Do you Really need to maintain these??

[photodog]

So do we really need to maintain our dinks Outboard? Why I ask is this.....

My Mariner 3.3 was lying on its side in the locker (A sin I know) all winter (since last September) unused, got on the pushpit in April, and sat out since. Put it on the dingy Saturday, checked it had fuel init, pulled three times and off it went. Brilliant.

Only services once in 7 years.

Guy on next boat with nice shiny Honda 2.2 Seemed to pull all day on his before he got it goin.....

/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[[2574]]

I have the Mercury 3.3 - I think it's the same unit as yours but with different badging. Exactly the same experience as yours. Magic bit of kit.

 

[Major Catastrophe]

Same here. Lies in locker all winter - with fuel in /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif - starts if I just look at it.

 

[mainmarine]

I've just replaced the impeller in my Evinrude 4, I thought I had done it several times before but when I came to take out the bolts they had never been undone before. The impeller was fine, I changed it anyway. The engine has always started after three or four pulls and pumped plenty of water from the tell tale. It was made in 1987, they must have made pretty good impellers in those days.

 

[Talbot]

Do the maths cost of service £50 (or more) 8 years without service = new outboard

 

[Pete7]

[ QUOTE ]
I have the Mercury 3.3 - I think it's the same unit as yours but with different badging. Exactly the same experience as yours. Magic bit of kit.

[/ QUOTE ] Absolutely, have the Johnson badged 3.5 version. No maintenance just put petrol in it and started straight away on Saturday, well when No 1 son had turned the petrol tap on properly.

Worth keeping hold of even if its not being used.

Pete

 

[jamesjermain]

On the other hand... I have a one year old Mariner 3.3 which was winterised and kept upright in a warm store but with a half full tank.

First trip of the season; started first pull. Second trip; nothing but a big backfire. Took it to the mender; cleaned carburettor and jets; started first time on next trip then nothing but a big back fire. Back to menders; cleaned carburettor etc plus adjusted timing. Its worked fine since.

Cost? £50 so I guess I'm still ahead of the game compared to a service.

 

[jimi]

I've a 5yo mariner 3.3 which has sat on the pushpit for 5 years summer and winter never serviced, only thing I've done is clean fuel filter .. apart from that no problems.

 

[jenku]

I have one of those small Hondas you seem to dislike. Except from changing oil once a year I have never done any service on it either (fourth season now and I bought it used). And it works perfectly! There isn't even an impeller to worry about as it is air cooled.

 

[LadyInBed]

It depends on what you call maintain.
If run infrequently in salt water, then, when you get home, to stand it in a plastic bin of fresh water and run it for 5 mins, turn off fuel and let it run till fuel runs out.
That is good preventative maint.
An annual check of the impeller and a wire brush over the plug, puts your mind at rest.
An occasional oil change doesn't do any harm either.

 

[jimi]

Thanks Nigelinstead, I suppose its time I changed the oil on my Mariner 3.3, how do I do that?

 

[Guest]

Mariner 2 ........... never serviced - just had waterways blown out..... fine running order.

Johnson 3.3 ..... now about 6yrs old ... never serviced ... never touched - just fill with fuel ... fine. (Oh actually I had the silly leg clamp screw made with a helicoil - as it screwed into the alloy --- thread went !)

Johnson 4.5 twin ... 1980 job ... had a new gasket leg to head .. and a small repair to impellor casing ... otherwise nothing else .. still a good runner ... just needs a good carb clean now as tick-over / slow speed is hesitant ... soon be good as new.

Total servicing bill in over 10 years ... probably no more than £100 for the lot ...

 

[benjenbav]

Thread drift - as soon as I saw "helicoil" it took me back 25 years to the night when I changed the plugs on my Honda Super Dream in the dark and cross threaded one of them.

 

[Guest]

[ QUOTE ]
Thread drift - as soon as I saw "helicoil" it took me back 25 years to the night when I changed the plugs on my Honda Super Dream in the dark and cross threaded one of them.

[/ QUOTE ]

Southend .... sitting at Traffic lights on my Lambretta TV175 .... stripped frame job - no shields or panels ...

Lights changed ... I blipped throttle to start of - engine died ... looked down spark plug cable minus plug cap and plug ...

Pushed Lambo to side of road and put on stand ... Mates all stopped, came back ... we searched around and found plug and cap laying on side of road ... with ally thread from head still partly intact !

Found a m/bike shop who helicoiled that day ... Home next ...

Was a common problem on the ally heads of Lambos !

 

[LadyInBed]

I don't know the Mariner 3.3. Is it 2 or 4 Stroke?
In general:
2 Stroke - oil in drive transmission at the bottom of the leg.
There will be two screws
Stand OB upright in a bucket
remove lower screw
remove upper screw
Have a cup of coffee while oil drains
squeeze new oil into lower hole till it overflows from upper hole.
Put finger over lower hole.
Put screw into upper hole
Put screw into lower hole
Wipe up old oil.

4 Stroke - in sump + above.

 

[runswick2000]

[ QUOTE ]
turn off fuel and let it run till fuel runs out.

[/ QUOTE ]

We used to do this with the 40HP 2-stroke mariners on our 'D' class. On the advice of RNLI Headquarters engineering staff we no longer do.............I understand the theory of doing it but what about the reality? Is it necessary and does it help?

Back to the thread: I thought that the generally percieved wisdom was that with 2 strokes you leave well alone until they die, but with 4 strokes you service them? Certainly my own yamaha malta was bought 2nd hand 7 years ago and has had nothing but neglect since......needless to say it works fine (though I am equally sure it will let me down at some point)!

John

 

[Guest]

Running engine dry ...

I agree with RNLI ... if the engine is regularly used and doesn't have to be laid in boot of car etc.

Leaving fuel in a carb - over time the lighter fractions vapourise of leaving various heavier components - what often is mistaken for gums ... Leave longer and even these will start to vapourise of leaving the gum. But if engine is run as much as a RNLI jobbie is ... then leave alone.

Second ... running an engine dry of course causes a short duration run that is dry of lubricant ... and could especially with the larger engines that RNLI use - could accumulate into damage to engine ... maybe ...

For small dinghy stuff like we use ... IMHO run it dry .. and then no leaks in car ... no heavy residue in carb ... = happy boater !

 

[runswick2000]

Re: Running engine dry ...

Makes perfect sense. Thanks for that!

John

 

[LadyInBed]

Re: Running engine dry ...

"running an engine dry of course causes a short duration run that is dry of lubricant "

My Suzi 2.2 doesn't run for very long without fuel /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif
maybe you would like to define "a short duration run"
After use, it lays in my car boot till its next outing ( mainly the next w/e).

Oh! one other job that I occasionally do is to clean the points, obviously not necessary on electronic ignition, and it is a bit of a pain getting to them.

 

[Guest]

Re: Running engine dry ...

Agree - run is short and engine stops without fuel ... but it does carry over with fuel getting more lean at the end ...

I only mentioned it based on anothers post and possible why they don't run engine dry ..