New Question for Fishinwrench or anyone with a 2006(?) Mercury 20 horse 4 stroke with carb

[yowoodchuck]

Thanks to fishinwrench and MrGiggles for ideas and a plan of attack...now if I can just get the thing out of the water to investigate.

I really appreciate the guidance!

[yowoodchuck]

Just to update--we pulled the boat out of the water, all hoses and connections were sound.  The fuel pump was good.  Leakage was coming from carb overflow into tube that runs down into the mid cowling.  Tried to remove carb and quickly decided it was beyond my paygrade (free).  A new carb was indeed unavailable.

I did try to blow air up the overflow line as a hail mary which failed.  We put the boat back on the water and it still runs great, but I still can smell that bit of gas.  In the spring we will tow the boat to a shop that assures me they can get the carb out and clean it up...they had a bunch of mercs on boats there so I believe they know what they are doing. (But then again, do people with a bunch of mercs know what they are doing?)

[yowoodchuck]

Just to update this saga.  We took the boat off the water to a dealer who sold mercs and claimed they could get parts and rebuild the carb and put new seals in the lower unit...and check back with them in a week or so.  10 weeks later...no carb rebuild kit available, no seals for lower unit available...the motor was only 12 years old. Total SOL on the POS!  Then my friend who's wife loves fishing (be careful what you wish for)--demanded he get that boat back on the water ASAP.  I found a Yamaha dealer about 2.5 hours away with a new 50...but by then they bought a 2023 Merc 50 that the dealer had and put it on the boat--all the control cables and throttle were already Merc, so it went on pretty quick.  They then sold him a 17 pitch stainless prop...full throttle on the 21 foot pontoon boat now puts the engine at 4800 RPMs...so that prop will become the emergency spare ...I think aluminium prop of about 11 might be right.

Makes me think I better get all basic parts that I can now and vacuum-bag them up and put them on the shelf in the beer fridge, so that in 5 years I can fix my outboard. 

[snagged in outlet 3]

3 minutes ago, yowoodchuck said:

.no carb rebuild kit available, no seals for lower unit available...the motor was only 12 years old. Total SOL on the POS! 

That's crazy!  

[fishinwrench]

Yep, that's the game they play 🙄 

 

This pretty little 2016 40hp  had a broken cam follower & bent shift rod because a customer attempted to replace a water pump impeller on his own, and didn't know what he was doing. (Got a little heavy handed)

Was able to get a cam follower kit and new shift rod....But guess what?  Driveshaft seal and retainer are NLA.    NICE !!!   

She's holding pressure for NOW, but if it ever doesn't......I guess it's time for the scrapyard 🤷‍♂️ 

 

A lesson for the DIY types......If things don't seem to be going back together smoothly, then STOP !  STUDY !  Before cranking her on down !    😉   That DIY water pump replacement cost him over a thousand.  And that sweet looking Mercury 40 4-stroke is nothing but a $9,000.00 disposable outboard.   

 

 

[fishinwrench]

The guys in Florida just make mailboxes out of their Verado's after they realize the parts they need are unavailable 🙄 

[Flysmallie]

This is crazy. I’m surprised that no one is offering aftermarket options. 

[fishinwrench]

1 hour ago, Flysmallie said:

This is crazy. I’m surprised that no one is offering aftermarket options. 

If you noticed on the paperwork under the broken & bent shift cam follower and shaft, that part fits 40/50/60 HP models.  THAT'S WHY it is still available. 

When you find yourself in need of a part that ONLY fits one certain model...... that's when you run into trouble getting the needed part.  

And Mercury Marine is FAMOUS for that.  🙄 

The 40 has a different (skinnier) driveshaft than the 50 &60..... so that's why an upper driveshaft seal & retainer is NLA.  The 50 & 60 have the same driveshaft therefore a seal/retainer is AVAILABLE for those.   

That 40 is a Black Sheep (literally).  Only produced for Johnny Morris to sell on those Trackers at a semi-reduced price.    Had the gentleman upgraded to the 50 on that rig.....we wouldn't be here. 👍