Restauration problems galore.

Joined
Jun 24, 2015
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14
We just got a 'new' pontoon boat with numerous problems.
It's a Fisher Freedom 200DLX, year unknown, possibly 95, the last registration sticker is from 2010 (and it looks like it was left in the yard for the 5 years since.
Motor is a Mercury, 75.
The motor sounds good, but does not fire.
It was connected to a small temporary tank with a new line.
Since then I have been crawling over and under every inch of the boat, trying to find something that resembles a kill switch
(we are also going to replace the coils and plugs)

Oh, the boat came without key.

Replacing the fence/seats/top/carpet will have to wait if and until the motor question is solved
Any pointers to trouble shoot the motor would be appreciated.

Also re: Kill Switch.
For the life of me I can't find any place on the dashboard where one would connect one.
Where do I look?
 

HotTommy

Lieutenant Junior Grade
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Mar 15, 2013
Messages
1,025
Came without a key? Does it have an ignition switch in the throttle quadrant? If it was not a pull start only setup, it should have an ignition switch somewhere. BTW, for general info about the motor you'd be better off on the Mercury Outboard forum here.
 

junkman41

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Oct 16, 2011
Messages
350
it should also have a safety shut off near the throttle, check for that
 

GaryO

Seaman Apprentice
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Jul 3, 2007
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48
I would think the key would be on the throttle/shift unit. The safety switch should be there also, looks like a little button unit that the fork of the lanyard slips underneath.
 

Woodonglass

Supreme Mariner
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Dec 29, 2009
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25,924
Post some pics of the shifter unit. As stated, the Key/Starter unit will be on this unless the motor is a pull start with a tiller handle
 
Joined
Jun 24, 2015
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I took some pictures yesterday, but I am experiencing some trouble with my photo host.
the ignition key is to the lower left, there is nothing on the throttle at the right, something with a cap on it above the throttle lever. HUsband said 'cigaret lighter' but it looks weird to me. I think that gismo was not wired to anything, but I am not 100% sure.
As soona s Photobucket gets over it's hissy fit, I will link photos.
 

GA_Boater

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
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I took some pictures yesterday, but I am experiencing some trouble with my photo host.
the ignition key is to the lower left, there is nothing on the throttle at the right, something with a cap on it above the throttle lever. HUsband said 'cigaret lighter' but it looks weird to me. I think that gismo was not wired to anything, but I am not 100% sure.
As soona s Photobucket gets over it's hissy fit, I will link photos.

Welcome aboard.

Use this guide to post photos - http://forums.iboats.com/forum/forum-rules-and-guidelines/9938375-photo-upload-tutorial The IMG code method seems to work best. And you need to have three posts under your belt before photo attachments are allows. Make one more post and then try to attach pics.
 

GA_Boater

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
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Photobucket resizes the photos - I think. I haven't had to resize any in so long I forget. You have the 3 post restriction met, so give it a try.
 

HotTommy

Lieutenant Junior Grade
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Mar 15, 2013
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One more thing about posting images that I learned the slow way. Don't use the big camera or link icons at the upper left. Click on the blue A to go to advanced mode. You will then see the usual link and photo attachment icons.
 

HotTommy

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OK, I'm a little confused by your initial question now. You say it turns over but doesn't fire, and you don't have the key for the ignition. Did you hot wire the starter but not the ignition? If so, that's one reason why it didn't fire. You need power to both the starter and the ignition circuit. .... My pontoon boat isn't just like yours, but it doesn't have a kill switch. All it has is the ignition/starter switch. .... From the picture of your console, it looks like it would be easy to get to the back of the ignition switch and hot wire it if you know what you're doing.
 
Joined
Jun 24, 2015
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But I have been crawling all over this tub for nothing trying to finding the 'Kill Switch' right....

As you can see, there are tons of questions regarding this, eh, 'remodel'

The kill switch was one concern.
A gummed up engine another. The guys were to get a 'coil package' for the motor, new plugs, etc. after that excursion I was going to dive into engine territory.
I apologize for the confusion I was trying to tackle all issues at the same time and mixing them all up.

(and yeah, husband said it didn't have a top....didn't say it was lacking 2/3rds of the fence....)

The console is rotted, the seats are as well, only one bench from the rear survived whatever it was that tore the thing to pieces....but the pontoons seem to be good....

I wish I knew what the guys did, some key shoved into the ignition to complete the circuit, not sure about the rest, and 'honey, google that'
Oh sheesh.... :rolleyes:

So I googled places where guys know their ship :watermelon:
 

HotTommy

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Pardon me, but I'm going to offer some unsolicited advice. It won't hurt my feelings if you don't take it.
1. As long as you've got it that far taken down, check the deck boards for soft spots. If you find any, replace them.
2. I had to replace all the floor covering, furniture and console in my pontoon boat rebuild. It's not cheap, but it is easy.
3. Most of my furniture is held in place by the fences. The top is also secured to the fence. I'd want a fence if it were my boat. It helps keep the rugrats where they belong. Replacing it will be expensive (compared to the price of an old used boat) if you have to pay to have one welded up for you.
4. When its time to take on the motor, buy a Factory Service Manual (not one of those aftermarket books). And ask motor questions on the Mercury Outboard section of iboats.com. You'll likely get quicker and better answers there.

