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    '98 Johnson 150HP has big smoke upon restart

    My '98 Johnson 150 Ocean Runner smokes, stalls and seems to load up upon restarting after it sits for an hour or so. Scenario: Cold start is good, FastStart system keeps motor running for nearly a minute, prior to idle down, and at that point it runs good with a normal amount of smoke...
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    What is the future for Outboard Motors - DI or 4 cycle??

    I had a discussion with my local Merc dealer last week. I asked him his opinion on the future technology of the outboard. He surprised me by saying merc is going to all 4 cycle motors and will phase out the Optimax line, as well as the carbed 2 cycle motors. Do you folks agree? What do you...
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    Rust on spark plugs, Compression OK, is motor bad?

    I looked at an '87-88 Black Max 150 (Serial Number began with 0B). The lower had some barnacles and the LU nuts and bolts were corroded. All cylinders had 110-115PSI, but cylinders 2 and 6 had some rust on the base of the gapless plugs. The LU grease was clear and green, and the motor was in...
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    Will an inline lower unit interchange with a V-6 LU?

    I was wondering if the LU from my '77 1500 would fit on an early'80s Merc Black Max 150. I know that the prop shafts are the same, and that the gearcase is 1/4" larger on the V-6, but will the inline LU bolt up onto the V-6? I can always run the inline prop of the correct pitch.
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    Purchase of early 80's Black Max 150

    I have been shopping for a used motor. The local boat guy took in an early eighties 150HP V-6 Merc. Looks to be suffereing from lots of neglect, but it is not seized. It has the clam shell cowling and oil injection, but I haven't been able to scrape the crud off it to get the serial number...
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    VHF has inteference from FF?

    I installed a new VHF Radio in my boat yesterday. The owners manual for the radio claimed it was "virtually Immune to ignition noise". I haven't tested that claim yet, but my fish finder sure puts some noise onto it. Is this unusual? Is there a way to reduce/eliminate the ff noise? BTW the...
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    Which is better - ADI or Distributer-based Ignition on Mercs?

    All of the Mercs have evolved into some sort of ADI type ignition. While I am fairly certain that cost played an important part in this evolution, is their any evidence that ADI is better than the battery-driven CDI systems used in some seventies Mercs?
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    I threw #1 rod on my Merc 1500 - Why?

    I was out cruising along near 5000RPM, when I heard a noise, and the motor slowed down dramatically. Turns out the bottom of connecting rod # one made it's exit thru the crancase cover, above # 1 carb. The question is why? I guess I always thought the piston would seize first, as it has in...
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    Can an inline 6 distributor be intermittent?

    The ignition on my '77 1500 has been flawless until two days ago. Today I got motivated and ran Clams' troubleshooting procedure. Each step of the troubleshooting procedure passed, and I reattached the wiring and the ignition worked perfectly. Two hours later, I have no spark, and the coil...
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    Are Johnson 150 Fast Strike motors the same as Johnson 150 Ocean Runner Motors?

    I have a '98 150HP Ocean Runner. Does it have the same specs (displacement, ignition, carbs, gear ratio etc) as the Fast Strike?
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    Why can new E-TECs be run WOT, right out of the box?

    Saw that Infomercial on the E-TECs yesterday. One of their claims is that you can run 'em full throttle, out of the box, no break-in period required. Anyone have a comment on this? Also, another claim from the Pro Fisherman giving testamonials is that the added weight of the 4-cycle motors...
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    Johnson vs Mercury - Technology Question

    In the fifties and sixties Mercury and Johnson each championed different kinds of motor technologies. J/E had V engines, electric gear shifts and air and water controlled chokes. Mercury had inline engines, mechanical gear shifts and electric chokes. Right now, although a lot of these...
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    In operative Tach = Voltage Regulator partially bad?

    I have an '98 Johnson 150. I do not have a signal coming out of the voltage regulator/rectifier to run the Tach, but the motor is still charging the batteries. Is this possible?
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    Diffuser ring on Johnson Prop?

    I am purchasing a '98 150HP 60 degree V6 Johnson OB. It currently has an aluminum prop with one of those diffuser rings on the exhaust outlet. Since I was a Mercury owner, I need to ask: Can I use props without the diffuser ring? Am I getting the correct prop with this motor? I have a SS...
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    How to fix hole in catamaran

    My neighbors Hobie cat banged into a piling during a storm and it put a good sized hole in the center of the starboard hull. The hole is 18"X30", with some of the hull pieces hanging by fiberglass "threads". Also the hull is a sandwich of thin fiberglass and foam core, and there is no access...
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    Does '98 Johnson 150HP Ocean Runner have variable ratio oil injection?

    I am looking at the subject motor. I believe it to be 60 degree, loop charged V6. Does it also have oil injection that varies the gas-oil ratio, or is it a fixed ratio injection?
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    High Performance over-the-hub exhaust-style props

    Some years Mercury made some solid-hub props, which did not have the thru-hub styling. Mercury intended the exhaust gases to cause the prop to slip (ventilation). Did these ever take off? Related question: If you install a prop from an inline Merc on a Mercruiser Alpha, the exhaust hub will...
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    Is thee a way to interchange conventional props between OEM Brands?

    With the advent of the XHS hubs, it appears that is woule be easy to change props from a Mercury hub to a Yamaha hub, as long as the propeller is the correct size for the gearcase. Specifically it appears that the V-6 Merc OB share props (but not hubs) with 150HP and above Yamaha Outboards. Is...
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    What kind of bearings on e-TEC and 4 cycle outboards?

    Conventional 2 cycle outboards have needle bearings for internal main bearings, crankpin bearing and wristpin bearings. 4 cycle auto engines have solid bearing surfaces. What do the HPDI outboards and 4 cycle outboards use for bearings?
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    Difficulty adjusting shift cable for both forward and reverse

    I have a '88 Alpha 1 gen I outdrive that is progressively getting a shifting problem. Last year, my lower shift cable went bad (corroded enough so it wouldn't go in reverse), due to loss of the welsh plug on the OD. I fixed the welsh plug, and installed the new cable and everything worked well...
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