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  1. liquidlew

    How do I test Trim Gauge?

    1989 Merc 4.3 Alpha 1 Sea Ray 180, less than 2 year old trim gauge is now pegged to the far left and will not move when lowering or raising drive. Merc Manual shows how to test every gauge BUT the trim gauge:mad:. How can I tell if it is really toast? Anyway to test it?
  2. liquidlew

    Stalling issue fixed, surging continues

    Update on question I posted for a bud with a 1997 Merc 5.7 Alpha 1 Gen 2 with a 2bbl Mercarb. It would stall throttling back to idle and surge while cruising below 3000 rpm. He had the carb rebuilt, no more stalling and gets right up on plane when he opens it up. However it still surges badly...
  3. liquidlew

    Ign Fuse blows when key is turned to ON, and how to tell if gauge is bad?

    1989 Merc 4.3 Alpha 1, last started in April, ran on muffs fine for 10 minutes. Started it yesterday and ran for 5 seconds then abruptly shut off, blown ign. fuse. Replaced with new fuse, started and ran fine till I tapped on the trim gauge (which was replaced with new one last year), then it...
  4. liquidlew

    Surging at 2000 rpm, stalls out backing off throttle.

    Posting question for a bud,1998 Merc 5.7 Alpha One Gen 2, 2 bbl carb. He says it surges around 2000 rpm but gets up on plane and cruises with no problem, but then stalls out coming off throttle to idle. I already mentioned the obvious, change both fuel filters and check plugs, cap, and timing...
  5. liquidlew

    New Bilge Pump has 3 wires, old one has 2. Now what?

    Putting in a new bilge pump cuz the old one died, and the new one has 3 wires, Red, Brown, and Black, the old one just has a Brown and a Black. There is a lame diagram on the package that does not show 3 wires, just the ground and the hot going to the switch and then to the battery. Where does...
  6. liquidlew

    Water in Trim pump, oil is milk

    First an update, I stopped the leaking trim cylinder fitting. Teflon tape. No, I don't plan to leave it like that forever, just until I have the original Merc Cyl rebuilt. But now I gots water in the trim pump. What do I gotta do to get rid of it? Will I need to remove the pump itself and clean...
  7. liquidlew

    New trim cylinder leaking out of fitting. 2nd one!

    At my wits end! Had starboard trim cyl sieze up last season so just got around to installing 2 new SEI units. Installation was a breeze but I have the top rear fitting on starboard cyl leaking oil. I contacted SEI and they sent me a new one. I also bought a brand new hose and installed them both...
  8. liquidlew

    Loose Dist. Cap blew Ign panel fuse, now won't start, did something else fry?

    1989 Merc 4.3 Thunderbolt, Alpha One. Been running great, started right up as usual, but suddenly died after 30 seconds. Found the Distributor Cap was very loose and guess that is what blew the ign. fuse in the dash panel. Put on new cap and rotor, replaced the fuse and it cranks and gets fuel...
  9. liquidlew

    Alpha 1 Trim Cyl bad or not?

    I thought one of my trim cylinders is bad, I unhooked them from the drive and hit the up button, and both cylinders extend. When I hit the down button, only the port cylinder retracts. Is that normal, or is the starboard side bad? Does it need to be rebuilt? Last time I had it in the water (last...
  10. liquidlew

    How does a Speedo work?

    My bro in laws 1998 Maxum Merc/Alpha 3.0 has a dead speedo, how do they work? Is the hose going into the middle of the back of the gauge just a hollow tube and the needle is moved by water pressure? If I pulled the hose off the gauge, would water come out or air? Any way to test the gauge? Blow...
  11. liquidlew

    After Bellows job, shifts into gear fine, BUT...

    Helped my bud do a bellows job, got it all back together, ran it in the driveway for about 10 min. temp good, everything working fine. Shifts into forward and reverse fine, but you can hear and feel it chatter as it is going into gear. He says it has always been like this, is this normal? (I...
  12. liquidlew

    No Timing scale on timing chain cover!

    Working on a bud's boat, 1996 5.7 Merc Alpha one Gen 2, and cannot find the timing scale that is supposed to be there, there is NOTHING there! I know what it looks like cuz I have one on my 4.3 V6 Merc. Am I missing something? Anybody got a pic of a similar year/engine with one?:confused:
  13. liquidlew

    Need Merc V6 front Motor Mounts, can't get them anymore!

    Here we go again!:mad: I need to replace both front motor mounts on my 1989 4.3. Yup, that's right, they don't make them anymore, "This Part is No Longer Available". Wonderful, I'm gettin to the point of just taking the whole thing out and sinkin it!:eek: Naw, I'm havin too much fun fixin...
  14. liquidlew

    Wrong gear ratio update, I may be in luck...

    Update to the 'Do I have the wrong gear ratio' post... I might be in luck (dumb?), just found out I have access to an upper with the gears I need, the case is toast (got rear ended on the freeway), but I was told everything in the upper was not damaged, the lower took most of the impact. My...
  15. liquidlew

    Do I have wrong gear ratio?

    I just discovered that I have a different drive/gear ratio than what is supposed to be in my boat. According to several manuals, I am supposed to have a 1:84 in my 1989 Alpha 1, 4.3 v6, and found out I actually have a 1991 drive with 1:50 ratio. Does that explain why I never get over 4100 rpm...
  16. liquidlew

    Alpha Gen 2 gear oil leak coming out pee hole

    Gear oil coming out the pee hole, so I took the lower unit off and can see the driveshaft covered in gear oil, and it looks like maybe a bad seal in the upper coupling. Is that something I can fix or is that a job left to the pros?
  17. liquidlew

    Leaking manifold drain plug, can't tighten, can I seal it with?

    Just noticed a small water stain on the port exhaust manifold drain plug, which means it needs to be tightened. I would tighten it, but the dang motor mount stud is in the way. I know I could go thru the great big hassle of removing the riser and manifold, and that means running to the marine...
  18. liquidlew

    If alignment is off just a little...

    Just had my drive off for the first time and replaced the gimbal bearing (bearing was a little rough), popped in the alignment tool and noticed my alignment is off a bit, so it ran like that all last year (actually the last 4 years since I got the boat, and yeah, I know, I'm supposed to remove...
  19. liquidlew

    Strbd Trim Ram won't move, other one does...

    First time r&r-ing the drive, and I noticed the strbd ram will not move when pressing up/down switch, port ram moves normally. I don't know if this is new or if it has been like this all along, drive always went up and down ok. I will run the shock piston test later today, but does this sound...
  20. liquidlew

    Gimbal bearing install question

    Before I install my gimbal bearing, do I coat the outside of the bearing tolerance ring with a little grease for easier intallation?
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