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Boat Repair/Questions
| Subject | Date Asked | Expert |
| 40 hp Evinrude tracker | 2/21/2008 | Jeff Grigg |
| Q: This motor will idol ok but when I give it the gas it just acts like it runs out of gas and will not ... A: Rick if the engine has been sitting any length of time I would suspect the carbs are gummed up. Also ... | ||
| ethinol fuel | 2/21/2008 | Jeff Grigg |
| Q: I have 70,s & 80,s outboards and have seen extensive engine damage that I was told caused by ... A: You should not have extensive damage from ethanol unless it is in greater concentrations than 10%, ... | ||
| 1985 Merc 170 2bbl carb dripping | 2/20/2008 | tyler boehner |
| Q: I just bought this boat and after each attempt to start, the two venturis seem to be just dripping ... A: You should be fine. Running under load for 35 min should show a lot more milkiness if there is a ... | ||
| 25hp boost | 2/20/2008 | Jeff Grigg |
| Q: Jeff, i have a 2006 Mercury 25hp 4 stroke engine on my tracker boat. It seems to be struggling to ... A: Tom to really get your boat running right you will need a tachometer. You need to prop the boat so ... | ||
| 1987 four winns | 2/20/2008 | tyler boehner |
| Q: How expensive is a cracked exhaust manafold to repair? Is this a really bad thing? A: It depends on the motor. The cost of the manifold itself will probably run around $600. Again, ... | ||
| Gear case bolts for 35 hp Mercury outboard | 2/19/2008 | tyler boehner |
| Q: How many bolts attach the gear case to the upper power section of a 35 hp Mercury outboard? I can ... A: I can't remember off hand how many bolts there are. If you are getting a little gap, you are ... | ||
| 45 hp classic 50 | 2/19/2008 | Jeff Grigg |
| Q: I've been having trouble with rpm's and power. At idle can rev it up to 5000plus rpm but under load ... A: Steve, NEVER, EVER rev the engine up in neutral, you can only damage it. First do a compression test ... | ||
| Transom Repair | 2/19/2008 | tyler boehner |
| Q: I have a 1986 Searay Sundancer that I am in the process of having the transom and motor stringers ... A: It may sound fishy, but he is right. Regular pressure treated plywood or even well sealed regular ... | ||
| 2002 mecury 200 saltwater outboard | 2/19/2008 | Jeff Grigg |
| Q: what I believe is the oil buzzer is coming on as soon as I turn the key on, and stays on when I ... A: The oil float should give you a beeping sound. You probably have one of two problems. Either you ... | ||
| 150 Johnson | 2/18/2008 | tyler boehner |
| Q: Several years ago I bought a Ebbtide fish and ski. It had not been run in a couple of years. I had ... A: Could be. A plugged filter or weak pump would cause that to happen. Another thing is if you have ... | ||
| 2001 merc 225 opti -making h2o | 2/18/2008 | Jeff Grigg |
| Q: 23' whaler w/ 2001 225 optimax xxl (225 hrs) On plane running above 4000 rpm I noticed water coming ... A: You can rinse the parts off with fresh water and soap then use an anti-corrosion spray. There are a ... | ||
| Over heating | 2/18/2008 | Jeff Grigg |
| Q: How can I tell if the poppet valve is working prpoerly on my 1996 Mariner? ANSWER: It is a little ... A: There should be some water all the time depending on the year of the engine. Basically it works like ... | ||
| johnson cuts out | 2/18/2008 | tyler boehner |
| Q: I have a 1989 140 johnson vro with the oil disconnected. the problem is at full throttle it will cut ... A: Does it cut out all of the sudden like it is loosing spark then regain it suddenly again, or is it ... | ||
| motor doesnt start | 2/18/2008 | tyler boehner |
| Q: i have a 2000 mercruiser tahoe 220 it is injecting fuel and we also have spark but the engine just ... A: First thing to look at is the kill switch. The motor will have spark with the kill switch off ... | ||
| Cable Steering Problems | 2/18/2008 | Jeff Grigg |
