Mercury outboards are junk?

[Lino]

Before you get upset, this is what I read, and hear from others how these outboards are junk.
I just bought this boat that came with a 93 oil injected 2 stroke Mercury outboard, and the last thing I want is to breakdown out in the ocean.
Why do people call these outboards junk, is there things that are continuously failing, did I end up with a lemon, or what I read is BS.

 

[wired247]

Re: Mercury outboards are junk?

People complain about winning the lottery.

You have an outboard motor that is 20 years old. You are picking it up at the end of its duty cycle. That same statement goes for EVERY outboard motor. Rebuild it and you'll get 20 more years out of it. Don't rebuild it and you are on borrowed time. Just the way it is. If its a Mercury V6 you are running, its the gold standard of boat motors. Light, fast and sucking gas. Sure, anything can be abused to the ground and many are but a properly maintained Merc will last for decades.

 

[sam am I]

Re: Mercury outboards are junk?

What I believe ppl MIGHT be referring too is a plastic gear that is mounted on the crank shaft that drives a drive shaft that drives a worm gear that pumps/drives/meters the oil....that ate the cow that ate the goat that ate the....Ahem. The plastic gear strips out somehow, once that happens, no oil injection. I'm not sure if it's common more to racers and/or rec's and/or fishermen.....I haven't did those stats to find any commonalities. Who knows..

Some ppl report the engine blows up at that second'ish, no warning horns (or horn but too late of horn), just POOF! Others report they get it shut off soon enough due to horn etc, and just leave the thing disconnected and pre-mix from there on out OR buy an after market kit to "re-institute" the oil injection with an electric pump doo McThingy with Fries.......

21+ yrs on mine (fishing and some rec), Few small things here and there but, I took good care of it, it took good care of me, never left me stranded.

 

[tazrig]

Re: Mercury outboards are junk?

You have an outboard motor that is 20 years old. You are picking it up at the end of its duty cycle. That same statement goes for EVERY outboard motor. Rebuild it and you'll get 20 more years out of it. Don't rebuild it and you are on borrowed time. Just the way it is. If its a Mercury V6 you are running, its the gold standard of boat motors. Light, fast and sucking gas. Sure, anything can be abused to the ground and many are but a properly maintained Merc will last for decades.

Lino, If you do decide to have it rebuilt you might want to check out Mercury's remanufacturing program. They are first rate!:thumb:

Mercury Remanufacturing - Outboard Products - YouTube

 

[tpenfield]

Re: Mercury outboards are junk?

Before you get upset, this is what I read, and hear from others how these outboards are junk.
I just bought this boat that came with a 93 oil injected 2 stroke Mercury outboard, and the last thing I want is to breakdown out in the ocean.
Why do people call these outboards junk, is there things that are continuously failing, did I end up with a lemon, or what I read is BS.

Yes, total junk . . . give it to me; I'll take it off your hands. What HP is it?

 

[Scott Danforth]

Re: Mercury outboards are junk?

I read on the internet that I'm a french model.

 

[Texasmark]

Re: Mercury outboards are junk?

Yeah they are junk alright. That's why they are #1 in the industry!

If oil injection is your concern, undo a couple of hoses and 2 bolts. Pull your oil pump out and pull the gear out of it. Put the pump, bolts, and hoses back. Premix at the ratio of 1 pt. to 6 gallons of gas. Put your mind at ease. I did.

Mark

 

[adam98]

Re: Mercury outboards are junk?

Not junk but more performance and more problems. I have had both. and my blackmax is fast noisy and like a race engine. Weaker idle but off that it screams. Now all evenrude Johnson's I have had are like honda civics. Quiet smooth slower and easier to work on. I had a 115 78' with 1500 hours. Guy I bought it from never serviced it for 15 years is use, and it never gave me a prob..
Also my 95' 150hp is so quite you only know it's running by checking the rpm gauge or looking at the exhaust bubbles in the water. Decent power, smooth, quiet. But at some point someone did pay for a couple thousand $ of work on electronics work for whatever problems they had.
Just different and if buying used I would buy a Johnson evenrude for comfort but a mercury for performance. I'm sure both can have issues but just my experience my blackmax is not as consistent or reliable

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: Mercury outboards are junk?

