Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Mercury Outboards?

Purchased a "new" condition 3 year old boat from leftover stock in 2014 from a Tracker boat dealer in Texas where we spent this winter. They agreed to store the boat for us until we arrived this past January to winter in Texas on lake lbj.

As part of the deal we agreed to purchase a new 2014 40 hp tiller handle Mercury 4 stroke outboard from this dealer.

Nice outboard that starts good, run good, but now is on its second trip to the dealer for parts. First time was a needle valve in fuel bowl that feeds the injector pump, this time a kinda cheaper plastic part that rides on a trolley rail to control the shifting from F-N-R. We are without the boat this time for over a week now as the dealer awaits the part. Anyone here have any problems with Mercury Outboards? Maybe there is a reason these outboards are 2 grand less than a Honda-Yamaha or Suzuki.

Dealer has been top notch, but this outboard seems to be somewhat cheaply built in a factory in China. Maybe an extended warranty is a good idea?

I thought those size Mercury motors weren't built by Mercury, but by Toahatsu or something. I'm not sure where the cut off is but I thought it was 40hp.

My only experience is with their older stuff. I'm a Johnson-Evinrude guy, but the older Mercs were darned good motors too. That old stuff just seems to last forever.

I have had several Mercury outboards......All have 100 reliable....every manufacture puts out a problem child every once in a while!!!!!!If I were buying a new boat tomorrow!!!! It would have a mercury on the back......Just my two cents!!!! your mileage may vary.....

I think it everything below 25 hp. I have a 8hp Tohatsu, great little motor and far cheaper than the Mercs

Old School won't own a Merc. It was a Johnson or Evinrude for me as in 50's/60's Merc had a bad habit of the lower unit falling off if run in salt water.

My 12' Duraboat runs a 15 hp Suzuki.

18 years with two Mercs - w/o issue. Key is to burn non-oxy fuel and follow normal maintenance procedures. "Sea Foam" is your friend too.

No problems with the "running" part(using non-ethanol gasoline) but seems this Chinese built outboard has some plastic parts that can be troublesome. We are leaving the end of the month and might have to get this unit back from the dealer in non operable form, so we can go home. We are storing the rig here in Texas so it might have to sit unrepaired till January 2016. For all I know, this part is unavailable now. The weather turns nice, the fishing picks up and I'm without a boat. Always seems to happen to ya in one way shape or form.

In the owners manual the country of Origin is China town of Suzhou.
http://continuouswave.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/009762.html

I bought new so I wouldn't have these problems. As Hoss Cartwright would say "Dad Burnit"

I believe the smaller motors, 25 hp and below were made by Yamaha.
The deal was a trade to sell Mariner motors in Japan.
I ran a 175 efi merc, on a bass boat,for 10 years, only replaced a fuel pump.
Mercury is the only outboard I would own.

Chainsaw,
Sorry for your troubles, but as Hoss might have added, anything mechanical can break - and usually does at the most inopportune time.

It is a Chinese made motor. I think they are still good but you just hve some troubles. It should be good to go this time around. I have a 25 Merc that was still made in USA and for that reason I am keeping it. I never had a problem but did replace a water pump after 15 yrs. Now days I would go for a Evinrude Etech. I would politly ask if they had a loaner even if it was a smaller motor. Should have something used for a loaner.

My 2005 15hp was made by Yamaha. Leave ethanol fuel out and it's had no problems.

One of my very best friends owns a dealership and sells quite a few etec, merc and Yamaha's.

They all have those little issues.

Tag

Your outboard uses a powerhead from Yamaha. Other parts of the motor may be Yamaha as well. If you compare the Yamaha and Mercury 4 stroke 40hp engines at the links below, you'll see they have the exact same engine displacement.

Yamaha 40hp 4 stroke Outboard

Mercury 40hp 4 stroke Outboard

I've owned 8 Mercs in 42 years, a 4.5, 2-9.9 Pro Kickers, a 35, 2-50's, a 65, and a 150.

All in all I'd rate them a B+.
I think most big name outboards are very good, but if I were to buy another, it would be a Merc. before anything else.

Best motors I ever had were yamaha.

That said, i'd buy a honda right now, if it was a new one and I had the cash...

Ran a 90HP Merc on the flats boat for 7 years until selling last year. Prior to owning that boat, had a Yamaha, but never had a problem with that Merc motor. Couple things mentioned above are very good preventive measures. Seafoam and STA-BIL are your friends. Run ethanol free gas as much as possible. If there's one candidate that'll screw with an outboard, that ethanol is it. Stay away from it as much as possible, if you can. I also installed an inline fuel filter that mounted right on the transom. Twist the petcock, drain the bad stuff, and bingo.. back in business.

The larger motors 150 and up are still made in WI

Hank