Good luck to you and your family.
 
Joined
Jun 24, 2015
Messages
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Just the kind of advice I was looking for.
When I said yes to the boat, I didn't know how bad it was. I am trying hard not to call it 'The Minnow'
But I think I know where that rebuild is going.
At least the pontoons look good, and the motor should be salvageable....that should recoup the purchase price....

We actually only had to rip the carpet off, everything else was already gone.
But yeah, I am dreading the shopping list for parts:
Carpet
Fence
Top
Console
Seats


BTW, the pontoons have plugs on the top side, are those to empty water out?
Any good pumps?
 

HotTommy

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My logs are different than yours. They have vents at the top and drain plugs on the back near the bottom. ..... A more pressing question is why do you think it has water inside and how did it get there? If I had water inside I'd be more concerned about finding the leak than getting the water out.
 
Joined
Jun 24, 2015
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The sloshing sound when they pulled up in the yard.
And the alge line on the pontoons leads me to believe that the back end was quite low in the water.
 

lmuss53

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Sep 9, 2008
Messages
1,227
Shake the whole thing on the trailer, if there is water in a log you'll hear it. If there is water in the logs look to the back of the log where it is welded to the M brackets for cracks, that is the most common place for them. If you don't have drain plugs you'll have to drill some holes in the lower rear to drain the log. I drilled mine the size to tap a 3/8 pipe thread and then tapped the holes and just ran plastic pipe plugs back in and ran that way for over a year with no problems, so you can get them drained and plugged back up without a great big welding operation. Pipe taps are tapered so you only run the tap in about 3/8 of an inch to get enough thread to let the tapered plug seal. The plastic plugs on the top are vents. I did my work on a 1998 Fisher 20 so the boats are probably very similar. BTW those boats were known to leak at that weld and I know of two that were repaired under warranty to fix the leak, it is not a difficult or extremely expensive weld job, Any competent weld shop or backyard aluminum welder should be able to fix you up with the repair and the plugs, notice I said COMPETENT welder. I personally would get the water out and the motor running and check out the deck before I worried about fixing the leak. I drained mine after every trip like an old jon boat for more than a year before I got it fixed, never compromised performance noticeably or put us in any risk safety wise. Naturally you want to put the boat in the first time and run it a while then pull it out and drain it to see how much is getting in.

I think your kill switch is right above the lighter outlet to the left there a little. You can get the new tab to slide under with the coiled lanyard for it at walmart. That switch lets the power to the CDI bleed to ground so the motor will not run without the tab under it holding it open. You should be able to take the ignition switch out and get a key made, or maybe look closely at the switch face and the collar around the switch there may be a number there that you can take to a Mercury dealer, or locksmith and get a key made. You can also just buy a new switch for not a ton of $$, make sure you get a push to choke switch if that's what yours is.

This looks like a great candidate for a resto project to me, don't rip and tear at stuff, every issue you have mentioned is easily addressed, ask questions and we'll walk you through it.

Do not just start swapping out parts, you probably don't need coils, you need to get the kill switch open. If you crossed some wires under the hood and got it to crank without making spark it did that because the kill circuit is grounded out , it is exactly the same as the switch being in the off position, which it is, which also won't let it fire.

Turning the ignition switch on may power the accessories but it does not power the ignition circuit. It actually ungrounds the CDI box to allow the current created in the stator to power the CDI box. You don't need power to this motor to do anything except turn the starter, the stator makes the current to power the CDI which powers the coils and fires the motor, your's probably will run if you get the ignition switch out of the off position and open the kill switch circuit. Don't open the coils packages, you can send them back.

There are things that need to be checked on this motor before you try to run it, you should read the posts on "awakening a sleeping outboard"

If you get overwhelmed by this old girl and decide to bail out on it let me know in a PM, I might be a buyer. I hope you don't give up though, it is an easy fixer.
 
Last edited:

lmuss53

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Sep 9, 2008
Messages
1,227
Good idea on the remote tank with new line, put some oil in it too, mix it 50 to 1 until you know the oil pump is working, the extra oil won't hurt anything, Do not prime with straight gas or ether, use a squirt bottle with mixed gas to prime. If you bought parts locally you may be able to get a key, pull the nut off the face of the switch and pull it back through the opening in the dash, take PICTURES so you can put it back the same way. Don't unhook anything just see if there are numbers somewhere, then call where you got your parts or a Mercury dealer and ask if they can get you a key.

Most states require a fence on a pontoon to keep the passengers in the boat, so be aware of that before you try to run the boat. There is a guy in the local CL with railings and furniture for 2 complete 24 foot boats right now, he would not break up the set for me to put new furniture on my 20 footer, but maybe you can get what you need from him. Do a CL search for pontoon furniture in the Altoona PA area.
 
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