Timing questions

[boater1234]

How would I know if the timing was of on a 1993 20hp 2 stroke mercury? What are the classic symptoms? Can the timing get messed up any other way besides being touched? I'm just trying to learn here,clueless how timing works and if it was off at all. If my outboard runs great then of course I will never mess with anything. I have ran it on muffs and idles great and I can Rev it up to wot with no hesitation but I haven't actually water tested it yet on the boat. So if it runs great on the boat then I would assume the engines timing is good. I just want to know what to look for if it happens to not perform up to par,I have completely tuned and replaced all the parts I needed to,I'm just not understanding timing and the issues it would cause,thanks for any info.

 

[Texasmark]

'93 you are talking about 23 years old. In 23 years the linkage could get sloppy, especially if your Merc used plastic adapters and couplers to the interconnect between the throttle mechanism and the carb and timing......link and sync (BTDT on a 10 year old 90 Merc). Other thing could be corrosion or just dirt getting in the works around under the flywheel. Timing linkage could be binding. Answer is yes to your question.

 

[boater1234]

No Title

Everything on this outboard is as new looking as it can get, i mean it's been used very few hrs,looks like it just popped out of the box,here are some pics and you tell me what you think

 

[boater1234]

I'm taking out to the lake on weds morning which it tom,i will tell you how it runs all the way around.It runs perfect on muffs,not one hesitation.I do know muffs and wide open water is much different though.My buddy told me if the timing wasn't right it would run like crap.It idles great and as smooth as it can get for a 2 stroke so i guess the big day is here tom to test it on the lake for a few hrs and see how she performs.The throttle cables are bolted in with ss nuts and the cables are tight with no play in them.I will just let you tell me what you think by looking at it.Nothing is loose though,everything is tight like a new outboard.

 

[racerone]

Timing on these motors does not go out of adjustment..

 

[boater1234]

Awesome,thanks for that help

 

[Texasmark]

Everything on this outboard is as new looking as it can get, i mean it's been used very few hrs,looks like it just popped out of the box,here are some pics and you tell me what you think

Absolutely amazing. I have now seen the gauntlet, older engine conditions from A to Z. We get asked questions with little lead in and are expected to provide the solution. Last time I answered one a picture of it appeared to be recovery from a sunken Spanish Galleon. This one just the opposite. So what I said you can forget. Agree with Racerone.