RandyLinden

Hi, I suggest that before you get too worried about what might or could happen with the engine, you or a experienced mechanic should perform a thorough inspection of everything to make sure that there are no evident service or maintenance issues such as fuel lines, chaffed or damaged wires, leaks etc. Then do another compression test and actually confirm that there might be a problem. It is very important to use a high quality reliable gauge. I have seen some widely variant readings from cheap low end compression gauges, so find a good one to do the testing with, you need good consistant readings to confirm what the compression is. You can also try doing a cold and warm test that might show that the compression is within spec when warm and may explain why the engine seems to run well. If the compression is not bad go ahead and enjoy your boat and stop worrying, Should the new testing show that there is a potential problem then it becomes a question of how bad is it really? If it is not to severe use it this season and have it freshened it up in the off season for use over the next few years with no worries. If it turns out that it is in fact bad enough to be worried about then bite the bullet and fix it now. That engine as others have pointed out is a good, reliable, and relatively simple engine that any good experienced outboard mechanic can overhaul in a few hours without having to spend a fortune. Finding a good and honest mechanic might be the biggest challenge... Best of luck and have fun with your new boat!

I would like to begin by saying that I am not opposed to technology nor the implementation or application of new and better technology. I have all the tech on my boat and I know how it works. I have also used it enough to be fairly proficient at using it and can attest to it's effectiveness in the right conditions and circumstances. There is no question that this technology is effective and that it can provide a significant advantage over not having it. It has to be noted that no matter what the technology is learning it, understanding it, and knowing how to use it are essential or it is just a decoration on your boat. The fact is: That anglers using and learning this new technology, are able to be very successful, without the skills, experience, and knowledge that the traditional or "Old School" anglers have, and have worked hard to acquire. As a result there are many skilled anglers that are no longer as competitive when fishing against the ones that have the technology. I believe that In tournament fishing this the main reason why so many old school anglers are turned against the use of this technology more than anything. The other factor leading the opposition of this tech in tournaments would be the high cost of rigging a tournament boat with it. As good as this new technology is, it is not effective all of the time resulting in some disappointed anglers that rely only on forward-facing sonar and do not have any other skills to catch fish. I have actually witnessed tournament participants load their boats and go home part way through the day because forward facing sonar fishing was not working for them and they didn't have a plan B. There have always been advancements in the technology used in fishing. All the best fishing reels that are available today benefit from advanced engineering, high tech, light weight materials and better quality. The same holds true for fishing rods, fishing lines, lures and baits, fish attractants, etc. Items like trolling motors with brushless electric motors and spot lock anchoring functions, lithium boat batteries, and GPS mapping systems to mention a few. None of these advancements have had as much of an impact as forward-facing sonar when it comes to success locating and catching fish. It actually changes completely the way you can catch fish. It is my opinion that this removes a piece of the challenge. Scouting out a body of water, the fun of figuring out the structure, and coming up with a pattern to catch fish. For me it's that exploring and experimenting based on what I have learned and experienced that is the most fun and rewarding when fishing. For now I will keep the equipment on my boat but it will soon be obsolete and then I will probably not reinvest another small fortune in the newer, better, latest gear and maybe just go back to "Old School" This is probably the most important thing: The question we should all be concerned about is: Technology has already diminished traditional fishing skills, when does the technology completely erase the pleasure one can get from this hobby and sport?

Thanks Terry, I apologize for the highlighted text in the previous post, it showed up and I was unable to switch it off.

Hydrogen is volatile for sure but from what I have read it is safer than gasoline. Both fuels are dangerous if there is a leak and there is enough oxygen with an ignition source. Gasoline being a liquid can be more dangerous if there is a leak because it can spread over an area and remain there for a long time with the possibility of igniting the gas and its vapors while hydrogen leaks and escapes into the air it is dangerous if the concentration of hydrogen and oxygen is high enough along with an ignition source. (Like in the Hindenburg) In fact the Hindenburg's fire was mostly due to the diesel fuel that was used to power the engines and a flammable lacquer on the outside of the ship. There seems to be little concern that hydrogen fuel cell vehicles are more dangerous than gasoline powered cars with internal combustion engines.

