"tony thomas" wrote in message
news:s3T9d.217234$D%.129061@attbi_s51...
My comments:
As for the carbs, fuel gelling in the carbs is not covered by any
warrenty. If you only had 16 hours on it, then you were not using it very
much and that was the problem. However, there is no reason to replace the
carbs. Just clean them and they should have been fine. Sounds like the
dealer does not know how to clean carbs.


Having fuel "gel" or otherwise go bad in the carb is not unusual. What I
would consider a reasonable designed carburetor would not be damaged by
this, but you would need to clean it out.

In my case the carburetors were damaged. I can imagin that it was the gas
going bad that contributed to it, but I stand by my position that the
carburetors should not have been damaged.

When the service shop told me that the carburetors needed to be replaced I
didn't beleive it. I had them try rebuilding a set anyway. It didn't help.
I talked to the Mercury Customer service people directly. They basically
said that the carburetors were not rebuildable! They would sell a gasket
kit to an authorized service center and that is about it. They rattled off
some lame excuse about EPA requirements. I can belive that EPA requirements
put a burden on the carburetor design, but it has to be a design decision on
Mercury parts to solf the EPA problems by making carburetors that can't be
properly rebuilt.

I am sure that the fact that the carbs can't be rebuilt is the reason that
the replacement carburetors were in short supply. One of the customer
service respresentative told me that they had had an "unexpectedly high
demand" for the carburetors.

Bottom line: Mecury designed their carburetors using a very low grade
aluminum castings and low grade brass inserts. I guess they hadn't
considered the possibility that the engines would sit all winter without
being used.


Rod McInnis

Eisboch wrote:
rmcinnis wrote:


These Mercury outboards I have are pieces of @#$% ! \

I am certainly never going to buy another carbureted Mercury motor,
and I may never buy Mercury again period!

Rod McInnis


To add my little story about Mercury outboards:

I purchased a new Whaler Dauntless equipped with a 115 hp carbureted
Mercury engine in 2001. This engine model is the type that runs on 2
cylinders up to about 1800 RPM, then cuts in the other 2 cylinders.

After about a month of occasional use the engine began dripping a half a
cup or so of 2 cycle oil whenever the engine was tilted up when not in
use. The oil would collect in the Whaler's engine well, then run out the
drains causing a very noticeable oil slick at the marina. (Boat was in a
slip)

At first I thought the oil tank (located on the side of the engine,
under the cowling) was leaking, but determined that it was not. I
finally realized the foam insulation inside the cowling was saturated
with oil. It seems that when running on 2 cylinders oil is still
injected into the non-firing cylinders (makes sense) but those
carburetors quickly become loaded with oil that leaks out whenever you
fully tilt the engine up.

Anyway, I called the dealer for a fix and was told "It's the nature of
the beast". Not believing that, I called two authorized Mercury sales
and service centers and was told the same thing - there is nothing that
can be done to fix it. The only way to avoid producing an oil slick was
to leave the engine down all the time.

My new Scout is equipped with a Yamaha 200 hp four stroke. Much nicer
engine.

Eisboch

Sad story but it's good to know you were listening in those days &
didn't fall for the Ficht/Opti BS:-) & even now didn't get the DFI
yamaha, well done. It's aways easy for the spriuker dealers to say all
sorts of things when it's other peoples' money.

Sorry I'm a bit over the top this morning, the conservatives (we call
ours "liberal/national coalition" just to confuse everybody:-)) have won
again, along with the US free trade agreement we're lookin' good.

K

Short Wave Sportfishing wrote:
On Sat, 09 Oct 2004 06:25:06 -0400, Eisboch
wrote:


rmcinnis wrote:


These Mercury outboards I have are pieces of @#$% ! \

I am certainly never going to buy another carbureted Mercury motor, and I
may never buy Mercury again period!

Rod McInnis



To add my little story about Mercury outboards:

I purchased a new Whaler Dauntless equipped with a 115 hp carbureted
Mercury engine in 2001. This engine model is the type that runs on 2
cylinders up to about 1800 RPM, then cuts in the other 2 cylinders.

After about a month of occasional use the engine began dripping a half a
cup or so of 2 cycle oil whenever the engine was tilted up when not in
use. The oil would collect in the Whaler's engine well, then run out the
drains causing a very noticeable oil slick at the marina. (Boat was in a
slip)

At first I thought the oil tank (located on the side of the engine,
under the cowling) was leaking, but determined that it was not. I
finally realized the foam insulation inside the cowling was saturated
with oil. It seems that when running on 2 cylinders oil is still
injected into the non-firing cylinders (makes sense) but those
carburetors quickly become loaded with oil that leaks out whenever you
fully tilt the engine up.

Anyway, I called the dealer for a fix and was told "It's the nature of
the beast". Not believing that, I called two authorized Mercury sales
and service centers and was told the same thing - there is nothing that
can be done to fix it. The only way to avoid producing an oil slick was
to leave the engine down all the time.

My new Scout is equipped with a Yamaha 200 hp four stroke. Much nicer
engine.


The Evinrude 200 FICHT on my Ranger does that also, but not to that
extent. The left over oil leaks out of the air baffle.

I put an oil absorbant pad in the pan and change it twice a year.
Problem solved.

All the best,

Tom
--------------

"What the hell's the deal with this newsgroup...
is there a computer terminal in the day room of
some looney bin somewhere?"

Bilgeman - circa 2004

Gee Tom it's a bad design!!! just a total disaster from 97 till it's
latest try with a lame name change.

Imagine any other consumer item that costs even say $100 which had a
chronic oil leak?? but hooly dooly these cost more, much more, than a
car!!! You'd think they'd at least they could afford to give you a
warranty period supply of "absorbent" pads ....... loony tune short life
spark plugs??........."special" dealer only oil??? ............power
heads when the detonation kills them:-)

They're a monstrous consumer ripoff & they have the neck to carry
multiple serious design flaws which have yet to be even admitted to.

Don't give them any more of "your" money, but of course it is your
money so.........

K

"Chris Rennert" wrote in message ...
I have finally made a decision and it is between these two motors.

2004 Yamaha VMax 150 HPDI
2004 Yamaha VMax 150 (carubated)

I was wondering if anyone has either of these motors and what they think of
them? Any help and opions would be greatly appreciated.
Chris

hey chris, good choice on brand. you should consider the 150 4stroke
yamaha also. it is actually lighter then the 150 2stroke.
some falsehoods mentione. the repair costs on a 2k4 efi vs carb will
be almost identical for catastrophic failure.
research a little further into the "actual" manufacturer of the brand.
there is a lot of "you scratch my back ill scatch yours" going on atm
in the marine engine world and what you see is not what you get. good
luck

On Sun, 10 Oct 2004 10:19:54 +1000, "K. Smith"
wrote:

~~ snippage ~~

Gee Tom it's a bad design!!! just a total disaster from 97 till it's
latest try with a lame name change.

Karen, I have great respect for your opinion and knowledge.

Don't spoil it by harping on a subject. I am happy with my FICHTS, I
don't care about your opinion on THIS subject, so just drop it.

All the best,

Tom
--------------

"What the hell's the deal with this newsgroup...
is there a computer terminal in the day room of
some looney bin somewhere?"

Bilgeman - circa 2004