will trolling hurt my new 60-hp Merc

[sizz]

will trolling hurt my new 60-hp Merc
I have a new 60hp 4 stroke on a 18.4ft aluminum Klamath that I use on the California Delta.
Trolling for stripes is my game and I'm beginning to wonder if I may be hurting my motor.
I may troll for 2 to 3 hours at aprox.2.5mph .... I do periodically change the engines RPM. and open to 3/4max throttle as I change positions on the river ........... but the majority of the time I'm at 2.5mps which is at or a little over idel. .. I have less then 75 hours on this motor and it is working just fine in all RPM's ....... what say you?

 

[Dunaruna]

Re: will trolling hurt my new 60-hp Merc

Did you follow the run in procedure for the first 10 hours?

No point worrying about it, you are well and truly passed the run in period.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: will trolling hurt my new 60-hp Merc

if you are propped correctly at wot, you should be fine at any speed. slow speeds should not hurt it.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: will trolling hurt my new 60-hp Merc

The only issue with continuously low idle is "making oil" which seems to plaque some four-strokes more than others. Making oil is discussed in detail in these forums but in a nutshell results in fuel-contaminated oil so the oil level rises. The reason is that outboards tend to run much cooler than the auto-based four strokes so the engines don't get a chance to evaporate off any blow by. Perhaps some crankcase ventilation systems are better designed than other. Yamaha seems to have had more problems with this but I've heard some Merc owners experience this as well. Make a long high speed run back to the dock before shutting down and change the oil frequently if this is an issue.

 

[Woodnaut]

Re: will trolling hurt my new 60-hp Merc

Silvertip has covered all the bases. I have a 90 Hp Yamaha 4 stroke and troll around offshore. The only time that I've had a serious making-oil problem was when I had the engine over-propped. That is to say, WOT was around 5100 ROM. I changed back to my old prop, WOT went back to 5800 RPM, and the making oil problem went away. Trolling has not been an issue when the engine is propped out correctly. Rodbolt (resident outboard expert) recommends a 30 - 45 minute run at or near WOT before the end of the day. Silvertip has just mentioned the same thing. Gosh, what could be better than that?

 

[TOHATSU GURU]

Re: will trolling hurt my new 60-hp Merc

And avoid synthetic oil as it can aggravate the fuel dilution and run 10w-30 instead of 10w-40. I like an oil change at 50 hours or every six months too...Whichever comes first.