No acceleration

routzohn

Recruit
Joined
Feb 16, 2007
Messages
2
I have an '83 Mercury 90 h.p. outboard. When I run it in the driveway it will push 5,000 RPM. But when it is put into the water and has to bear a load, it will only run about 2500 RPM. I have replaced the switchboxes on it and some various wiring, but still no change. One marina narrowed it down to the possibility of the stator. As for now I'm stuck.
 

alana

Seaman
Joined
Feb 3, 2006
Messages
71
Re: No acceleration

you run it at that rpm out of the water!!!!!!!!!!! it will go bang
 

JB

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
Joined
Mar 25, 2001
Messages
45,907
Re: No acceleration

Crank her up on the muffs, routzohn. Do not rev her, that can cause a thermal runaway that usually ends in an explosion.

Spray/squirt some fuel mix in each carb throat. If the idle increases that carb is starving its cylinder.

A multi cylinder 2 stroke can idle and run under no load with no apparent problem when one cylinder is not making power. That may be your problem.

Disable each spark plug, one at a time. If the idle fails to drop that cylinder is not making power. If you have tested the carbs it probably has no spark.

Even if the engine passes both of the above dynamic tests at idle you may have a carb that idles well but has a plugged up mid range or high speed circuit. If you can repeat the carb test with the engine under load with power on that should find any carb trouble.

Finally, the best tests are done on a dynamometer or at least under power in a test tank.

Wrenches at dealerships are sometimes under great pressure to "find" an expensive part that needs replacing. The above simple tests can verify or disprove a shop diagnosis.

Good luck. :)
 

tashasdaddy

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
Joined
Nov 11, 2005
Messages
51,019
Re: No acceleration

check your compression on each cylinder. low compression on one or 2 cylinders, will cause your problem, and still idle ok.
 

Laddies

Banned
Joined
Sep 10, 2004
Messages
12,218
Re: No acceleration

Have you cked the engine for spark with a spark gap, it sounds like it is running on 3 cyls ck and let us know
 
Joined
Feb 8, 2007
Messages
11
Re: No acceleration

Check to see if the timing trigger (disc under flywheel)
is moving freely.I had a 78 merc 1750 that had the same symptoms.

No load. Good acceleration and response. Once it was in the water under a load (in gear) it would fall on its face, No Power.

The problem I had was that there was a cosmoline and a little rust holding it in place so it would not turn and thus not advance the spark.

Check compression, then spark, then carbs as suggested and and also check this if it keeps up and the other stuff checks good.
 

routzohn

Recruit
Joined
Feb 16, 2007
Messages
2
Re: No acceleration

Sorry about no reply for a while, turns out my problem was a bad stator. It was a pretty costly process of elimination, but on the brightside my merc is practically new and pushing 55 m.p.h. on the water

thanks for all the help and ideas from those of you happy boating
 
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