Mercury 135 Water Cooling Problems

Silversurfer · 25-01-2006, 05:47 PM

Went to buy a new boat today it had a 2000 year 135HP Mercury 2 stroke. Went to run the engine on the hose on starting the engine warning "bleep" was bleeping the manual says that intermitent bleeping is oil and continous is overheat. All the oil tanks where full. The bleeping was there when the engine was cold as well, it was fast bleeping which ever one that is!

Cooling water was sucked in when on the muffs but only came out the prop, not out the jet.

We put the hose into the hose socket on the engine by the exit jet to put water directely into the engine rather than the leg, Still no water out the jet.

Engine has not been used for two years and the guage registeres 62 hours.

I didnt buy the boat and told the seller they must fix this and get it serviced and provide a sea trial before I would consider purchasing the boat again.

A Mechanic friend noted that the heads on one side of the engine looked like they had been off, and new plugs where on the starboard side but NOT the port side. The seller said nothing had beeen done to the engine!?

We had negoiated a great price on this rig and I still want to buy it subject to the above, as its the differance between having on or not.

My concern is that they may just patch the engine up for the sea trial, how can I tell if this motor has been cooked! And that i am not buying a load of trouble.

Every thing else looks to be in good nick

Sorry guys its never an easy one with me is it?

Thanks as always

Stewart

scottyboy · 25-01-2006, 05:54 PM

I'd have thought the only way to tell if its been overheated is to check the compressions? Do these engines have thermostats at the top of each cylinder head like the old 2.4 200 anyone?

WAVEJUMPER · 25-01-2006, 06:12 PM

The lack of cooling water is not surprising after 2 years without use I would think that would be a shagged impeller, as they tend to perish quickly.
With a modern engine like that the oil gauge or tachometer would light up like a christmas tree if there was any sign of over heating, and often when a problem is detected the engine management imposes a rev limit of 3k or something.

I had the power head off my 40HP Suzuki to do the mounts and when it was put back together and reconnected the oil loom was wired in wrong which caused the alarm to go off. The switch round of a few wires after studying the wireing diagram sorted it.
The newer plugs one side would perhaps suggest some work on the engine. Best thing would be to get a marine engineer to look at it, on some of the newer outboards, optimax and 4 strokes, i dunno about this one but an agent can plug in diagnostics thing and it will list any overheats.

Wave

driver510 · 25-01-2006, 06:14 PM

some time the stats are gumed up with salt also impeller may need replacing i dont think its a water problem its more likely to be the modual on the side which controls the oil side which you can check by disconnecting the wires brown and white brown only is the tem wire but they all go to a terminal on the side of the motor hope this helps

michaelcaine · 25-01-2006, 06:25 PM

you could try blowing through the tell tales to see if their are clear? just my 2 cents worth

Dan · 25-01-2006, 06:43 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Silversurfer
Went to buy a new boat today it had a 2000 year 135HP Mercury 2 stroke. Went to run the engine on the hose on starting the engine warning "bleep" was bleeping the manual says that intermitent bleeping is oil and continous is overheat. All the oil tanks where full. The bleeping was there when the engine was cold as well, it was fast bleeping which ever one that is!

Cooling water was sucked in when on the muffs but only came out the prop, not out the jet.

We put the hose into the hose socket on the engine by the exit jet to put water directely into the engine rather than the leg, Still no water out the jet.

Engine has not been used for two years and the guage registeres 62 hours.

I didnt buy the boat and told the seller they must fix this and get it serviced and provide a sea trial before I would consider purchasing the boat again.

A Mechanic friend noted that the heads on one side of the engine looked like they had been off, and new plugs where on the starboard side but NOT the port side. The seller said nothing had beeen done to the engine!?

We had negoiated a great price on this rig and I still want to buy it subject to the above, as its the differance between having on or not.

My concern is that they may just patch the engine up for the sea trial, how can I tell if this motor has been cooked! And that i am not buying a load of trouble.

Every thing else looks to be in good nick

Sorry guys its never an easy one with me is it?

Thanks as always

Stewart

Hi Mate,
I`ve had this problem a couple of times. Couple of things, try checking that the float on the header tank is free to move up the little shaft as I believe that if its stuck its sets the alarm of, as for the water exiting the tell tale, on my 135 & 150 it does take quite a long time to exit the tell tale, how long did you run it for?
Another option could be a screwed thermo or you could try running the engine and then losen the sender cap very slightly until oil spills out then do it up.
Having said all that in the end it turned out to be a shagged module hence on the one I have now I`ve had the oil injection taken out and I`m pre-mixing.
Hopw that may be of help.

Gav · 25-01-2006, 07:14 PM

if the gearbox has been off it could be the water feed tube is misaligned at the powerhead end. or the stat is siezed.

Silversurfer · 25-01-2006, 11:56 PM

Cheers guys thanks as always, for your thoughts. I wanted to take the thermastats out to see if this solved it but the seller didnt want me to do that. We ran the boat engine for longer than i would want to see an engine run for without seeing any water coming through about 4mins on the one go.

Will wait and see what he comes back to me with in the morning.

MARKUS · 26-01-2006, 10:28 AM

Dont just remove the thermastats. Replace them with a +- 8mm hole in a washer to keep the water pressure up. You said that the top oil tank is full.There is a sensor in the filler cap (oil tank in motor) undo the filler cap and turn it up side down and see if the buzzer will not stop.You can also short out the two blue wires leading to the cap.This tank must be filled to the top for the buzzer not to sound.

Markus

Matt · 26-01-2006, 11:08 AM

I disagree. On a pleasure boat not running flat out all it's life putting washers in will over cool it. Race motor - for sure, different kettle of fish.
Put new stats in as a service item.

MARKUS · 26-01-2006, 11:29 AM

Matt I agree with you on that and I thing Silversurfer must take note of that too. But for testing and trying to sort out his problem this can just help him. I'am only trying to help so that he can get his boat back on the water.

He must also check the water tube to see if a piece of impeller is not stuck in the water tube feeding the motor.

I try to keep stuff simple when sorting out problems,well thats me.

Markus