Questions on 40hp Merc cooling system, throttle and serial number.

[tumblebug1949]

First off, let me tell you what the boat and engine is. I recently bought a 1999, 21ft. SunTracker Fishin' Barge. The motor is a 1999, 40hp, 2 cylinder, Mercury (Tracker) outboard. This outboard DOES NOT have a tell tale squirting system and just relies on the water pressure gauge to indicate the cooling water is circulating. I have had a tough time trying to identify the serial number on the motor but have been able to de-cypher a good portion of it.

I have several questions so I will break them down into paragraphs.

First question:

First the serial number. So far I have not been able to find a readable serial number on this motor. The most obvious place is the small tag facing outward on the swivel racket. It is faded to the extent it is almost impossible to read. What I have been able to determine is 7 digits of what I think should be 8. The digits are (0P36661?). The ? meaning the last digit is missing. No spaces in the other digits. At first I thought the P was an F so, would someone verify that the year, HP, and fact that it has 2 cylinders would mean that only the P would be in the serial number. When I do a search for a serial number using these qualifiers, it gives me 4 groups with only 1 having any letters in it and that letter is a P. I just want to make sure I am not forgetting something.

I will look under the swivel bracket for a stamped in number when the weather cooperates. I have not been able to find a stamped number on a freeze plug so if anyone could provide a precise location to look might be helpful.

Second question:

I will add a photo with this one. In the photo, you can see a white hose attached to an "L" fitting coming off the top of the #1 cylinder. This goes out through the front of the cowling to the pressure gauge. If I wanted to install the proper fittings for a tell tale outlet, is it this hose that I would connect a "T" fitting into or maybe replace the "L" fitting that is there with a "T" fitting. It is my understanding that as long as I keep the outlet opening small, it will retain some pressure in the system to show on the gauge. Am I correct?




Third question:

What is the purpose of the little red toggle switch on the throttle housing. It says "RUN" and "OFF" but does not look like any engine shutoff switch I have seen before.



As always, I thank you for any assistance

Tom

 

[carholme]

Re: Questions on 40hp Merc cooling system, throttle and serial number.

The Outboard serial number is located on the lower
starboard side of the engine block. A serial number
is also located on the starboard side of the swivel
bracket.

Gerry

 

[tumblebug1949]

Re: Questions on 40hp Merc cooling system, throttle and serial number.

Thanks Gerry, I am in Indiana and have not had good enough weather to get out and really check closely in these areas. I had heard that there was a freeze plug low on the starboard side that had the serial number stamped into it but have not found it and also on the under side of the swivel bracket. The pontoon is in the barn now and until i can get it out into the light I will not be able to check it. Looking forward to some warm weather.

Thanks
Tom

T

 

[tumblebug1949]

Re: Questions on 40hp Merc cooling system, throttle and serial number.

I was hoping the pictures would help but maybe not.

 

[mercurymang]

Re: Questions on 40hp Merc cooling system, throttle and serial number.

In answer to your second question, I think you may be correct and I don't think that pressure reading needs to be exact, you just would need to get a feel for where it is under normal conditions and then if you saw it drop from that, you would know there is a problem.

 

[tumblebug1949]

Re: Questions on 40hp Merc cooling system, throttle and serial number.

Thanks mercury man, I may add this to the motor this year but as long as the pressure gauge works, I will wait till summer. I have not had this motor on the water since I just bought the pontoon and motor this winter. So, I will run it for a while with a new impeller in it to see what the gauge does first. Then, I may add it.

I was able to run down the use of the safety shutoff switch so I no longer need help in understanding how it was designed to work. Seems kind of "Rube Goldberg" design (probably misspelled) to me but at least I saw a picture of it with the lanyard connected so I can visualize the principle.

 

[mercurymang]

Re: Questions on 40hp Merc cooling system, throttle and serial number.

Ya, that lanyard is to stop stuff like this:Boat Crashes into St Lucie Inlet rocks after driver and passengers thrown off! - YouTube

 

[tumblebug1949]

Re: Questions on 40hp Merc cooling system, throttle and serial number.

Just wanted to add a final note to this thread. My best deciphering of the Serial number tag on the swivel bracket came up with 0F or P366618. Mercury website did not recognize this serial number.

Then I noticed the original dealer decal on the rear corner. I checked the internet and found that they were still in business in Indiana so I sent them an email request for the motor serial number. The Business was "Brownie's Marina" and the next business day, I received an email from them with the serial number. It is ( as sent by them) oe366618. Now why did I not think of that. It is not printed on the tag that way. I also found out that although it is not mentioned anywhere on the motor, the fact that it is a FORCE and not a Mercury, made it much harder to determine the correct serial number. I guess since Mercury corp made the FORCE at that time they did not feel it was important to put the true brand name on it. It tells me a little about the company when so many people are asking about how to find a serial number on a motor and the only place I have found after several hours of looking is a faded out ink printing of it on a tag out in the open. It would seem to me that the company is more interested in selling a motor than helping the buyer get repair parts for his motor. How much intelligence does it take to put a metal stamping of the number right out in plain site?

Anyway, I really appreciate the help in trying to find this serial number from those that responded and any future questions will be posted on the FORCE thread area.

Thanks
Tom