All of you that have these junk motors can send them to me. You know you have to pay to have your junk hauled away, don't you.

BTW - Fords are better than Chevies, but both are way better than Hondas. eep::deadhorse::lol:

 

[Dukedog]

Re: Mercury outboards are junk?

They are all junk when wore out and/or abused..............

 

[Lino]

Re: Mercury outboards are junk?

Great responses, the one that now sticks in my head, these plastic gears for the injection pump, is there an upgrade, I have an onboard fuel tank that I want to use, and don't care to have to premix.
Thank you everyone for your replies.

 

[Dukedog]

Re: Mercury outboards are junk?

If ya don't know tha motors history from day one then tha oiler needs ta go away. Over heat is tha big destroyer of this gear. Not enough ta do tha motor itself harm but every time its gotten a little hot it takes a toll on tha gear till it just gives up.

 

[sam am I]

Re: Mercury outboards are junk?

is there an upgrade

Don't think so, just replace old one with new one. Perhaps Merc has had revisions but, as far as I know, the OEM replacements remain plastic.

Don't know if anyone has ever tried to make a metal one.......seems metal would have worked.

Perhaps Merc had tried a metal one (I'm fairly certain they would have) back during development phases but, they found something out, kept it to themselves and didn't cal any of us for permission to go plastic

 

[Dukedog]

Re: Mercury outboards are junk?

Tha later ones and replacements are a composite and hold up better but.....................If tha gear has one screw its plastic. If two its composite.

 

[sam am I]

Re: Mercury outboards are junk?

Tha later ones and replacements are a composite and hold up better but.....................If tha gear has one screw its plastic. If two its composite.

Ohhhhhhh, cool............hoped they'd revised to something spacey aged.

Sooooooo, word to the wise? don't get new OLD one off ebay? :faint2:

Does Merc a have supersedes part number duke? ya know, just to make sure I don't order/get a "new old one"

 

[wired247]

Re: Mercury outboards are junk?

Great responses, the one that now sticks in my head, these plastic gears for the injection pump, is there an upgrade, I have an onboard fuel tank that I want to use, and don't care to have to premix.
Thank you everyone for your replies.

The upgrade is removing the pump. Make sure that you get the Mercury blockoff kit though. Dont just remove the driven gear. Its only about $15 for the kit . It fills the volume in the case that the gear took up. Without it there it makes #2 cylinder a little lazy as the case volume is reduced a good bit for that cylinder.

 

[Dukedog]

Re: Mercury outboards are junk?

Same one in your motor. If ya do away with it all ya need is tha block off plate with tha stem on it. You can leave tha gear in place. Tha stem needs ta be there to make sure tha brass bushing tha pinion rides in doesn't move around........

 

[James R]

Re: Mercury outboards are junk?

Just remember to remove the drive gear from the pump if you put the pump back to fill the hole. If you don't the oil less pump will seize and the crankshaft gear will disintegrate shoving the bolt and bits up #2 cylinder. Can you spell Rebuild.

 

[Dukedog]

Re: Mercury outboards are junk?

ya need is tha block off plate with tha stem on it. You can leave tha gear in place. Tha stem needs ta be there to make sure tha brass bushing tha pinion rides in doesn't move around........

There is a chance (might be slim but...) tha brass bushing will move around if ya just remove tha pinion.......That's why ya don't use just tha pump for a block off........

 

[Lino]

Re: Mercury outboards are junk?

How do I access this plastic gear, do I remove the plate with the 2 philips screws, or remove the whole pump 2 allen screws?
I just did a compression check, 133PSI first 3, around 130 on the 4th, all plugs were on hand tight.