Merc is froze?!

[dakk1]

Hey guys<br />I bought myself a project boat from my neighbor at the end of the summer last year. It is a 1986 Stratos fish and ski with a 1985 150 hp Mercury XR2. Interior was shot but he said motor was fine. I rebuilt the water pump put new plugs in it, new gas and cranked it briefly on the muffs. It had not been run since 1998. I didn't let it run long at all. Just wanted to see if it would crank. Winter came and I didn't do anything to it until this Spring. I then rebuilt the carbs and the fuel pump. Today it wouldn't turn. Starter engages but can't spin it. I can't move the flywheel with a wrench when in neutral. In neutral prop spins freely. In gear it ratchets clockwise and won't move counter clockwise. Boat was under cover during the winter. I tilted the motor up pulled the plugs and squirted a bunch of WD 40 in each cylinder. What could have happened since I cranked it last summer? Anyone had a similar problem. Sorry for length of post, I'm perplexed.

 

[NathanY]

Re: Merc is froze?!

Try pulling the plugs out of it and spin the flywheel. If it still wont turn, Try some PB Blaster and some patience, and see what happens. Might have got some condensation in the motor and corroded a ring to the cylinder wall.

 

[dakk1]

Re: Merc is froze?!

Thanks Nathan I'm hoping that is all it is since I've redone the hull. I guess that PB Blaster is a souped up WD 40. Probably get that at Auto Zone... Dave

 

[Johnshan1]

Re: Merc is froze?!

AutoZone has PB Blaster

 

[wayne h]

Re: Merc is froze?!

Nathan in Arkansas <br />is right use pb blaster. i just got a 9.5 evinrude with a froze powerhead.i pulled the plugs sprayed the cylinders and let it sit for 30 min.i then sprayed it again and turned the flywheel by hand back and forth.dont force it just use steady pressure you dont wanna brake a rings.dont try to get it free all in 1 time if you get it to move even alittle spray it up again and let is sit for 30 min again. i worked on mine for about 4 hours and it its free and running like a champ.you might use the whole can like i did but its alot cheaper then a powerhead.remember to spin the engine over a few times once you get it free before you put the plugs back in.good luck and remember pb blaster that stuff is liquid gold

 

[wayne h]

Re: Merc is froze?!

you said you cant move the flywheel with a wrench ? i hope you are not using the flywheel nut to try to turn it with.if you are dont do that.that nut has a special torque and by using it to turn the engine you take a chance of changine the torque

 

[dakk1]

Re: Merc is froze?!

Hey Wayne <br />Thanks for the info. I wasn't using a wrench on THE flywhell nut but rather a socket wrench on the smaller nuts on the outside edge of the flywheel. Probably not a good idea but it was a better grip than I could get by hand. Also I wasn't really gettin' down on it. Not yet anyway. I'm gonna do as you and Nathan suggested with the PB tomorrow. Then I'll get the ole pipe wrench out...(just kiddin!)

 

[dkondelik]

Re: Merc is froze?!

big ol' strap wrench for torquing on the fly wheel. li'l bit at a time. juice & torque and it'll eventually come free.

 

[dakk1]

Re: Merc is froze?!

Now I'm starting to get worried. I put the PB Blaster in this morning and it's been in all day. Tried to turn the fly wheel after a little while and no luck. So be patient, I says to myself, go do a little yard work and such and come back later. Now here it is at the end of the day and it still won't budge. I put a 4' bar clamp across the flywheel and I can really get some leverage, still nothing. Assuming condensation did get in there and rust up the rings, shouldn't it have broke free by now? I guess I'll just let it sit over night and try again tomorrow.

 

[wayne h]

Re: Merc is froze?!

hummm thats weird it should have broke loss by now. let it sit over night and see what happends. its hard to belive that its froze that tight after sitting 1 season.spray it up good make sure the engine is tilted. do you have a bore light ? its a flashlight with the bulb on the end of a wire.gun owners use them alot to look in the bore of a gun. if you have 1 you might wanna look in the cylinder and see whats in there.are you trying to turn the flywheel both ways ?? i cant think of anything that would work better then pb blaster.spray spray spray. let is know how you make out tomorrow and i will check around with my friends and see if they ever came acrossed this

 

[Reel Appeal]

Re: Merc is froze?!

Tilt the motor up as far as it will go(more horizontal the better),then spray alot of PB into each plug hole.Don't be stingy on the PB Blaster.Let it sit overnight.Try again next day.Tilting the motor up will give better PB coverage in cylinders.

 

[BillP]

Re: Merc is froze?!

Personally, I've never been able to get a really hard one unstuck by using penetrating oil of any sort. With that big of engine is doesn't have to stuck very hard to make it very difficult to move either. There are a couple other things to try. <br /><br />1. First and foremost is heat. Heat will soften petroleum products and also break binding rust (in this application break rings free from cyl walls). Take a heat gun and warm the BLOCK outside of each piston. Pistons can be partially heated by removing the port covers. Get it HOT. I use those frozen ice packs to cycle quicker and give more contraction. This may take several cycles. Try to turn the motor when it is hot and VERY LIGHTLY (don't damage)tap the block with a small ball peen while doing this. Tapping sets up vibration. If heat doesn't do it you probably won't get the motor free.<br /><br />2. Take the port covers off (assuming your merc has them), carbs off, reed plates off and check/look/see into the crankcase. You may be able to rock the flywheel to tell which cyl is stuck this way. Usually I get this done by looking under the port covers...the piston and rings can move just enough to let you know something. You will also be able to apply penetrating oil to difficult places. <br /><br />There is one old timey way that old "make and break" engine collectors do...I've never done it but it is well documented and successful. They screw a grease gun into the spark plug holes and pump up with grease...with pressure. Do this for days or weeks and lots of times the pressure finally frees the engine. Carbs and stuff have to be removed. Sometimes the engines lets go all at once and grease goes everywhere so cover with a sheet. I'm not to sure how this will work on an outboard.

 

[dakk1]

Re: Merc is froze?!

Whew! It's Free at last! Thanks to Wayne 34609, Nathan In Arkansas, Klondike 7, Bill P and Johnshan 1. I left the BP in it all day and late this evening I had another go at it with no luck. At that point I dropped the lower unit thinking that might be the problem. I read somewhere on this forum that the only thing that doesn't turn all the time is the prop so I figures maybe the lower unit is the culprit. It wasn't. Still nothing. Then one more pull and I feel a little give. More spray. More pressure. Not much at first and then finally it turns by hand. <br />A couple of points and a question. 1st. I have owned a few outboards over the years and have never had one freeze up at all much less in one season. Winters here are fairly mild.<br />2nd. I agree with Bill P., bigger motors are probably tougher to "unthaw".<br />Question: Since I have the lower unit off can I safely turn the shaft to see if its OK? Assuming I don't booger it up in some way.<br />Finally, should I run a little more oil with the gas as a precaution for a tank or so? If it will still crank! Thanks again to ya'll for the help!

 

[wayne h]

Re: Merc is froze?!

yes i would run it alittle more on the oil side just to make sure the cylinders are clean at least for the first few times you run it. also i pull the plugs and oil the cylinders before and after a season. i have never had a locked up powerhead of that was mine.even when i lived in ny. but i have seen alot of them and bought a few that i always got free with pb blaster glad you got it turning i think you have learned a lesson.oil oil oil even if you dont have bad winters.