Outboard motors are a convenient, lightweight, portable and simple solution for boaters. Mercury outboards come in a number of styles built to be suitable for different boating applications. With a little care and maintenance, your Mercury engine can serve you for years to come.
We at Gordon Bay Marine have come up with some tips to help you prolong the life of your outboard motor. For all your boating needs, visit our dealership in MacTier, ON, where you can check out our new and pre-owned marine inventory. We welcome the good people of Toronto and Muskoka.
Regular Maintenance
If you take time out for regular maintenance, you’ll spend less time taking your outboard to the shop. An outboard motor uses internal combustion to generate power, which means it operates like the engine on your motorcycle or car. To inspect your Mercury outboard, remove the outer cover (also called “cowling”) which prevents water from getting into your outboard. Inspect the outboard for any signs of leaks, especially at the joints.
Before inspecting the spark plugs, you should unplug the battery. The spark plugs should be clean, oil-free and intact in their ceramic unit. When reinstalling spark plugs, make sure that you’re torquing them to your manufacturer’s specifications. Check your outboard’s air filter as well to make sure it’s not too dirty and look to see that the fuel line is in good shape and attached securely.
Inspect the oil in your Mercury outboard; it shouldn’t be dark or viscous. If there are any metal shavings or grit in the oil, it’s a sign that the parts are grinding together. You’ll probably need professional help to fix this. Due to the method of operation, boat outboards will churn through oil faster than car engines, however, if you feel like the oil is being used up way too fast, there may be a leak somewhere.
After Each Trip
While you may want to get straight back home after a day on the water, take some time out to rinse and flush the engine after each trip. Both saltwater and freshwater can corrode the engine if left there over a long period of time. Once your boat is out of the water, start the engine and leave it in neutral while it’s pumping out the water.
Unhook the fuel line to let the engine burn off the remaining fuel so that it doesn’t sit in your outboard and corrode it. Before you start this, clamp the fuel line to prevent gasoline from spraying everywhere. Once the engine sputters down, you can shut it down and hit the battery switch if you have one.
Professional Outboard Motor Maintenance
The steps detailed above will help you keep your Mercury outboard in good shape, but you still need professional servicing at least once a year so any upcoming problems can be nipped in the bud. Also turn to trained technicians if you’re not too sure about the problem and how to fix it. Sometimes, clients end up damaging parts when they follow incomplete or irrelevant advice.
At Gordon Bay Marine, our expert staff have dealt with pretty much all problems that occur in boats. If you have any problem that you can’t resolve, come on down to our location in MacTier, ON and we’ll get to it ASAP. We also have a wide collection of new and used boats and powersports vehicles for sale. We’re proud to serve or friends from Toronto and Muskoka.