HELP! / UPDATED

[BBogey]

I recently purchased a 17' alum semi V boat with a 2002 EFI 60HP 4-stroke MERC. I bought the boat in Arkansas and live in Washington state (part of my problem)<br /><br />It only has about 12-15 hours on the motor, but seems to come out of the hole very slowly, and in fact, seems to be getting worse (which could be additional gear I'm putting in?)<br /><br />It does not have a tach, but seems to me like maybe the RPM's aren't going high enough? I am a MOTOR MORON and know next to nothing about motors!<br /><br />I met a guy on a hunting site who just purchased a 40 HP 4-stroke MERC and had the same problem. He went to his local shop and they hooked a temporary tach up, took it out, and found it was NOT reaching it's full RPM's @ WOT. They put a smaller prop on and he said his problem is %100 fixed!<br /><br />I live in Central Washington (Ellensburg for those of you who know Washington) and so far I have been turned down for service by our local shop (not a merc dealer) and BOTH Merc dealers in Yakima(about 35 miles away), as they say they can't look at it until after the first of the year??????<br /><br />I then made an appointment for a dealer in Moses Lake (about 70 miles away)When my brother and son got it there, the guy said he wouldn't/couldn't launch it and didn't have any equipment to check out the computer in the motor anyway????? Said the equipment was to expensive?????<br /><br />Besides being VERY frustrated!!!!, and not knowing exactly what to do?? I'm wondering if the prop thing could be the problem? It starts great, runs very smooth, but the last time I had it out, (and "fairly" loadedbut well under the limit) I wasn't sure it would plane??? When it finally did, it ran at top speed still????<br /><br />I looked at the prop and it's stamped 48-855862A 5 15 P and it's a "Vengence" stainless steel prop that came on it. <br /><br />Looking up a site on the Xpress (brand of boat) home page, and under "tips and tricks", it cautions about improper props causing performance problems. It lists a 10.25X15 as the proper prop???<br /><br />Since it appears I can not find a MERCURY dealer who will stand behind their product and help me out, DO ANY OF YOU HAVE ANY IDEAS????<br /><br />Very sorry for the long post, and MUCH appreciation if you can help me!!!<br /><br />Bogey...

 

[Rex]

Re: HELP! / UPDATED

I THINK YOU ARE ON THE RIGHT TRACK.<br />REX

 

[trevorcday]

Re: HELP! / UPDATED

The merc 4 strokes need to rev so a smaller pitch prop is probably a good idea. I know we have run 12 or 13's on 50 hp four stroke powered 16' Smokercraft boats. The new EFI four strokes have a really high tech engine computer. Mercury makes a gaget called a DDT that plugs into it. One of the things the computer logs is time at various RPM ranges. If you can find a dealer who owns one he can tell you what max RPM your boat pulls without even starting it. Your local Merc dealers are just giving you a hard time by telling you they can't work on it for a year (sour grapes). Your warranty is good at any delaer in the US or Canada.

 

[BBogey]

Re: HELP! / UPDATED

mrmerc,rex, thanks to both of you. Does that # I gave mean anything to either of you? Does it match up to the prop # I listed off the Xpress tips and tricks site?<br /><br />I would LOVE to find a MERC dealer who would look at this for me. Like you say, it's under warranty and I don't want to do anything wrong! If there are any Washington folks here who know of a dealer they would reccomend SOMEWHERE within a 100 miles of me, I'd appreciated it.<br /><br />THANKS GUYS!

 

[Rex]

Re: HELP! / UPDATED

I don't remember for sure but I think it<br />300 rpm for 1 degree on the prop.<br />If that right I go 2 degrees but you NEED<br />to know your max rpm before you do<br />anything.<br />GOOD LUCK<br />REX

 

[Backlash]

Re: HELP! / UPDATED

Hey BBogey,<br />A couple of questions come to mind...what HP is your boat rated for? Does the motor have power tilt/trim? You're running a 15 pitch prop. In order to correctly prop the engine, you've got to know the RPM at WOT (you could hook up a portable tach, i.e., "Tiny Tach"). There's a ton helpful posts you can research on this board regarding prop problems/solutions. With that said, until we know the answers to the above questions, I'm not sure you have a prop pitch problem.<br />Backlash

 

[BBogey]

Re: HELP! / UPDATED

Thanks for sticking with me on this guys:<br /><br />My boat is rated for a 90 HP, and I have power trip/tilt

 

[johnkc]

