Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

ALMOST BEEKEEPING - RELATED TOPICS => OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES FORUM => Topic started by: rail on December 31, 2011, 09:51:54 am

Title: Mercury Outboard - Four Stroke
Post by: rail on December 31, 2011, 09:51:54 am
My 15hp, four stroke, outboard will not idle unless the choke is engaged. Any other four stroke outboard owners with the same problem? :(
Title: Re: Mercury Outboard - Four Stroke
Post by: Shanevrr on December 31, 2011, 11:24:25 pm
sounds like lack of fuel,  clogged filter,  carb gummed up from crappy fuel.  Can you take carb bowl off and spray carb cleaner through needle.  Remove float, just dont lose the little pin that holds float in place
Title: Re: Mercury Outboard - Four Stroke
Post by: Sundog on January 01, 2012, 12:03:11 am
Vacuum leak?
Title: Re: Mercury Outboard - Four Stroke
Post by: rbinhood on January 01, 2012, 10:17:29 am
Diaphragm in your fuel pump has a small hole in it.
Title: Re: Mercury Outboard - Four Stroke
Post by: AllenF on January 02, 2012, 09:00:13 am
Have you been running pure gas or corn gas in it?
Title: Re: Mercury Outboard - Four Stroke
Post by: rail on January 02, 2012, 10:14:50 am
Have you been running pure gas or corn gas in it?

The first two hours on the engine was with 10% corn gas! Just switched to pure gas and it idles a little better now.

Seems there has been issues with the new four stroke outboards and ethanol fuel! :-x
Title: Re: Mercury Outboard - Four Stroke
Post by: AllenF on January 02, 2012, 10:20:44 am
I just put my small chain saw in the shop because of ethanol.    One day it would not hit but half a lick and when I let off the throttle, it died and would not fire again.   Don't let that stuff sit for more than a couple of months.   
Title: Re: Mercury Outboard - Four Stroke
Post by: don2 on February 26, 2013, 10:28:34 pm
Any thing you have that don't get cranked up and run at least once a week, "DON'T" use corn sipping s in it. Been there, done that. don2
Title: Re: Mercury Outboard - Four Stroke
Post by: Nimrod on April 04, 2013, 11:08:33 pm
I have a new Merc 9.9 and I run reg. gas (not 10%) with Sea Foam added.  I have ran this mixture in all my other small engines and it has not failed.
Title: Re: Mercury Outboard - Four Stroke
Post by: divemaster1963 on April 04, 2013, 11:44:07 pm
I'm a small engine mechanic.
 Gasohol draws moisture like a paper towel. never leave it in your engine more than a week without running it for at least 30 min. because it made from corn it also molds! It will turn the inside of the carburetor green and plug every hole in it. use green stabil with the gas. never buy more gasohol than you can use in a day. when you finish use your equipment run it dry and spray seafoam in the carb and cylinder.  do this and your equipment will last.


John
Title: Re: Mercury Outboard - Four Stroke
Post by: AllenF on April 05, 2013, 07:02:05 am
Or make the drive over the state line to Alabama and buy pure gas.    :-D   I stocked up for spring on my last fishing trip.   
Title: Re: Mercury Outboard - Four Stroke
Post by: RC on April 05, 2013, 08:17:58 am
Dumping groceries in your gas is never a good idea.
Title: Re: Mercury Outboard - Four Stroke
Post by: bailey on April 05, 2013, 08:23:43 pm
Just got my outboard out of the shop because of corn gas. 
Won't run it again!!!
Title: Re: Mercury Outboard - Four Stroke
Post by: Ben Framed on December 07, 2022, 07:20:55 am
Well folks it is apparent ethanol is not the fuel for the outboards described here. Have you faced any problems because of using it in other equipment such as chain saws, lawnmowers, blowers, etc?

Phillip
Title: Re: Mercury Outboard - Four Stroke
Post by: Michael Bush on December 07, 2022, 12:08:22 pm
I never use ethanol gas in small engines.  Also try to empty them before winter sets in and they set.  No gas ages well and ethanol is even worse.  Buying engineered fuel and using it for what you think is the last time for the season also helps.
Title: Re: Mercury Outboard - Four Stroke
Post by: BeeMaster2 on December 07, 2022, 01:13:02 pm
I run pure gasoline in all of my farm equipment. I used to buy corn gas but I quickly learned that it destroys rubber o-rings and fouls up the carburetor any time you leave them sit.
Right now it costs almost a dollar more than regular corn gas. All of that is in taxes. This is exactly opposite of what is normal. We buy off road diesel tax free but this is an extra heavily taxed. That is our great environmental government.
Jim Altmiller
Title: Re: Mercury Outboard - Four Stroke
Post by: Acebird on December 07, 2022, 04:47:39 pm
I run pure gasoline in all of my farm equipment.
It is hard to find down here.  You have to go to the coast and get rec 90.  Because it is used in boats it costs much more but the cost is not a problem it is the storage having to keep another fuel can around and separate.
That being said I run the corn gas in my Merc 90 and not experiencing problems yet.  Once a year I syphon the bottom of the tank.
Small engines like week whackers are a PITA because the ports are so small.
Title: Re: Mercury Outboard - Four Stroke
Post by: Ben Framed on December 07, 2022, 04:57:09 pm
Brian when I can not find (real gas). I add Sta-Bil in my lawn equipment fuel, both 2 and 4 cycle engines hoping for some type of protection. So far it has not let me down..  'fingers crossed'

