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    seized my 850 two stroke (then freed it), why?

    Hi Guys A little help please guys, my motor is sick and I want to make it feel better! Facts first, my motor is a merc in-line 4 cylinder 2 stroke, model 850, 85 hp, vintage about '79, serial # 7071754. I bought it about three years ago, with a rebuilt power head. The boat is a 16'...
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    starter solenoid sticking......

    Does anyone know if a little lubrication is all I need to do to solve this problem? (motor is mercury ‘76 in-line 4 cyl. 2 stroke outboard, model 850, serial 7071754) Last Saturday we changed tanks part way through a SCUBA trip on Lake Ontario and the motor wouldn't start. Here we are 15 km...
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    automatic bilge pump switch

    Hey guys (and girls), I'm looking for help finding a float switch (or something that does the same job) that simply will not break.<br /><br />I run mine manual because the boat is trailered but my Dad and a bunch of his friends seem to have the same experience - the darn things always break...
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    oil mix

    Quck one, what's the correct mix for my 1976 Mercury in-line 4 cyl. 2 stroke outboard, model 850, serial 7071754?
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    overtemp alarm - working?

    Hi Guys<br /><br />I bought a 1976 Mercury in-line 4 cyl. 2 stroke outboard, model 850, serial 7071754 last year and I've never heard any alarms (probably a good thing!) so I'm wondering if this model has overtemp alarm or not, and if it does, is there a way for me to test it?<br /><br />Having...
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    retrofitting a kill switch

    Hi Guys<br /><br />Wondering if adding a kill switch to an old outboard that never had one is really as easy as the guy at the parts counter says, has anyone done it recently and would like to share the experience?<br /><br />My nephew (10 yrs) recently received a hand-me-down 8-10' aluminum...
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    retrofitting a kill switch

    Hi Guys<br /><br />Wondering if adding a kill switch to an old outboard that never had one is really as easy as the guy at the parts counter says, has anyone done it recently and would like to share the experience?<br /><br />My nephew (10 yrs) recently received a hand-me-down 8-10' aluminum...
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    what year is my Merc' 850?

    Sorry guys, same old question;<br />I bought a merc' model 850 used, serial # is 7071754 but none of the charts I can find (including several linked on this site) tell me what year this motor is.<br /><br />A little help?
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    breaking in a rebuild

    Recently bought a rebuilt mercury outboard, model 850, serial # 7071754. The seller (one man outfit on the edge of a small town nearby) recommends 2-3 tanks of gas with double oil dose and staying away from wide open for that period as a break-in procedure. Is it really that simple or is there...
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    plywood floor replacement

    Hi guys, I've got a short question that will probably result in long answers, thanks in advance for sharing your experiences!<br /><br />My 16' fibreglass bowrider has a plywood floor that is starting to feel kind of soft just rear of middle where it meets the right side. There's carpet so I...
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    plywood floor replacement

    Hi guys, I've got a short question that will probably result in long answers, thanks in advance for sharing your experiences!<br /><br />My 16' fibreglass bowrider has a plywood floor that is starting to feel kind of soft just rear of middle where it meets the right side. There's carpet so I...
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    Fibreglass "Canada Boats"

    Does anyone know where I can find information about my boat? Buddy and I bought a "vintage" (c.a. 1975) 16' bowrider with no specifications plate for load limit etc. It was built by Canada Boats, a division of Alcan Aluminum that dabbled in fibreglass for a while. I can't seem to find...
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    85 hp ('75) missing at any throttle

    Interesting weekend of engine failures, I'm asking for help in diagnosis please! (1975, 84 hp, V4, powershift II, model 85ESL75E, running 50:1)<br /> :confused: <br />Saturday we zoomed out to a remote SCUBA site in Lake Ontario, the engine ran perfectly first time in the water after 3 weeks...
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    spark plugs

    My Johnson V4 (85 hp, model 85ESL75) outboard sounded like it was missing and lost power so my buddy and I did the only thing we knew how to do, change the spark plugs. Now its running great but I still don't know if these plugs are right because... the manual I have quotes a champion # L77J4...
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    towing capacity limits?

    Does anyone know what actually limits towing capacity of different vehicles? I had a hitch installed on my Maxda Mystere (1993) and the shop said I could only get a class I hitch rated at 1500 lbs. maximum. After a weekend of towing, ramping, and boating I weighed my boat and motor on trailer...
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    johnson outboard battery charging

    My buddy and I recently bought a 17' bow-rider with 85 hp Johnson Powershift-II, V4 (model 85ESL75) for getting to scuba sites here in Ontario. The battery was pretty much dead so we replaced it but now neither of us knows if we have to charge it or if the engine will charge the battery, like...
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