Why? Just wondering why you don't think it's a good option? Hydrogen is safe, It can be easily produced, It is clean & green, existing engine technology can be used to operate on hydrogen... IMO it is a far better alternative than battery powered electric options.

Sometimes the bolt is ok and new crush washers is all you need...

I agree with making sure that everything is in proper working condition and for some reason these kicker engine carburetors get messed up quite easily. I think it might be because they are tilted up and the fuel drains out of the system leaving only the bowl with residual gas and over time this deposits some ugly crap that can mess up the carburetor. So I would suggest a thorough carb cleaning to begin with. Starting and running these smaller kickers is a bit of a trial and error exercise you will need to find out what works with your particular engine. I suggest that the primer bulb is squeezed to be firm then choke to start, squeeze the primer again to make sure its firm, don't turn the choke off all the way, set it to maybe the half way on point or where the engine sounds like it likes it... You may need to run it for a bit with the choke partially on, usually to a point where the engine has some heat in it and no longer needs any choke. I often see it where the choke is completely shut off too soon and the engines just stall out, wait a bit and even drive a while then slowly ease the choke off as the engine warms up. Good luck!

Part of the problem is that it is difficult to prove what someone is fishing for. If a CO see's someone tossing a spinnerbait and the angler claims he's fishing for pike, was there a regulation broken? It's hard to prove intent and all too often there is no real proof or evidence. There are also many anglers that do not know about lures and the types to use along with very little knowledge about the habitat, biology and spawning cycles of various species that the regulations are based on. I have a cottage on Loughborough lake and have watched and reported a number of obvious offenders but it is difficult to prove. The only successful intervention occurred when an out of province angler was actually putting large mouth bass in his live well. As an early season Crappie guy with a serious bass glitter boat I get hassled and accused of bass fishing constantly, to the point that it's no longer an enjoyable activity. I understand the challenges and actions from concerned folks watching out but it's equally important to understand that not every angler is out there hammering out of season fish. More information and education is required but as long as it is legal to catch some species while other species are out of season I feel that this problem will just continue and it becomes a matter of personal ethics to go fishing at this time of the year.

Hi I would suggest if this is an engine you want to be good and reliable, that this is the time to bite the bullet and spend some money to get it into the best possible operating condition. You can replace the oiling system with new components so it will operate like new and be serviceable for many years or you could remove the oil injection system completely, and then mix your fuel with a high quality TCW-3 2 stroke oil. Given the age of the engine one or the other will be necessary. Before spending any money you should do a compression test to confirm that the engine is in good condition internally. As Crowman mentioned overheating is bad news, so it is most important to replace the water pump (I recommend every 2 years on these engines) check/test/replace the poppet valve and thermostat, cooling on these is critical and you don't want to destroy the engine due to overheating. Other items include possibly cleaning and rebuilding carburetors, replace fuel filter, install new spark plugs, replace the fuel lines with new ethanol compliant lines, change the lower unit oil and pressure test, check the condition of the plug wires and replace if needed, inspect all wiring for exposed terminals, chaffing etc. Make sure you have a good battery. It is very important to make sure that your RPM are in the proper range at WOT with a good quality prop in good condition. The boat should have a normal load in it for testing purposes. I believe you want the WOT RPM to be between 5000 and 5500 RPM. If you are not comfortable working on an engine like this then you should take it to good reputable mechanic. Hope this helps.

You might want to try Roy Brunner 1-613-561-5079 He guides out of Treasure Island Marina just east of Kingston and is known locally as Muskie Ace. I know it's not Cornwall but there are still a lot of musky being caught in this area. Timing is everything there seems to be periods where many fish are caught.

