merc outdrive question

[colobiker]

hello all,

quickie question.

i have a 1981 Baretta success, 120HP 4cyl merc. with outdrive (dont know the type, half of tag is gone. this boat hasnt seen the water in years. dont konw if it runs..looks like it should.. engine looks like its been taken care of.

anyway.. the outdrive was in the up position when I got it and secured with rope, I took the rope off figuring it would then go down, it diddnt, stays up.. is it supposed to? how do I get it down? this is my 1st boat, and I know bupkiss about outdrives..

I want to remove the outdrive and go through it this winter, then this spring go through the engine and get it running for the summer... play all summer then next fall drag the boat into the garage for a redo...

thanks a ton

 

[chiefalen]

Re: merc outdrive question

Heres the post with your manual.

Are a wrencher?

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=251571&highlight=4.3+merc+service+manual+05'

Good luck and welcome aboard.

 

[colobiker]

Re: merc outdrive question

yea I am a pretty serious wrencher.. I have built a Jeep and an MC from the ground up. and have done numerous engine rebuilds from small to large. I am a serious gear head. foreign cars domestic cars. 2wd 4wd. I am not mechanically indimidated by anything. I have enough tools to make tim the tool man jealous.. on top of that.. I can do electrical too, a control systems engineer, I also do some wood work.. I am not happy unless my hands are dirty..

 

[Don S]

Re: merc outdrive question

I am a serious gear head. foreign cars domestic cars. 2wd 4wd. I am not mechanically indimidated by anything.

Other than the basic engine stuff, marine is different than automotive in about a million ways. NEVER assume how things are in automotive is the same in marine. That also goes for Carbs, Fuel pumps, alternators, distributors, starters, fuel lines, fuel system setups, and on and on. There are marine parts and automotive parts. Don't mix if you don't know for sure. That could be very dangerous.

 

[colobiker]

Re: merc outdrive question

DonS,

before I found this forum, I used to think.. oh..I/O boats are just boats with
car engines in them. however after being on this forum for the short time I have been.. I can full see the flaws in my thinking. and after purchasing a boat. with and I/O I can visually see the difference as well. The two while similar are worlds apart... but I do know that basic I/C engines operate the same. the same principles apply is it getting fuel, is it getting air, is there a spark. I can fix carbs, I can set points and time and engine, rebuild an engine . I am not afraid to take it apart and fix it no matter what. and if I have to buy a few more tools.. lucky me.

To me, this marine stuff is an exiting new world and I am just starting to get my feet wet I am going to get/find a manual (Thanks Chiefalen) and commit it to memory, then start the task of waking the merc 120hp from it's slumber, and make sure the 120 horses find their way to the prop.

In the short time I have been on these forums, I can truly see what sets the people here apart from other forums (MC forums, Car forums) there is more a feeling of comradiary (sp), I trust that as I dig into my boat, I will have the backing of everyone on this forum they will celebrate with me and they will cry with me. And to me thats the greatest feeling of all.

 

[chiefalen]

Re: merc outdrive question

Alright then here we go.

Welcome aboard!

If it were my boat:

1- Pull the drive, put the throttle lever forward, to remove. This way you can inspect and change the impeller and the rubber and gimbal if you have to.

Also when you go to start the motor to see if it's frozen the drive if frozen won't stop the motor from turning.

2-Check the oil in the motor, hows it look? Water in it, you know the oil tells alot of the story. If real low, and milky than post your find could be a simple fix.

3-Clean all the connections, follow the neg cable and clean the ground good.

Starter connections, slav connections. Battery cables good?

4-Fully charged battery.

5- Hows the plug wires?

6-Plugs good?

7- The fitting bye the carb, has a fuel filter, clean it, fuel filter in the fuel pump, no need to remove from block. It a bell type? Just unscrew the bell
filter and spring under bell, clean and reinstall.

9- Disconnect the inboard gas tank.

10- No gas to carb NOW.

11- Just to see if it will turn over and not frozen the motor, touch the key to start.

If it cranks your ok.

If it doesn't we will go from there.

Good luck!

When you get to 11 post your results.

No gas to the motor from the inboard tank must be drained we can walk you thru it and the rest.

Don't run the motor without water going to it, just want to see if it cranks.

 

[colobiker]

Re: merc outdrive question

Thanks Chiefalen,

I appreciate all the input.

I checked the oil before I bought it. there is no water in it,
it looks good, not milky
the engine has been drained, there is no water in it,
I will check out the stuff you mentioned

thanks

 

[chiefalen]

Re: merc outdrive question

Keep us posted.

 

[CheapboatKev]

Re: merc outdrive question

Welcome Colobiker..
As one newbee 2 another, I gotta tell ya you found the best forum I have ever seen...
Here is a thread that has info on pulling your outdrive..I'm dealing with the same issues that you are bro.

