Excess smoke and fuel leak?

snapshotmd

Seaman
Joined
Mar 5, 2009
Messages
50
I bought a 1990 Mercury 25 hp outboard motor and started it for the first time today. This is my very first outboard/boat, so I?m not sure what to expect.

Anyway, I noticed that a few things that seem out of place but not sure if it is normal for a 19 y/o motor.

When I first turned it over, I had the choke on the motor out, high idle on the remote controls. There was A LOT of smoke. I put the motor choke back to run and the majority of the smoke seemed to stop. It looked like whatever smoke was coming out was from the exhaust and in the water tank. It looked like it was blowing smoke out under the water. In addition to the smoke the exhaust was also blowing out water droplets.

After shutting the motor down, there was an oil/gasoline slick on the surface.

Is this normal, or is there something wrong?
 
Last edited:

Bob_VT

Moderator & Unofficial iBoats Historian
Staff member
Joined
May 19, 2001
Messages
26,069
Re: Excess smoke and fuel leak?

It is burning gas and oil and is perfectly normal. At an idle the unburned fuel is being carried out via the exhaust ports which exits usually at the prop.
 
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