85 hp mercury STALLS when i put in gear

[rob4cars]

i have a mercury 85 hp 4 cyl engine. it seems to idle good and run at WOT great. The problem is that it almost always stalls when i put it in gear. does anyone have any idea what this could be?
thanks
Rob

 

[Lineman052]

Re: 85 hp mercury STALLS when i put in gear

I have the exact same problem with my 65 HP. I had to get towed in the last time I had it out and that was after it just came out of the summer inspection.
I'll be watching this to see what they say about yours so I can try it on mine. Good luck.

 

[Motor Boater Bill]

Re: 85 hp mercury STALLS when i put in gear

It could be the idle mix. The idle mix needs to be adjusted with the motor in gear, not neutral (and warmed up). Adjusting for best idle in neutral will be too lean in gear and the motor will stall when put in gear. Of course, you could have some other problem, but I'd check idle mix first. Needs to be in water, not on muffs. You could try adjusting your idle mix screws a half turn richer if you can't get it to run in gear at all, then adjust from there once you have it warmed up and idling in gear. Use a tach for best results and once the mix is right get it as slow as you can so you are easy on your lower unit when shifting into gear.

 

[rob4cars]

Re: 85 hp mercury STALLS when i put in gear

thanks for the info. i took the covers off and inspected everything i could see. I found a few problems like vacume hoses cracked and one of the floats was in upside down. I replaced all the fuel lines on the motor and put in new carb kits. I also replaced all the wiring just in case. I have only had the boat for a month and i can not find a marina that wants to work on it so i am stuck doing the work myself. i am not rich so i am trying the shotgun fix.....check everything that i am capable of checking. i will take it on the water tomorrow early morning to do the adjustments and set everything according to the manual. I will let you know how it goes. There is nothing worse than not knowing what the problem is so check back and see what i write.

 

[Motor Boater Bill]

Re: 85 hp mercury STALLS when i put in gear

Being "stuck" doing the work yourself is actually a good thing, given the hourly rates at marinas! The old joke about a boat being a hole in the water that you pour money into comes from people who have to pay someone else to work on their boats! If you can do it yourself, you're way ahead of the game!

Get a Merc factory manual, and keep getting help from here, oldmercs.com, and John's Old Mercury Q and A page, and you'll do fine.

 

[rob4cars]

Re: 85 hp mercury STALLS when i put in gear

that is true. but i would not mind paying a little money so that i can have some piece of mind on the water. also i find that when i "do not know" i land up guessing and spending the money on things that do not need fixing. this is an awesome site and i will use it more often. thanks
Rob

 

[Lineman052]

Re: 85 hp mercury STALLS when i put in gear

After reading this post I went out with the manual and checked the engine for something obvious. I did find a hose off. http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y231/Lineman/?action=view&current=HoseOff.jpg

I placed it back to where it looked like it came from. It had no clamp. http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y231/Lineman/?action=view&current=HoseOn.jpg

I'm hoping to get the boat out for a test drive in the AM at Loberough Lake.

 

[rob4cars]

Re: 85 hp mercury STALLS when i put in gear

thanks but i do not have the same engine as you. i have replaced all the hosed and fuel lines. i would guess that is a vacume line that came off which on a car would make it run rough.
i just pulled the cap and rotor off and it has two points on the rotor and one point looks like it is coroded. i think that what i have here is a combination of many problems.

My friend bought an old evenrude about 5 years ago and it has sat in his back yard in the snow and rain since then and we gave it power and gas today and it started right up
I am starting to see why people say evinrude is the best motor

good luck tomorrow. i will do the same but on the rideau river. i will be thinking on you wishing you luck