key, the choke will engage and a clicking sound will begin. I put jumper cables directly from the battery to the starter and the motor turns over, which means the starter is still good....Help!!!

 

[Bayou Boy]

Re: Just got first boat

Hey, if someone could tell me where I can go to look up picture diagrams and other information for my year motor please advise. Motor # 6142659.

 

[abarron]

Re: Just got first boat

Please don't use starting fluid,It has no lube in it.Use a mixture of gas and oil in a spray bottle.Can do serious damage to your motor!

 

[j_martin]

Re: Just got first boat

Hey, if someone could tell me where I can go to look up picture diagrams and other information for my year motor please advise. Motor # 6142659.

#1, It's a Mercury motor. Put the serial number into Mercury Parts Express web site, and you'll probably get the model and complete parts documentation.

#2, You may have made that effort mute by spraying starting fluid into the carburetors. It's a 2 cycle engine, with fine roller and ball bearings that are lubricated by oil in the fuel. When you spray ether into the engine, you at once clean off the oil and supply a fuel that is likely to detonate causing extreme loads on all internal parts. (It's that knocking sound you hear when it fires off)

I can't quite figure out what you mean by a clicking sound will begin, but it sounds like bad connections to me.

By leaping before you look, you may be taking an engine that needs catching up on a little routine maintenance, and making a boat anchor out of it.

hope it helps
John

 

[abarron]

Re: Just got first boat

Im no tech but maybe it has a starter seliold on it that's bad?

 

[Bayou Boy]

Re: Just got first boat

Thank you, like I said I am new to the world of boating. I will stop using starting fluid and shot mixture into the carburetor. The clicking I was speaking of, sounds like a stater that has gone out on an automobile. I will check the solenoid.

 

[j_martin]

Re: Just got first boat

Thank you, like I said I am new to the world of boating. I will stop using starting fluid and shot mixture into the carburetor. The clicking I was speaking of, sounds like a stater that has gone out on an automobile. I will check the solenoid.

On a lot of automotive starters, the solenoid is built into the starter. It likely is not on your boat engine, but is an independent part.

Troubleshooting is pretty easy. Put a voltmeter, or even a test light on the starter power terminal, then hit the key. If there's power there, the starter's bad. If not, the solenoid or connections are bad.

hope it helps
John

 

[Bayou Boy]

Re: Just got first boat

Thank you John, I will try each wire that gets 12v. I just really want to get my six year old son on the water before summer is over.

 

[Bayou Boy]

Re: Just got first boat

How easy or hard is it to remove and rebuild a carburetor on a 1983 Mercury 40 motor? Would like to do it myself for the experience. Was told that the rebuild kit runs about 20 bucks.

 

[j_martin]

Re: Just got first boat

Not bad, the devil is in the details.

I would recommend getting a genuine mercury maintenance manual for it. It's in the parts list I pointed you to earlier in this thread.

If it has a foam float in it, you should replace it with a newer one.

hope it helps
John

 

[Bayou Boy]

Re: Just got first boat

Cool, I will start to pull everything off to get to the carb.