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I have a 1978 140 horse Merc outboard running a 19' crestliner. I have had it under 6 months and until last Friday have only used it for fishing. Well I took the BIL (brother in Law) for a spin on his water skis. As I started to slow down the motor acted as if a rope had tangled in the prop. The motor slowed and then killed. I tried to start it. It labored, started and sounded like it bogged out and died. Since then I can not even start it. The batteries are new and fully charged but the motor will not turn over.
In May I took it and had the impeller replaced and the foot lubed?
I have two questions:
1- Does anyone have an idea what this might be?
2- I live in Ogden, Who would you reccomend as an honest
fair and reputable Merc utboard mechanic?
Thanks !
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Pull your spark plugs and see if there's water in the cylinders.
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[font "Verdana,Arial,Helvetica"][black][size 1][font "Verdana,Arial,Helvetica"][black][size 1]"I live in Ogden, Who would you reccomend as an honest
fair and reputable Merc utboard mechanic?"
Lee's Marine in Hyrum.
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That sounds scary to me. Is the motor oil injected or do you run premix? A friend had his oil injection go kaflooie & have very similar symptoms. If that's the unfortunate case about all you have now is a good big anchor. I've seen the same results with motors running premix when somebody either forgot to add oil or didn't add enough.
Here's hoping it's something simple like just a blown head gasket.
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if the motor won't turn over, and the way you say it died, sounds like it either overheated or no or not enough oil mix. sorry for the bad news. later chuck
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did you notice if it was pumping water? even with a new water pump it can get plugged or you can suck some sand or debris in there causing the impellor to fail.
have you ever ran it (even for a couple seconds) out of the water?
it sounds like to me that it over heated and siezed up. if it wont turn at all even with a new battery.
take the plugs out and see if it'll roll over without any compression, try turning it with the flywheel and not the starter.
I'd dare bet thats what the issue is. you can take the top of the foot off and inspect the impellor easily enough but it sounds like she got HOT.
it makes me remember my buddy spent way too much $$$ on his inboard... brand new 396ci (very fast)... we launched at bullfrog bay and made it about 25 minutes and it died with a bang.
we tried to start it a few times and it wouldn't even turn over.
we raised the outdrive and there was an empty ice bag that had wrapped around the outdrive and covered the ports where water comes in.
that was a $5000 engine that was completely melted down from the inside in less than 25 minutes.
DZ
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Thanks to all for your insight and replies! I lubed the gear oil in the foot. And it turned over immediately. I must have a leak in the gasket somewhere in the foot because I was completly out of gear oil and had only a very little water drain out when I took the plugs out.
Thanks for the pointer to call Lee's Marine in Hyrum. I spoke with Lee for 15 min or so, seems like a great guy, very willing to help unlike some people who tell you to bring it to the shop and ask for $50 before they tell you anyting.
I will take it to Willard and test it this weekend
Anyone have a quick and convenient way to lube the foot on an outboard?
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you may be the luckiest man alive if thats the case
DZ
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Peterson's Marine in Riverdale sells a hand pump that screws into your lube bottle. Take the 2 screws out of the foot and pump the lube into the lower hole until the lube comes out the upper hole. Replace the screws and you are done.
Now it will all leak out again unless you replace the seals in the foot, first!
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As a firm believer in Lee's Marine in Hyrum, I will tell you from experience, he is worth the drive from anywhere. For our club he has answered the phone and diagnosed problems over the phone with us sitting on Lake Powell at a tournament, even after work hours. Every time you take your boat to Lee, he seems to fix stuff that you didn't know was broke, and checks everything, and then is VERY reasonable on his prices. And he is a Mercury Certified shop. You will NEVER find a more helpful and nicer guy than Lee. Especially you living in Ogden. I drive from Salt Lake to Hyrum to take my boat to Lee. No one else will ever work on my boats as long as Lee is around.
BMac2
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