Help with Merc 200 saltwater

[steve forsythe]

My 2000 Merc 200 carb. saltwater outboard has 2 bad cyl. One is 110 lbs low and the other is only 10 lbs low. Ques- how much should i expect to pay for a repair? Should i repair or buy rebuilt/new? Should i repair BOTH cyl. or just the bad? Any tips on getting Merc to assist even though it is out of warranty? I dont have much $$ , but cant let the boat sit and rot. Thanks.

 

[clanton]

Re: Help with Merc 200 saltwater

What are the compression numbers for all cylinders?

 

[hondon]

Re: Help with Merc 200 saltwater

I would also like to know those compression #'s.Even if you are out of warranty ,powerhead failures are not something these companines generally ignore after such a short run. You will need a dealer to step up for you.

 

[steve forsythe]

Re: Help with Merc 200 saltwater

the numbers were 150 lbs for 4 of the cyl. and 140 for one and 40 for the other.The mechanic said there was a broken ring in the bad cyl. and a "scuff" in the other. According to customer affairs @ Mercury, the dealer is supposed to call them with a diagnoses and their opinion of what caused it. I hope the dealer is working for me and not Mercury.The engine is 13 months OUT of warranty. I should here if i get any assistance from Merc on Monday. Any suggestions if the dealer says no help from Merc???

 

[hondon]

Re: Help with Merc 200 saltwater

Here's the deal. Merc wants to talk to a tech so they can at least get some opinion as to why this powerhead failed.Over or under propped, rancid fuel, defeated warning horns,are just a few of the ?s this tech will be asked.If you pass the test merc might or might not decide to lay down for a new powerhead and you would be responsible for the labor to switch it over. About a day and a haif.If they decide against you for whatever reason, you are looking at a rebuild with likey two oversized holes and the pistons that go with them.Rings all around ,gasket kit,and an additional day and a half labor plus boreing costs.

 

[steve forsythe]

Re: Help with Merc 200 saltwater

Thank you for the info..Last question. Should i rebuild or buy a new powerhead. Also , should i sell the boat as soon as possible, because i still dont know what caused the powerhead failure in the first place. I am always on top of maintenance, at least what i know how to do. Anyone have any suggestions what could cause a major failure such as mine. When riding at full throttle after 6-8 miles it just died. Tough to restart...but when it did got on plane slowly and died again after 5 more miles. After that, could not get on plane again. Checked under the cowling and found an open brass nipple and a split small hose. Mech. says just an overflow valve for oil/gas??? It still concerns me. Put on a fuel/water seperator. I do not want to rebuild or replace and not fix the original problem. Also does anyone give warranties with their rebuild work?? Or is this a good reason to buy new. Last thing, i saw "new" and "rebuilt" Mercury powerheads on the internt, should i buy from a reputable powerhead dealer that sells for $3000 LESS than Mercury?? HELP!

 

[steve forsythe]

Re: Help with Merc 200 saltwater

The one thing i have not said yet is this engine has a new powerhead, from Mercury, approximately 15 months old. The original powerhead was apparently damaged by not breaking in the engine correctly the first 15 or so hours. The motor i have has a new powerhead from Mercury and everything else is original. Would this affect the chances of Mercury assisting? Would it make it more or less likely? Also, with TWO powerheads failing in 1.5 years how should i procede to make sure it DOES NOT happen again! Should i sell the engine and take a loss? The new powerhead was put on by a platnum rated dealer by Mercury, so maybe this will help me. When you put a new powerhead on, shouldnt you get a year warranty with that powerhead?? Mercury tells me a new part does not increase the original warranty. I say BS><br />Thank you.

 

[steve forsythe]

Re: Help with Merc 200 saltwater

Anybody have a ballpark figure on the repair i will need. I have a broken ring in one cyl. and a scuffed piston in the other. Am i looking at $1500, $2500, $3500???? Do i need to fix both cylinders or just the real bad one? The scuffed one is running only 10 lbs low. Any help appeciated....still waiting on word from Merc.

 

[hondon]

Re: Help with Merc 200 saltwater

Here we go. Your **** right you need to figure out why these failures are occuring.Merc certainly warranties their new powerheads,but only the mechanical portion,and won't warranty it if the change over parts from the previous package caused the damage.The rebuild factories are an option and can be very attractive cost wise,but I have seen some pretty sloppy crap come out of them.In house rebuild is an option if you have a tech that you trust and can take the time to focus on your engine for a few days.Rarer than it sounds.Also ask about the machine work and how much exper.that shop has with outboards.Your middle figure is ballpark but we still don't know why this thing is failing.Good luck with Merc.Can only hope for the best.

 

[steve forsythe]

Re: Help with Merc 200 saltwater

Thanks for the info. Does any shop warranty their rebuild at all?? How do i shop around for a good shop? What questions should i ask? Also, any thoughts on what can cause a powerhead failure in a new engine? Throw some things at me. Would premixing help stop the damage if something happens again? Thanks again for everyones help.