Hi, I'm not trying to argue but using Crossborderpickups cost about 15.00 per package plus duties and taxes plus a 3% transaction fee. It could be good if you live in the GTA but elsewhere not so great. If you live within a reasonable distance to a border crossing a Kinek address works really well. You will need to drive over and pick it up and then clear it thru customs. Kinek provides you with a US address to ship things to and in some cases you can save a bunch of money however I don't see it with the Weize batteries in this scenario.

I looked at the Weize but wasn't able to find them available in Canada. You can buy them on Amazon.com but theywill not ship to Canada. Even if you have them delivered to a Kinek box they cost more than the Flypower with the high dollar exchange and then you still need to pay applicable duty and taxes. Even though they have a 10 year warranty I think the Flypower"s with the 5 year warranty are a better deal right now and they have good support from their warehouse in Montreal.

Hi I was at the point where I needed to replace my boat batteries last spring and wanted to get a new set of Lithium's but the cost was more than double that of Trojans (One of the best wet cell batteries I have ever used and what I was replacing after 5 years of heavy use) but when I took a look at Amazon I found these for about $100 more and decided to give them a go. LifePo4 Battery 12V 100Ah 10000+ Deep Cycles with 100A BMS Grade A Cells for Solar Trolling Motor RV Camping Off-Grid System Household Appliances with Low Temp Protection : Amazon.ca: Sports & Outdoors Used them last season and I am pleased with how well they work. I no longer fish tournaments so I just used the charger that was supplied and had no issues. The batteries were delivered within two days from a warehouse in Montreal. They were well packaged. After hooking up the chargers I noticed that one was not functioning (no LED indicator and no cooling fan operation) I reported the problem and immediately received a replacement charger, so great customer service from Flypower. I plan to add a battery monitoring system this year just because I think it would be interesting to understand how much power I'm actually using. My boat has two Lowrance 12" and one 9" display as well as structure scan, active target and a stereo system all operating from one battery and the Ghost trolling motor operates on two more batteries on 24V. I still have a big wet cell cranking battery for the engine. The batteries have reduced the weight in the back of the boat significantly and I feel like it gets on plane a bit easier. At about $400 a piece I would buy these again and may repower my electric golf cart this summer with them.

Hi From your post, I'm not sure which Mercury outboard engine you are trying to connect to a NMEA 2000 network. Most Mercury engines require a NMEA 2000 Gateway interface. This interface converts Mercury engine and systems data to the NMEA 2000 standard. This is not just a NMEA 2000 cable and that's why it's more expensive than just a cable. I have not heard of an aftermarket or less expensive option and I doubt that we will ever see one.

Well, the "Needs" will differ quite a bit from someone that simply wants to see how deep it is to someone that may want to see the depth plus downscan, split screen, mapping GPS screen, or any one of the other available screens. It is true that in most cases you can simply change which screen is being displayed and on most of the small screen units today they can provide a 2 in 1 display but when you have the larger screens you have more real estate that allows for much larger more detailed images. When ice fishing you are often far enough from the display that having a larger screen can perhaps be much easier to see in detail. If you are also going to use the unit on your boat, then that larger screen can play an even bigger role because you may want side imaging or any of the new forward-looking sonar options that are now available. Most boat mounted units are at minimum displaying traditional 2D sonar along with a mapping GPS screen. There are plenty of examples where instead of a single large screen multiple screens are used each one dedicated to a specific type of image. If all you want is depth and occasionally a GPS screen along with a highly portable light weight unit then a small 5" might be the best for you but if you are interested in being able to see more on one screen, then a larger screen is what you should probably be looking at. I'm guessing that no one really "needs" any of this stuff but if we want to use the technology that is available today then yes, we "Need" it. For what it's worth I think for most of us this falls into the "wants" and not in the "needs" catagory.

