1250 mercury starting

[hammbone_merc70]

tried to start the motor from a regular car battery. Should this work? if not how many cranking amps im I going to need to turn the motor over. I think the battery was stone dead, the engine did turn but not fast. Also is it common for the carbs to spew fuel when pressing the fuel bulb? And lastly does anyone know if there should be a little bit of oil in a tray under the bottom carb.? the tray has a hose hooked up too it... I'm not used to working on something the same age as myself.

[arsenalpsu]

Did you hook it up directly or with jumper cables, must be direct hook up for best connection and make sure it's fully charged. You can start and run with a car battery when on muffs but I would recommend using a deep cycle when on the water. This is because the charging system uses the batter to take the extra voltage, it has no regulator. This will boil the battery at WOT, the thin plates on a car battery will not take that very long and you need to add water every now and then.

How much gas is coming out...a slow drip is normal during start up but not a constand stream. BUT once she's running you shouldn't see much at all. That tray is down there b/c this is normal and expected at start up and low idle. The tube will carry that to the water.

AND she might be old but that motor you're working on is one of the best preforming motor in the 90-150 hp range ever made and STILL the best power to weight ratio of any out board, even today. Read this site to get some info on your old girl..... http://members.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI...d=clams_canino

Get to know that motor and treat her right, she'll return the favor!

[CDI Tech Support]

Did you hook it up directly or with jumper cables, must be direct hook up for best connection and make sure it's fully charged. You can start and run with a car battery when on muffs but I would recommend using a deep cycle when on the water. This is because the charging system uses the batter to take the extra voltage, it has no regulator. This will boil the battery at WOT, the thin plates on a car battery will not take that very long and you need to add water every now and then.

Deep Cycle batteries are certainly better-designed than closed-case batteries for outboards, but Deep Cycle batteries are not designed to take the constant discharging & charging that a flywheel ignition charging system puts out. Deep Cycle batteries are ideal for trolling motors.

For a flywheel ignition, we suggest a cranking/starting or dual purpose non-maintenance free (non-closed-case) battery NOT purchased from a supermarket or automotive store. The more CCA (cold cranking amps) the better, but isn't as critical a spec as the aforementioned style battery.

[Jacket4life]

I am completely unfamiliar with the type of battery you are referring to. Can you tell us brand names (if that's allowed??) and where we can purchase this style of battery? (Since you said we can't buy it at an automotive store)

[CDI Tech Support]

I am completely unfamiliar with the type of battery you are referring to.

The battery must have removable vent caps on its top where one can add water. That is referred to as a non-maintenance-free battery.

Stay away from Deep Cycle batteries unless you need one for a trolling motor.

Can you tell us brand names (if that's allowed??) and where we can purchase this style of battery? (Since you said we can't buy it at an automotive store)

Unfortunately, we cannot name brand names. We only suggest staying away from supermarket & automotive store brand batteries.

Perhaps others with experience can name quality name batteries.

[arsenalpsu]

For what you pay for a dual purpose battery at a marine store I don't personally think it's worth it. And the "Deep cycle" maintenance-required batteries at AutoZone, Wal-Mart, etc. are not true deep cycle batteries anyway. I've had a "deep cycle" from AutoZone for 3 years now and have had no problems. The CCA from my "deep cycle" is plenty to start my 115hp merc w/o harming my battery. These deep cycles are more like dual purpose anyway because they don't have the true extra thick plates as a quality/expensive marine deep cycle.

Just my 2 cents.

[Jacket4life]

Thanks for the info arsenal.

I too, have a deep cycle battery from an automotive store. But it is NOT maintenance free. My Dad says maintenance free is a scam to force ppl to buy more battery's. IDK if he's right, but I know that doing proper maintenance on a battery does make them last longer than my friends and neighbors "maintenance free" ones, from my experience.

CDI, do you guys sell batteries? And IDK if it's just me and my two computers, but every time I try to click on an attachment or link you have left, It opens a new window, but nothing ever comes up in it. It's annoying, b/c I have heard great stuff on here about you guys' products, I'd like to know more.

[CDI Tech Support]

For what you pay for a dual purpose battery at a marine store I don't personally think it's worth it. And the "Deep cycle" maintenance-required batteries at AutoZone, Wal-Mart, etc. are not true deep cycle batteries anyway. I've had a "deep cycle" from AutoZone for 3 years now and have had no problems. The CCA from my "deep cycle" is plenty to start my 115hp merc w/o harming my battery. These deep cycles are more like dual purpose anyway because they don't have the true extra thick plates as a quality/expensive marine deep cycle.

Just my 2 cents.

How one treats a battery plays a LARGE part in longevity, efficiency & regulator/rectifier & stator failures.

If one trickle-charges their battery using a battery charger before each & every use of the boat, one will get optimum life out of their battery.

By far, the majority of calls we get with charging issues and/or regulator/rectifier & stator failures are ones that use closed-case batteries & supermarket/automotive store brand batteries.

Keep in mind neglecting the proper style battery can drastically reduce its life.

If one uses the proper type battery AND charges it before each & every use the boat, they will receive optimum life out of their battery, regulator/rectifier & stator.

As I tell our customers...you can pay a little more now for a quality battery or a lot later for a quality battery + a regulator/rectifier.

[CDI Tech Support]

CDI, do you guys sell batteries?

Negative.

And IDK if it's just me and my two computers, but every time I try to click on an attachment or link you have left, It opens a new window, but nothing ever comes up in it. It's annoying, b/c I have heard great stuff on here about you guys' products, I'd like to know more.

You'll need to download & install Adobe Reader to read .pdf files. Here ya go:

http://www.adobe.com/products/reader/

[Jacket4life]

Thanks, but I should have been more specific. On both my home computer and my work computer, when I open a link from you, it opens a new window, tries to launch the information from your site, then IE gives me an error msg and shuts down. Weird. Thought maybe someone else had the same issue and knew what I was doing wrong? Thanks for your time though.

[CDI Tech Support]

Do you have Adobe Reader installed?

If you're unsure, click "Start" in the lower left-hand corner of your screen, then click "Programs", then look at all of your programs to see if you have "Adobe Reader."

If not, install Adobe Reader via the link in my last post above.

All of our links work on all of my computers.

Your operating platform should not matter, as long as you have Adobe Reader installed.