Hi Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have about an 11 year old 25 hp Mercury on a 16ft pontoon boat. It was my late dad's boat so had great sentimental value and I'm paranoid about the slightest quirk in the engine.
We only use the boat weekends from about late May to early October; it's properly winterized (lower gear lube changed, etc.) by a friends' husband who is a small engine specialist and community college instructor in same. But he doesn't like to be bothered with every little blip on the radar screen, hence this message.
Recently I have noticed a lot of white smoke coming from the exhaust. I measured over and over to make sure the proper fuel/oil ratio was mixed in the new tank of gas this year -- i think it's something like 6.5 oz to 2 gallons. Still, it seems awfully smokey.
Meanwhile -- I couldn't use the boat for a couple of weeks becasue some birds nested on it. Once the fledglings were gone it fired up OK via the key (tho i think something is funky about the ignition wiring, that's another story) and we used it a couple of times last weekend.
Yesterday was rainy but just to give it some exercise I started it at the dock and pressed that "trim" button on the shifter so i could rev it to a higher RPM in neutral. Came back 5 min later and there was a stain of gasoline (to my horror) on the lake surface, about as big as the boat. I am stumped - -the connections at the tank and motor seem firmly seated. The swimming ladder WAS accidentally left on the fuel line bulb -- but what would that have done? I took the boat for a 10-min spin at high and low speeds and saw no trail of gas.
So just now I idled it at the dock, again at about 1.5 - 2k rpm, and was feeling pretty good till suddenly this glurt of gasoline appeared on the surface of the water. I couldn't see where it came from -- i.e. the exhaust,which is many inches above the lake surface, or some other area below water where some bubbles were coming from.
Does this sound dire to any of you? This motor has huge sentimental value to me but there are no mobile marine mechanics in the area and I am loathe to get it towed 15 miles for no reason. Not to mention the expense. If you need more specs on the motor i can dig out the booklet -- otherwise any tips and pointers appreciated. Thanks!!!!!! a million --- Marissa in Michigan
I have about an 11 year old 25 hp Mercury on a 16ft pontoon boat. It was my late dad's boat so had great sentimental value and I'm paranoid about the slightest quirk in the engine.
We only use the boat weekends from about late May to early October; it's properly winterized (lower gear lube changed, etc.) by a friends' husband who is a small engine specialist and community college instructor in same. But he doesn't like to be bothered with every little blip on the radar screen, hence this message.
Recently I have noticed a lot of white smoke coming from the exhaust. I measured over and over to make sure the proper fuel/oil ratio was mixed in the new tank of gas this year -- i think it's something like 6.5 oz to 2 gallons. Still, it seems awfully smokey.
Meanwhile -- I couldn't use the boat for a couple of weeks becasue some birds nested on it. Once the fledglings were gone it fired up OK via the key (tho i think something is funky about the ignition wiring, that's another story) and we used it a couple of times last weekend.
Yesterday was rainy but just to give it some exercise I started it at the dock and pressed that "trim" button on the shifter so i could rev it to a higher RPM in neutral. Came back 5 min later and there was a stain of gasoline (to my horror) on the lake surface, about as big as the boat. I am stumped - -the connections at the tank and motor seem firmly seated. The swimming ladder WAS accidentally left on the fuel line bulb -- but what would that have done? I took the boat for a 10-min spin at high and low speeds and saw no trail of gas.
So just now I idled it at the dock, again at about 1.5 - 2k rpm, and was feeling pretty good till suddenly this glurt of gasoline appeared on the surface of the water. I couldn't see where it came from -- i.e. the exhaust,which is many inches above the lake surface, or some other area below water where some bubbles were coming from.
Does this sound dire to any of you? This motor has huge sentimental value to me but there are no mobile marine mechanics in the area and I am loathe to get it towed 15 miles for no reason. Not to mention the expense. If you need more specs on the motor i can dig out the booklet -- otherwise any tips and pointers appreciated. Thanks!!!!!! a million --- Marissa in Michigan