I believe that this is probably applies to most or all of our fruits and vegetables. The constant application of pesticides and other chemicals is bound to end up in the produce we all eat. Common sense should tell us that that his accumulated chemical cocktail being digested in our bodies is not good. The need to have high yields of good quality crops along with the general public's requirement to have good looking produce has made this practice mandatory for farmers to operate a profitable farm. I don't think that this along with genetically modified produce will change until there is an abundance of critical undeniable evidence that points to this practice causing unacceptable levels of health problems in humans. We are all to some extent responsible for some of this because we mostly want good looking, blemish free, large, and well-proportioned fruits and vegetables when we go to the supermarket. Naturally grown fruits and vegetables do not have these characteristics and as a result are not desirable. For anyone that has ever eaten fresh produce grown without chemicals there is a noticeably better taste and flavor. Just try a nice garden grown tomato to one you buy at the grocery store.

These type of boats generally operate better with most of the weight toward the back of the boat. Obviously if you were to have something significantly heavy on one side it will list to that side. Suggest you take a look at what you are carrying on board and do your best to distribute the weight evenly. Generally you would start to get the boat on plane with the engine trimmed in then throttle up to close to WOT as the boat accelerates and starts to plane start to bump the trim up a bit at a time continuing till the boat is nicely and smoothly on plane. This takes practice and you will need to experiment till you find the right amount trim and RPM. Not enough trim or too much trim will result in poor handling and performance. Sometime to high trim also causes very stiff or very loose steering and steering torque to the right can be crazy so the right amount of trim is extremely important.Too much trim can also cause a porpoising effect and too little trim will cause the boat to plow and handle poorly (the listing problem could be made worse as well) It is also important to make sure that the engine is mounted at the correct height and you should find out what the recommended WOT operating RPM is for your engine and then make sure that you are able to achieve that WOT with a standard load in the boat. You do not want to exceed the recommended RPM by more than 2-300 RPM and likewise you don't want to be a lot under the recommended RPM as well. A prop change might be required to get the boat to operate better/properly. Hop this is helpful.

OK so I'm guessing there is no on board charger for your cranking battery so my suggestion is to hook up a good charger and fully charge that battery. Then you should be OK for awhile. It's important to periodically charge that cranking battery if you don't it will end up like your old one. Also if you have a main power switch or breaker its a good idea to switch the power off when not using the boat. Cheers

Hi, The pull to the right may never go totally away because of the steering system on that boat. A bit of a pull to the right is normal but if its severe it can be dangerous and needs to be corrected. You do not indicate how fast you are going. "Under power" from an idle all the way to WOT? (Wide Open Throttle) There could be a number of factors contributing to the problem such as trim angle, type of prop, engine mounting height, possible hull deformation, and more. In order to help out perhaps you could better describe if the pulling to the right is there all the time and if it gets worse the faster you go, describe what is your trim set to and how you use it powering up on plane? is it all the way down or up etc. does the list change with different trim adjustments? Does the boat list at idle or when does it show up? Where in the boat is most of the weight? Near the front or more in the back? Sorry there are more questions than answers but with a bit more detail maybe we can help you sort it out.

Nice boat!! It's difficult to diagnose the voltage issue over a keyboard but there are some things that you might want to check into. In most cases the cranking battery should be 1000 Cold Cranking Amps (CCA) or I have often used a 900 CCA regardless of the group size. Has your battery been fully charged perhaps with an on board charger if so check that it has in fact taken a full charge. There might be a number of other things operating with power from the cranking battery such as lights, bilge pumps, live well pumps, electronics and more. For example if you are operating a couple of larger displays and the live well for a few hours without running the outboard it could pull a weaker battery down to a low voltage. It might just be that the battery is just not fully charged and it doesn't get a full charge because you are not travelling long enough with the big outboard to get the battery fully charged. Then you are fishing and using power for your electronics etc. and after awhile the battery is in a low charge state. Best of luck and good fishing!