Re: HELP! / UPDATED

merc has a service monitor which is a tach and hour meter and almost any one can hook this thing up you may want to use it temporary or permanent has one main wire that wraps around any spark plug wire{inductive pick up} and another to ground and no holes to drill in dash can be stuck on with 2 sided tape i think they cost around 60.00

 

[roy w. shakun]

Re: HELP! / UPDATED

I had some prop problems with my 4 stroke 60 hp Yamaha. They do need to rev. I am fairly certain that the merc shares the same block as the Yam. The " maximum operating range " of the motor is 5,000 to 6,000. The motor is designed to rev all day at 5000. Initially I found it hard to believe, but these single overhead cam 4 strokes are meant to be run.<br /><br />Power tech, set me up with a 11" wide bladed, 10" pitch, cupped stainless,prop which maxes out at 5500 rpm. Obviously, boat design makes a difference. But, you certainly need to know your revs, and not be afraid to drop the pitch accordingly. You really sound overpropped.

 

[trevorcday]

Re: HELP! / UPDATED

The engine computer on the new efi's logs engine RPM data for retrieval by the merc DDT terminal. This is a common service tool that almost any merc dealer should have all they need to do is plug it in and you will know the whole story. It will probably tell you that the max RPM the engine reaches is 4000 RPM or so.<br /><br />On a side note the engine computer in these new efi 4-strokes is compatible with the Smartcraft gauges. Until now these were only used on the Optimax motors. They do all sorts of neat things like provide troll speed control for example.<br /><br />The new merc 30 to 60 hp are merc design engines the other 4-strokes (4 to 25, 75, 90, 115)are Yamaha.

 

[BBogey]

Re: HELP! / UPDATED

WOW, we're talking some knowledge between all you guys!!! Since I'm such a motor dork, I really don't want to take any chances and think maybe the best bet is to KEEP looking for a dealer that will run the test MRMERC is referring to? I waited so long for this whole set up and it's really frustrating to have it not go right, hopefully I'll get it all straightened out. <br /><br />As for the tach, my boat is wired for one and I think it would be pretty easy to hook up, but it's just the "cost" right now at X-Mas time that would be tough.<br /><br />Thanks guys!!!!

 

[trevorcday]

Re: HELP! / UPDATED

If you put in a tach consider the merc Smartcraft gauges. They do some really cool stuff and aren't that bad price wise. The trolling speed control is a feature you might find useful too.

 

[johnkc]

Re: HELP! / UPDATED

always prop em at the max rated rpm with your normal load not that you will always run it at 6000 rpm but that is what makes the engine perform best,from trolling to hole shot to cruise

 

[BBogey]

Re: HELP! / UPDATED

MRMERC, do you have any idea what a "not to bad a price" is? I found a site online and they said $140! I thought YIKES! But maybe that is just what they run? I'd like to get the brand you are suggesting.<br /><br />Thanks.

 

[DJ]

Re: HELP! / UPDATED

BBogey,<br /><br />You're over propped. You are pushing a pretty good load with a 60 hp. engine.<br />As a rule of thumb, you can figure 2-300 rpm per every inch of prop pitch.<br />I would try props. in the 12" to 11" catagory.<br />I would buy a tach. It will tell you more than you wnated to know.

 

[BBogey]

Re: HELP! / UPDATED

Guys, a quick update: My son and I took my "extra" prop I carry (a comp 13 pitch purchased out of Cabela's strictly for a back up, but listed as fitting my motor-they didn't have a 15 pitch and I asked on this site about the diff, and was told it would probably change my RPM's by 4-500 and without a tach, I probably shouldn't run WOT for very long)<br /><br />Anyway, we put that prop on today and was going to drop the boat in the river (big river) for a quick test. It was rougher than, well, you know! It really shot out of the hole! I was VERY pleased with it. I only ran it wot for about 20-30 seconds, but came out of the hole 3-4 times. What a difference! (by the way, we took the decoys, dog, guns and bags to simulate our conditions)<br /><br />I AM GOING to get a tach, AND SOON! (I've tried locating MERC smart Gauges on the internet, but haven't found it yet?) That will answer my RPM question. Here is the next question. My composition back up prop is a 4 blade as opposed to my SS 15 pitch 3-blade. IF and when I get a new prop, what blade do you guys reccomend? It makes sense to me that the 3-blade would be better top end, and 4-blade better for shots? How much of a difference?<br /><br />Since I have been UN able to locate a dealer yet who will provide much of this info I'm looking for, I really count on, and appreciate you folks helping me!!<br /><br />(I am still working on locating a dealer, so I won't bug you forever! )