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    Anyone had damage from E10 gas in Mercruiser?

    I use non ethanol gas in my 8HP outboard and small engines at home. Just bought a 19 footer with a 6 cyl fuel injected Mercruiser with Alpha drive. So far I have been buying non ethanol gas (at $3.85) at a local station and pumping it into the tank 5 gals at a time. The on-water price is $4.65...
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    What the inside of a bad slave starter solenoid looks like

    Since I just put in a new slave starter solenoid I decided to see what the bad (intermittent starting, clicking, usually no ignition) one looked like. Here is a photo of the interior after I cut the metal tabs holding it together and pulled the cylinder out, the one that houses the actual magnet...
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    Merc solenoid ??

    I'll somewhat steal this thread, as I just replaced the slave solenoid on a 4.3 fuel injected Mercruiser, from a new to us 2006 boat kept in fresh water. The engine started OK when we drove it during the tests, and failed a week or so after we bought it. It had a bad ignition switch (kept...
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    Fuel stabilizer and E-0 advice needed

    Who has any experience or research knowledge on the best fuel stabilizers? Seafoam, Stabil, StarTron, etc. and the various variants of each. I have used the "regular" (that is, not the marine variant) red Stabil in my 8HP Honda, about an ounce per 2.5 gal fillup. I wonder if using say that...
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    How to tell year, which seems to matter, of Honda 8 HP outboard

    I need a new male quick disconnect fitting that attaches to the 1/4" threaded hole in the suction tube on the portable plastic gas tank. These seem to be a "pre 1991" and "post 1991" style, and of course I need to know which I have. My boat is a 1991 hull, but I don't know when the prev owner...
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    Issues with idle jet on Honda BF8 8HP

    My circa 1991 Honda 8HP periodically has idle problems. It starts fine with choke, and seems to idle OK, but if I put it in gear and then try to accelerate (even gradually) it stalls. Removing the idle jet, the one on top of the carb that can be removed without disassembling, and cleaning with...
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    Change engine oil and gear oil at beginning or end of season?

    What's recommended? If you change at end of season, new oils sit in outboard over winter (I store mine in a basement, not outside) and it seems to me may possibly degrade. If you change at beginning of season, old stuff sits and I suppose may cause some sort of corrosion or other problem.
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    Parts availability for 1990 Merc 90 HP

    Considering a used 1990 17 foot Invader bowrider, with 90 HP Merc. I assume the motor is same year as boat, but will need to check. Before I waste a visit, are parts available for Merc's of this vintage? Both the standard ones you have to replace (impeller, carb rebuild kits, gaskets, etc.)...
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    Outboard up or down when not in use?

    I lift my Honda 8HP motor out of the water when done, at least, unless I will be using it in the next few hours. I have a sailboat with a motor mount that swings up and down. I'm in a fresh water lake. It occurred to me that it may be better for the water pump impeller to be wet all the time...
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    What is a good quality, effective carb dip?

    I just bought a pail of NAPA brand carb dip,and then did some research. I saw a lot of posts (mostly on motorcycle sites) that said the newer dips are EPA regulated and not very effective. Some brands may be better than others. The NAPA store had a can of Tyme, but it lacked a parts basket...
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    Parts available for '89 Force 85?

    I am considering looking at an '89 Bayliner Capri Bowrider 17 offered for $2K with 85HP Force, and trailer. I would offer lower based on NADA guide, but... if I did get to an acceptable price, how available are parts now for this model? I don't know the serial number, but assume (for now) it...
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    Source for 6" or larger width PVC repair fabric

    Well, after reading the post "The truth about Zodiac's PVC Fabric", maybe I ought to just give up... But, I have most all the repair parts, so have little more to lose at this point. I bought Mercury's 2-part PVC glue, and some patches that came with with a one-part glue. My $200 Quicksilver...
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    Glueing valve back to inside of inflatable tube - how to?

    Quicksilver 230, probably PVC not Hypalon (not sure). One Boston style valve in particular leaked quite a bit, and prev owner (who sorta ripped me off) had smeared what looks like Goop brand glue all over edge of plastic valve where it meets outside surface of tube. Still leaked, confirmed by...
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    Is a Quicksilver 230 made of Hypalon?

    Just bought a used one, no paperwork or any manuals. There are some slowish leaks, at least one around a valve, where the PO smeared a bunch of what looks like Goop to me. Not sure how to seal, and if I buy patches and glue I don't even know if this is made of Hypalon, PVC, or even some other...
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    How to properly install zinc

    I have a Honda BF8A, on which the zinc anode attaches to the bottom of the anticavitation plate. Outboard is used on a sailboat in fresh water lake, motor is kept up with leg out of water when not in use. This lake does not allow any electrical supply on docks and I moor my boat anyway. I had...
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    Milky lower leg gear oil

    I drained the gear oil on my Honda 8 hp today, and it was a little milky. I'm guessing that may be some water incursion. Is this more or less normal, or something to attend to? Thanks, Peter
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    Proper use of fogging oil

    Time to winterize; I store my 8HP Honda in my basement on a stand. I like to run it for a few mins in a garbage can of clean water, then drain, change oil, gear oil. I also like to run it dry by unhooking the fuel line. If I spray fogging oil in the carb throat, it dies, thus I can't run dry...
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    How to keep low speed jet from repeatedly clogging

    I have a Honda 8HP BF8AM. At end of last season, wouldn't idle at all, and stalled when put in gear unless revved up too high. I cleaned the carb, including the center hole on low speed jet, put all new fuel lines on motor, new fuel hose from tank, new fuel filter, cleaned tank well (it is...
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    Unwinterizing outboard?

    OK, it is a little early for this question... I winterized my 8HP Honda, in my basement, including spraying fogging oil in carb air intake and also in cylinders. Drained carb through drain screw in bowl. Do you need to do anything special, other than just fueling and firing up, in the Spring...
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    Does Honda 8HP pilot jet have center hole?

    I've disassembled my BF8AM (1997-ish) carb, and it looks pretty clean in general. Problem toward end of summer was stalling at idle when put in gear, which I have to think is likely a fuel flow issue. Am replacing diaphragm in fuel pump and hoses too, just in case. Very hard to tell what...
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