Phillip
Title: Re: Mercury Outboard - Four Stroke
Post by: Acebird on December 07, 2022, 07:56:12 pm
What has worked for me is taking a dremil tool and cutting a slit in the H and L needle valves and opening them up.  These engines are fuel starved to begin with.
Title: Re: Mercury Outboard - Four Stroke
Post by: Jim134 on December 08, 2022, 05:43:45 am
What has worked for me is taking a dremil tool and cutting a slit in the H and L needle valves and opening them up.  These engines are fuel starved to begin with.

   The only place I know you can buy real gas.. Is at an airport.. Just find a small airport near you.

            BEE HAPPY  Jim134  😊
Title: Re: Mercury Outboard - Four Stroke
Post by: BeeMaster2 on December 08, 2022, 08:55:05 am
Jim,
Several of our gas stations sell ethanol free, usually it is just one pump that only sells this.
Jim Altmiller
Title: Re: Mercury Outboard - Four Stroke
Post by: William Bagwell on December 08, 2022, 09:36:42 am
My son used to work at a junk yard. Twenty year old carburetor full of dried yellow varnish can be cleaned up and will run. Newer stuff since ethanol nothing to do but throw them away. Ethanol is evil nasty stuff in anything that sits for any length of time. OK in daily drivers that were designed for it. Chain saw & weed eaters never! Riding mower some times gets cheaper ethanol gas in the spring and early summer then several tank full of real gas before it sits for the winter.

Used to be hard to find ethanol free around me until both near by Walmart's added a Murphy Express out front. pure-gas.org will help you find the nearest station.
Title: Re: Mercury Outboard - Four Stroke
Post by: Ben Framed on December 08, 2022, 11:13:50 am
Jim,
Several of our gas stations sell ethanol free, usually it is just one pump that only sells this.
Jim Altmiller

It is not so easy to find in my area. One would think that with so much lawn equipment here, it would be easier to find.
Title: Re: Mercury Outboard - Four Stroke
Post by: Ben Framed on December 08, 2022, 11:14:34 am
Thanks William!

Phillip
Title: Re: Mercury Outboard - Four Stroke
Post by: Michael Bush on December 08, 2022, 01:27:15 pm
TruFuel
https://www.amazon.com/TruFuel-4-Cycle-Ethanol-Free-Outdoor-Equipment/dp/B00ZEO2DQ6/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=trufuel&qid=1670520352&sr=8-5
https://www.amazon.com/TruFuel-Pack-2-Cycle-Pre-Blended-Equipment/dp/B07BL19WYN/ref=sxin_15_pa_sp_search_thematic_sspa?content-id=amzn1.sym.4e7a2229-074e-44de-95c4-9fd858f46295%3Aamzn1.sym.4e7a2229-074e-44de-95c4-9fd858f46295&cv_ct_cx=trufuel&keywords=trufuel&pd_rd_i=B07BL19WYN&pd_rd_r=7fa21a6f-f29d-4f9f-b415-a9a4edf8da3f&pd_rd_w=Ok2xy&pd_rd_wg=JBB3M&pf_rd_p=4e7a2229-074e-44de-95c4-9fd858f46295&pf_rd_r=TG6VE63N0YCHVWZ937C1&qid=1670520386&sr=1-2-a73d1c8c-2fd2-4f19-aa41-2df022bcb241-spons&ufe=app_do%3Aamzn1.fos.08f69ac3-fd3d-4b88-bca2-8997e41410bb&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUFMVUVaNktIS1FPMlkmZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTA5OTQ0NzRBV05EMlUxQk1HUCZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwODA3NzUwM1VCS1RROThUNEZDWiZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX3NlYXJjaF90aGVtYXRpYyZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=
Title: Re: Mercury Outboard - Four Stroke
Post by: Acebird on December 08, 2022, 02:35:21 pm
Yeah, 50 bucks a gallon.  You might as well buy a new weed whacker every year.  The bottom line is the carb though.  Just open up the jets and you are good to go.
Title: Re: Mercury Outboard - Four Stroke
Post by: Michael Bush on December 12, 2022, 07:56:52 am
I use gasoline with no ethanol during the first half or more of the season.  Then I try to time it to end up with a tankful of the TruFuel going into winter.  It's nice to have them work in the spring. :)