You have measured the engine correctly. (From the mounting bracket to the anti ventilation plate) Short Shaft is 15" Long Shaft is 20" Extra Long Shaft is 25" Extra Extra Long Shaft is 30"

I'm guessing this is about a warranty claim vs an insurance claim... The what if game can be played with a never ending set of scenarios where that could perhaps damage the lower unit under the right conditions or circumstances. The fact that the lower unit operates below the surface and we can not always see or notice exactly what's down there makes this a possibility for sure but is this the only possible cause? I would suggest that it is also possible that a lower unit fails because of a mechanical failure. Let's play the what if game on that side for a minute. What if there is a lower unit bearing failure? What if there is a defective gear that causes the failure, What if the lower unit was not set up properly from the factory, What if there was a lubrication problem etc. etc. How should an insurance company look at this? Just because the majority of lower unit failures are from striking foreign objects it doesn't mean that they are all due to that and let's face it if there is absolutely no evidence and no visible signs of contact how can we know? We need a lower unit autopsy... How should a manufacturer that has a warranty on this lower unit look at this? Once again if the cause is unknown should they just replace the lower unit? Maybe in a situation where it is not practical to analyze all the components and it's impossible to determine what happened, it might be appropriate for the manufacturer and the customer to share the cost of the repair and move on. On the other hand we do not know what happened and we purchase insurance in case something happens. I would suggest that an insurance claim should be filed and then let the insurance company negotiate with dealer / manufacturer about how they want deal with this matter.

Well that's an odd situation... If you are confident that you did not hit anything and there is no evidence of any impact damage on the lower unit and on the propeller then I think it would be reasonable to conclude that there was an internal failure of some kind that caused the damage. If the engine is still under warranty it should not be a problem for a honest and reputable dealer to get it replaced under warranty. On the other hand if the dealer can get you to claim it through insurance they stand to make considerably more money because they can charge the insurance company full retail price plus labor for a new lower unit as compared to probably just a flat rate service fee for the labor under warranty since the lower unit or the parts would be warranty replacements. You need a good dealer because I doubt the insurance would cover it when there is no evidence either. Ask the dealer to prove that it wasn't an internal part failure that caused the damage.

Hi, I remember that there was a recall on TNT units on certain Etec's and if my memory serves there were models that had a single ram that were problems. As far a I can remember these were not repaired but replaced because they were defective. Here is a link to the Etec owners group look at the I-3 catagory and search for trim, you may find some useful info... Barnacle Bill's Marine Supply (etecownersgroup.com)

Hi There are usually not many negative things when maxing out the HP on a boat. Maybe a few dollars more but I suggest that you consider the benefits of the 25HP before deciding. The 25HP will make the boat perform the way is was intended to work. It will get on plane in a shorter distance and in the most efficient way (I have experienced better fuel economy with a 25HP over a 15HP because the engine isn't working as hard) You will get the best speed performance and I know you indicated that speed was not a factor for you but its nice to have it when you want it. Just because it will go quicker doesn't mean you have to run it fast all the time but maybe if you want to get off the lake because of a T storm you might appreciate the extra speed. As I mentioned before your fuel economy should also be good if you don't need to run it hard. Another thing that might be a factor is the weight or load you have in the boat. If you only ever go alone with your fishing gear that's a pretty light load but what if you decide to add an extra fuel tank, maybe a battery or two and a nice bow mount electric steer/spot lock trolling motor? What about bringing another angler and his gear plus a cooler etc.? You might not do any of these things initially but down the road you may want to and the boat will be ready for that with the 25HP. I upgraded a similar boat (Lund) from a 15 to a 25 and the difference in overall performance was night and day. It also increased my travel range because it was faster and made the boat work properly. I actually traded in that new 25HP only a month old for an upgraded 25HP with electric start and power trim/tilt and I would highly recommend this as well. It is worth the extra money without any doubt. The power trim/tilt, it makes a huge difference in the way the boat works including being able to dial it in on those rougher water conditions. You will need a battery on board but that was also a bonus because I added running lights, a really good sonar/gps and a plug to run my radio... It goes on and on but at the heart of it is the 25HP. Best of luck and enjoy that new boat!