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=280566

 

[colobiker]

Re: merc outdrive question

thanks cheapboatkev,

great info.

what kind of boat do you have? mine is an early 80's Barretta success.. with a 4 banger.. I want to pull the out drive off and go through it and rebuild it this winter, then in the spring, wake up the little 4 banger.

this is a great forum isnt it.

we need to keep track of each other, especially if were going through similar things.

thanks for your input

 

[Bondo]

Re: merc outdrive question

I want to pull the out drive off and go through it and rebuild it this winter,

Ayuh,....

The specialized Tools alone will set you back more than the price of an aftermarket replacement outdrive....
At $1200.00 the SEIs are putting rebuilding used drives out of business...

Your drive is probably Siezed on it's pivot pins, or on the trim rams,....
Disconnect the rams 1st,+ see if it'll fall down,...
If Not,...
Jump up + down on it a few times....

Btw,... Welcome Aboard...

 

[chiefalen]

Re: merc outdrive question

Some of the tools a person with imagination can fabricate.

And than you would have them when you have a problem, or better yet a friend with unlimited beer has a problem.

You will need a alignment bar, ebay has them sometimes for 50 bucks.

Torque wrench, probably in your arsenal already.

A few flat wrench's bent a certain way.

My friend had access to pipes of all sizes so we made a few things.

Nothing a serious wrencher can't handle.

 

[CheapboatKev]

Re: merc outdrive question

She's a 73 IMP Pawnee 18 ft w/a 165 hp straight 6. I'm learning like you that boat motors are a whole nother breed than any asphalt shredder I've ever had!
Lots of good people on here that really know their stuff

 

[colobiker]

Re: merc outdrive question

Some of the tools a person with imagination can fabricate.

And than you would have them when you have a problem, or better yet a friend with unlimited beer has a problem.

You will need a alignment bar, ebay has them sometimes for 50 bucks.

Torque wrench, probably in your arsenal already.

A few flat wrench's bent a certain way.

My friend had access to pipes of all sizes so we made a few things.

Nothing a serious wrencher can't handle.

oh I have tools.. .. I have made tools.. harley davidson is fond of saying.. you need this special spanner HD12948068948504... to remove this whatchma diddle HD special sound vibration canister.. so i go to the website.. and say.. gee it looks kinda like a wrench with a little bend here and a pipe welded here... gee I can do that.. save myself $150 bucks for a fancy smancy wrench I would use once. like you said a little inginuity goes a long way. that is my kind of thinking, if can can make it, I will . go down to harbor freight, find somthing close, do a few mods.. and viola.. custom made tools.

If I know they way something is supposed to work and how its supposed to operate.. i can usually fix it. its that farm boy thing.


bond-o said:
"Your drive is probably Siezed on it's pivot pins, or on the trim rams,....
Disconnect the rams 1st,+ see if it'll fall down,... If Not,... Jump up + down on it a few times.... "

that was exactly my thinking, I wanted to check out the manual's 1st to see if there was a check valve or something I might be overlooking.. after reading the manuals.. I am like.. oh this stuff is really pretty straight forward.. Ii wont be jumping up and down on it, but most likely take it apart..

greanted wont be going down to pep boys for parts.. but thats ok.. cause I order most of the parts for my HD online anyway.


I am thinking sunday i will spend some quality time on the boat.. saturday. I gotta get my lawn tractor back together (fixed the steering, new fuel line..) will be leaves to sweep up soon.. .. and put the carb i just rebuilt back on the snow blower. fire it up and get it running good for the winter.

 

[TJEli]

Re: merc outdrive question

Is your trim pump running when you try to lower the drive?

-Eli

 

[colobiker]

Re: merc outdrive question

TJELi,

nope, I dont have a battery in it. the Hydraulic return line (clear plastic one) is actually broken.. but now that I have a manual, I can replace that line, check/add oil to the hyd system. I am trying to re-hab the battery and then I will see if i can get it going the up and down going on its own.


being a newbie to boating, I was unsure if it would go down on its own.
and if it doesnt, why did he have it tied up? or why have I seen guys have straps and such to hold them up??

 

[CheapboatKev]

Re: merc outdrive question

Hey there Colobiker...
The OD is sometimes strapped for trailering to relieve stress on the transom.
There is what, 100 plus lbs bouncing around back there? I used to have an old skiff back in Cali that had a 35hp OB that I notched a 2x4 to brace her on the way to the ramp.
Later...

 

[chiefalen]

Re: merc outdrive question

I would pb blaster everything to see if it loosens up the drive before i start jumping on it.

I rebuilt the snowblower thats 48 years old, 3 stage tank with a chain driven everything, craftsman i use. Broke a connecting rod last year, and a local guy had it here, with 6 inch's of dust on it but brand new. Half moon chrome wheel covers on it.