| Q: After leaving my boat (old Haines Hunter) in the shed for 3 months, the steering has jammed. The ... A: Steve, go back through my past answers, I have covered this in detail a number of times. If the ... | ||
| help | 2/18/2008 | Jeff Grigg |
| Q: I have a 90 bayliner and a A 90 Force engine I want to put on but I do not have a wiring diagram. I ... A: Jon, you really need to get a service manual. It will have all the wiring diagrams you will need ... | ||
| Primer bulb | 2/18/2008 | Jeff Grigg |
| Q: Hey, I have an old 60 h.p. Johnson on a rebuilt lightning. We rebuilt it ourselves and used it for ... A: If you have a built in tank, remove the fuel barb from the tank,in it you will probably see a spring ... | ||
| 1985 Merc 170 2bbl carb dripping | 2/17/2008 | tyler boehner |
| Q: I just bought this boat and after each attempt to start, the two venturis seem to be just dripping ... A: Can't really clean the carb without taking it apart. Best thing to do, is get a carb kit for that ... | ||
| Maybe fuel ploblem HELP!! | 2/17/2008 | Jeff Grigg |
| Q: I bought a 16’ center console Key Largo with 50hp 2-stroke Yamaha. I purchased it Jan 2007. It ... A: You may have more than one problem, you could have even scored a piston and cylinder running it with ... | ||
| Over heating | 2/17/2008 | Jeff Grigg |
| Q: How can I tell if the poppet valve is working prpoerly on my 1996 Mariner? A: It is a little difficult. If it is leaking out the weep hole the diaphragm is bad. If the water pump ... | ||
| outboard problems | 2/17/2008 | tyler boehner |
| Q: Have a 79 evinrude lark just got the boat. It had been sitting up for about 6 months and was running ... A: First of all, check the battery voltage at the starter when the starter is cranking. Make sure you ... | ||
| 100TLR79 - Evinrude | 2/16/2008 | Jeff Grigg |
| Q: I have a boat that has been setting up for ±5 years. I cleaned carb's last year but it was still ... A: I would rebuild the carb again with all new gaskets. Do a complete tune up including plugs, water ... | ||
| Wood vs Fiberglass Hull | 2/16/2008 | Jeff Grigg |
| Q: I am in the process of buying a sailing boat to liveaboard and would love to buy an 50s/60s classic ... A: While most of my experience is with outboards I do have some large sail experience. I lived on a 47 ... | ||
| omc outdrive shift cable | 2/16/2008 | Jeff Grigg |
| Q: Jeff I forgot to ask you one more thing about the shift cable installation. after it is installed ... A: Here too you will need a good service manual to follow the entire procedure. I'm sorry I can't help ... | ||
| 1986 OMC Cobra OutDrive Shift Cable | 2/16/2008 | Jeff Grigg |
| Q: Jeff I hope you can help me with this problem. I have an Omc 4.3 cobra that I have To change The ... A: Jim it is a job way beyond my being able to tell you on this site. The factory OMC Cobra service ... | ||
| Volt problem with the tps | 2/16/2008 | tyler boehner |
| Q: I have a 2000 Mariah 244 jubilee with a Mag 502 EFI w/ a bravo 3. Lately ive been having problems ... A: I don't know the specifics about the voltage readings of the tps. When it comes to anything with a ... | ||
| tilt/trim | 2/15/2008 | tyler boehner |
| Q: I might buy a late 80's Seaswirl. The only problem with the boat is the tilt/trim moves very slow. ... A: It is hard to tell without running some tests but I can tell you that when those motors go bad, they ... | ||
| 1975 johnson15hp outboard | 2/15/2008 | Jeff Grigg |
| Q: I am having problems with cooling water. I replaced the whole water pump last season. I am getting ... A: Jim, first of all check that the hose for the tale-tell is clear. Small insects like to crawl up the ... | ||
| XR4 - Low Water Pressure | 2/15/2008 | Jeff Grigg |
| Q: I have a mercury XR4 which shows very little water pressure. 0-2 psi at idle and maybe 6-8 PSI at ... A: Duke, I already answered your pump application question. You need to stop asking questions and do ... | ||
| Hard Starter/High Heat | 2/15/2008 | Jeff Grigg |
