[Toxarch]

I just bought a used 92 Skeeter with a 92 Mercury 150 XR2 Black Max. Serial number OD080839 if that helps any. The water pressure gauge next to the dash switches is maxed out on 30 pounds all the time. Would I be correct to assume that since the gauge is maxed out at 30 pounds all the time that the gauge is most likely broken? If it weren't connected or wasn't getting any pressure, then the gauge should be reading zero pounds. I haven't yet had time to go through and trace the line yet to be sure the water pressure line is "wired" right and thought I should go ahead and ask if I need to bother checking the water line or if I should go ahead and pick up a new pressure gauge?

I am changing out the lower gear oil and changing the impeller right now. Drained the gear oil and went to the dealer to pick up oil and impeller kit. The dealer was closed today so no joy on the impeller change. I would have had that done and been ready to start tracing the water line this week.

Thanks for any help you can provide.

[j_martin]

Originally Posted by Toxarch

I just bought a used 92 Skeeter with a 92 Mercury 150 XR2 Black Max. Serial number OD080839 if that helps any. The water pressure gauge next to the dash switches is maxed out on 30 pounds all the time. Would I be correct to assume that since the gauge is maxed out at 30 pounds all the time that the gauge is most likely broken? If it weren't connected or wasn't getting any pressure, then the gauge should be reading zero pounds. I haven't yet had time to go through and trace the line yet to be sure the water pressure line is "wired" right and thought I should go ahead and ask if I need to bother checking the water line or if I should go ahead and pick up a new pressure gauge?

I am changing out the lower gear oil and changing the impeller right now. Drained the gear oil and went to the dealer to pick up oil and impeller kit. The dealer was closed today so no joy on the impeller change. I would have had that done and been ready to start tracing the water line this week.

Thanks for any help you can provide.

If it's stock, it's just a plastic tube the goes into the engine right behind the flywheel. It's a bourdon tube gauge, so if it froze with a little water in it, it probably got "straightened out" pretty bad. They aren't very expensive, though. If it's electric, the sending unit would be in that same hole in the top of the block.

Run the high performance Lube in that little LU if you want it to live long. If the murkery guy doesn't have high perf, go get some automotive full synthetic to tide you over.

hope it helps
John

[Toxarch]

Thanks for the quick reply. There's no water in the gauge. I assumed it was not electric. I'll have a look in the morning so I can pick up the right replacement gauge.

One of the previous owners has already replaced the lower unit on this engine. The sticker for the lower unit replacement is still on it. I bought it as a repo. Supposedly the guy it was repoed from only took it out a couple of times and then left it in storage.

Is "QuickSilver High Performance Gear Oil" good enough to run in the lower or should I only go for the Mercury brand stuff?

[Toxarch]

The parts guy at the dealer said the QuickSilver and Mercury brand gear oil were the same. I bought mine from Academy for a couple dollars cheaper ($12+). I stopped by Walmart and they had it for under $10.

The water pressure gauge from the dealer was $58. I'll try to find a cheaper one somewhere else.

[Chris1956]

You should not see any water pressure above 18PSI on that Merc. I think your gauge is broke. Mine froze las year in the pegged full position.

[j_martin]

Originally Posted by Toxarch

Thanks for the quick reply. There's no water in the gauge. I assumed it was not electric. I'll have a look in the morning so I can pick up the right replacement gauge.

One of the previous owners has already replaced the lower unit on this engine. The sticker for the lower unit replacement is still on it. I bought it as a repo. Supposedly the guy it was repoed from only took it out a couple of times and then left it in storage.

Is "QuickSilver High Performance Gear Oil" good enough to run in the lower or should I only go for the Mercury brand stuff?

Quicksilver is Mercury's brand. High performance is the key phrase. You'll know it when you get it on you. It's green and stickier than sin.

What is the prop hub diameter on that? Choices are 4 1/4 and 4 3/4 inches. The original LU had the lower size prop hub. The larger hub LU is easier to get and directly bolts on.

[Toxarch]

BTW, this is an XR4, not a XR2. Don't know what I was thinking there.

I changed out the lower gear oil today. Had a problem with the pump drawing in some air while pumping. I tested it out with water when I cleaned it out later and it worked fine. Maybe it was the thicker oil causing the pump seals to fail.

Don't know what oil they used in there before but it's got the high performance gear oil in there now. The new washer took care of the slow leak from the drain plug as well. I decided to hold off on the new impeller and thermostats until winter, or until I run the engine a bit and see if it's overheating at all. I did pull the thermostats to inspect them and the rubber gaskets seemed OK.

The prop hub diameter is 4-1/4". It's a stainless 4 blade, almost 6" deep and 13-1/2" diameter.

Here's a picture of the sticker on the lower unit. You would think it would come off in the water.