Help w/1995 Mariner 150hp

I bought a 1995 Procraft about 2 weeks ago from an private owner. I took it out the first night I had it, and it started fine (just like it did on the muffs) idled smooth the whole nine yards. I take it out into some open water and open it up and it takes off no problem. After it planed out and started to build up speed it just died, basically like I turned off the power to the motor. I repeated this several times before I decided that there was something wrong and brought it back in. <br /><br /> After I got it loaded back up on the trailer I noticed some fuel near the bulb, I inspected and it had a crack in it. I replaced this and the spark plugs (the old plugs looked really bad) and took it back out on the lake again. Same thing, only this time after about 10 min it would not rev above 2500 rpm with the prop engaged. At this point I putted back in and decided to take it to a local marine shop.<br /><br /> After sitting at the shop a week they guy calls me today and tells me that my #2 and #6 Cylinder have zero compression and that I need a new motor. <br /><br /> Please help a new guy out, this makes no sense to me since the motor was running, and will rev up with no problem with the prop disengaged. I dont know enough about outboards to make a decision on my own so Im hoping some of you gurus can help me.

Re: Help w/1995 Mariner 150hp

He may be correct, but I'd make sure I saw the readings myself....<br /><br />Reving the motor without a load is quite different than with it. However, I would think that it wouldn't run very well at idle with only four cylinders having good compression especially only one on the even bank...<br /><br />If you have badly damaged cylinders this "could" happen, but make sure about the compression for yourself. Are you running premix or do you have oil injection?

Re: Help w/1995 Mariner 150hp

Its oil injection. It seems to be mixing correctly, and no lights ever came on or anything. I dont know it just seems strange wouldnt I hear it? heh I mean it wasnt even missing...

Re: Help w/1995 Mariner 150hp

If it wasn't working (oil injection) you should hear a intermittent "beep,beep,beep,beep,beep,beep," that just keeps going. A constant "beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee" is an indecation of an overheat condition.<br /><br />Do you hear the test beeps after you turn on the ignition key? This is the alarm module running a status test. If you don't hear that, the alarm module may have been disconnected or is not working. And it is not uncommon for them to be disconnected after an oil injection problem occurs. Many people just go to "premix" and by-pass the problem. (I have done that myself in an effort to save money)..<br /><br />I would think you would hear some missing if two cylinders are not firing. But it can be tricky to tell if you don't have a lot of experience with the motor and actually heard it before with everything working. What are your idle rpms on the muffs and in the lake? This is with the throttle lever in the "idle" position in neutral of course.

Re: Help w/1995 Mariner 150hp

Never heard any beeps at all. It idled about 650ish RPM out of the lake and about 500 in the lake with the prop engaged. Initially I thought maybe I had some water in the gas line, since it had been sitting for a year plus, so I did put some heat in the tank to try and get it out. Correct me if I am wrong but could this not be a blown head gasket? It just seemed messed up that he went straight to "you need a new motor" after running a compression and ignition test...

Re: Help w/1995 Mariner 150hp

That's too low for idle rpms...<br />You may very well have a compression problem, and even more problems if the initial cause of cylinder damage was not fixed....<br /><br />Test further with premix, and confirm those compression readings.. Find out if the alarm module is disconnected, the oil pump is working, and if you even have good compression on any of the cylinders... They should all be around 100-120 psi.. No more than a 10% difference between each other...<br /><br />Something caused the low compression problems if indeed that is the case and we need to find out what that was...<br /><br />Let us know.. And ask that wrench specific questions to find out.

Re: Help w/1995 Mariner 150hp

Well after another hours labor charge I got to see that all 6 cylinders are scored, so it looks like the motor is pretty fubar. Any suggestions? Can you sleave something like that? bore it out? or just toss the motor and replace... Really sucks, but looks like im stuck with it, Im prolly gonna sue the guy I bought it from on principle, even though I doubt I will ever collect.<br /><br /> Shop is offering to put a remanufactured core and powerhead on for 3400 I think it was (I think I get 500 back on the core). They seem to think a rebore and rebuild would be close to that price. Not sure if I should take it to someone else, or perhaps call around.. wrong time of year I think to be wanting this kind of work done

Re: Help w/1995 Mariner 150hp

oh and 3 of the 4 cylinders that had pressure was in the 80's with the 4th in the 100's ..

Re: Help w/1995 Mariner 150hp

Go with the rebuilt powerhead rebuilt by a reputable shop and make sure it has a good warranty. Assuming the rest of the engine is in good shape, it is a lot cheaper than repowering.

Re: Help w/1995 Mariner 150hp

Darn that sucks....

Re: Help w/1995 Mariner 150hp

Originally posted by bigsack:<br />Im prolly gonna sue the guy I bought it from on principle, even though I doubt I will ever collect.<br /><br />

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Sorry to here of you unfortunate beginning of the boating season. Did you run it with the owner before you bought it?<br /><br />As to you sueing the guy you bought it from, good luck, The judge is just going to ask you if you had a mechanic check it out, and when you buy used, you buy "As Is"! After you tow it off, its your responsability to make sure that its all working right before you run it.<br /><br />Spendy lesson learned for sure.