| Q: I have an 87 Mercruiser 3.0L. It starts hard but runs OK after warming up. After the boat is warm ... A: Jerry with a boat of that age you must make sure the engine is in tune and "up to snuff" before ... | ||
| fuel usage | 2/14/2008 | Jeff Grigg |
| Q: I have a Johnson 140 about a 1984 model and it seems to use far more fuel than it should or used ... A: Les, you got me with the metrics. The 140 was not a very fuel efficient engine, not bad but not good ... | ||
| Water in oil | 2/14/2008 | Jeff Grigg |
| Q: I have just traded for a thundercraft citation boat. 4Cyl 3 LTR GMC OMC Cobra I/O 1988. There is ... A: John the water would be sucked into the engine when the exhaust valves open. You could have both ... | ||
| 1975 evinrude 85 hp outboard motor | 2/13/2008 | tyler boehner |
| Q: Ok, here is my problem. When starting the boat, everything seems to go fine, but it does not kick ... A: If I understand the question, the starter isn't turning the motor fast enough to start. What you ... | ||
| Mercruiser Thunderbolt IV timing | 2/13/2008 | tyler boehner |
| Q: How do you time a 454 with thunderbolt IV A: You have to bypass the thunderbolt system or every time you change the timing, the computer just ... | ||
| Yamaha model 704 shift/throttle control | 2/13/2008 | Jeff Grigg |
| Q: Shift is difficult to move to neutral from forward or reverse and also often overshoots to the ... A: If you can move the shift linkage easily at the engine then you can rule that out. Similarly if the ... | ||
| XR4 - Low Water Pressure | 2/13/2008 | Jeff Grigg |
| Q: I have a mercury XR4 which shows very little water pressure. 0-2 psi at idle and maybe 6-8 PSI at ... A: When you run with a jack plate it totally changes the water flow to the lower unit. So it is good ... | ||
| 1989 Bayliner | 2/13/2008 | Jeff Grigg |
| Q: My 1989 bayliner ran out of hydrolic fluid I filled it up and then we went out on the lake and then ... A: James you didn't post what kind of engine, make, year, etc. so I will just guess. If you have an ... | ||
| interupter switch adjustment for mercruiser | 2/13/2008 | tyler boehner |
| Q: I have a 1985 Blue Water 16 ft boat. When shifting from nuetral to forward or reverse the engine ... A: If the motor is dieing, the interupter switch is doing it's job. You probably need a new cable. ... | ||
| 98 50HP Merc. Force Throttle issue | 2/13/2008 | tyler boehner |
| Q: We just got this boat and motor a week ago. It has been running rough (skipping and such)so we have ... A: If it is a broken cable, it isn't terribly tough to replace yourself but can be a headache if you ... | ||
| XR4 - Low Water Pressure | 2/12/2008 | Jeff Grigg |
| Q: I have a mercury XR4 which shows very little water pressure. 0-2 psi at idle and maybe 6-8 PSI at ... A: Duke, the lower units for that motor are interchangeable. Depending on year and which lower unit the ... | ||
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Jeff Grigg
Top Expert on this page
Expertise
Can help with most any question related to outboards, high performance, hull repair, rigging, if it floats and uses a motor. From a 9.9 on a aluminum boat to DFI two strokes. Outboard motors are my specialty. I can help with some I/O questions as well. Ratings are the only way we know if we are helping. If you are pleased with the help, please rate us. 20% don't bother reading my answers! If you are not going to read the follow up then why ask? Keep in mind we do this at no charge and are not paid. We do it to help you!
Experience
32 years in the marine business. Own a service facility, in coastal South Carolina certified Master Tech by Johnson/Evinrude, certified Mercury/Force, Tohatsu/Nissan. Former technical director for DMI Pistons. 30 year racing career including 3 APBA Formula V National Championships
Organizations
AMTECH, APBA
Publications Written For
Boat & Motor Dealer, Car Classics, Custom Vans (tech articles), Miami News, powerboat racing column
Awards and Honors
Certified Master Technician Johnson/Evinrude
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