Hi everyone,
A while back I posted about my Mercury 850. I blew cyl 2 in my old one and bought a new powerhead from a guy who had his lower unit stolen in the marina yard.
I water tested it on his boat before I bought it, and after a compression check. Compression was good all around and the guy used to race stock cars, and he had better tools than me when we were doing the testing so I hope he kept it in good condition. He was more than willing and completely confident to do any test I asked for as part of the sale. One thing that bothered me was that he seemed to think it was neccessary to use quick start spray. I thought "whatever, he just doesn't know the merc personality. Crank with choke, get one kick, crank without choke fires and runs. Right?" Anyhooo... after a new transom, floor, wedding, basement build, and a kid, I water tested it today.
Here's how it starts. It cranks wonderfully. Crank it with high idle up and choke on and it sounds like the engine gradually takes the load off the starter. Once the starter sounds like it's free wheeling a bit i stopped cranking and it idled up to high idle speed. I may not know my butt from a hole in the ground when it comes to outboards, but I remember the old Merc inline fours and sixes for that matter as high compression, rumbly engines that kick fast and hard. Usually when they kick to life it's fast. This starting routine has me wondering if the ignition system on this powerhead is a little aged. Admittedly, I didn't change the plugs and I don't know where they've been or how long since they were changed but it ran well once it was going.
I suppose that it could also be that it's not getting enough fuel at start. But once running, it idled well and started warm without hesitation.
Looking for any ideas and starting points.
Also, I changed the lower unit oil after the water test on my powerhead seller's boat. Then It sat with the fresh lower unit oil in for about a year and half. I water tested it today (first time in the water since then) and as soon as I got back I changed the lower unit oil to see if it was milky, because I'm told that if it's milky it means that water is getting into the gearcase = very bad. The gear oil wasn't milky. Horay. But it was black. I was suprised how black given that it was only one use and a very short run and not to WOT. It's sitting with fresh in it now, and I'm contemplating changing it again after the next run.
What can make the gear oil black? Just old oil and residue sitting around the gearcase? Some kind of breakdown?
Thanks for any help you can give.
A while back I posted about my Mercury 850. I blew cyl 2 in my old one and bought a new powerhead from a guy who had his lower unit stolen in the marina yard.
I water tested it on his boat before I bought it, and after a compression check. Compression was good all around and the guy used to race stock cars, and he had better tools than me when we were doing the testing so I hope he kept it in good condition. He was more than willing and completely confident to do any test I asked for as part of the sale. One thing that bothered me was that he seemed to think it was neccessary to use quick start spray. I thought "whatever, he just doesn't know the merc personality. Crank with choke, get one kick, crank without choke fires and runs. Right?" Anyhooo... after a new transom, floor, wedding, basement build, and a kid, I water tested it today.
Here's how it starts. It cranks wonderfully. Crank it with high idle up and choke on and it sounds like the engine gradually takes the load off the starter. Once the starter sounds like it's free wheeling a bit i stopped cranking and it idled up to high idle speed. I may not know my butt from a hole in the ground when it comes to outboards, but I remember the old Merc inline fours and sixes for that matter as high compression, rumbly engines that kick fast and hard. Usually when they kick to life it's fast. This starting routine has me wondering if the ignition system on this powerhead is a little aged. Admittedly, I didn't change the plugs and I don't know where they've been or how long since they were changed but it ran well once it was going.
I suppose that it could also be that it's not getting enough fuel at start. But once running, it idled well and started warm without hesitation.
Looking for any ideas and starting points.
Also, I changed the lower unit oil after the water test on my powerhead seller's boat. Then It sat with the fresh lower unit oil in for about a year and half. I water tested it today (first time in the water since then) and as soon as I got back I changed the lower unit oil to see if it was milky, because I'm told that if it's milky it means that water is getting into the gearcase = very bad. The gear oil wasn't milky. Horay. But it was black. I was suprised how black given that it was only one use and a very short run and not to WOT. It's sitting with fresh in it now, and I'm contemplating changing it again after the next run.
What can make the gear oil black? Just old oil and residue sitting around the gearcase? Some kind of breakdown?
Thanks for any help you can give.