Mercury 200 Black max -89 problems

**Allaaan** · 11-20-2013, 09:15 PM

Hello. Thought if anyone of you sits on some related knowledge about this engine and would take the time to give me some hints. I've now tried like all different Swedish forums on the internet without any success, so now im heading over boarders

So please excuse me if my English aint as correct as yours, but i'll do my best and give it a shot, as your forum seems super with alot of expertise and knowledge around here!
Serial Number on the engine is: 0B220089.

When i bought the engine in spring 2013 it had stood untouched since 4 years back in time, and according to my stepfather who i bought it from it worked like a charm when tested last time. It did start up just fine but was coughing badly which made the whole boat shake. The problem was "solved" atleast for the moment by cleaning the carbs, new sparkplugs and some adjusting on the idle rpm, as it would cough until it died before. The idle is now set on 800rpm but will sometimes sporadicaly jump up to about 1000 for some seconds then back to 800, just as if one cylinder did not fire and all suddenly starts too. The coughing is as good as gone when the engine is not cold, and it idles pretty good now after readjusting the idle rpm from like 600 to 800.

According to the previous owner (stepfather) It used to idle just fine four years ago, so seems strange all those things had to be done, just from the engine sitting in a warm place over some years.

Now to the main problem...
When i give i WOT it takes away just fine but it seems like i'm missing some 1000rpm on the top. It does like 5000 uptilted now and it used to run 6000 four years ago. Same boat, same propellar and everything. So i started thinking this might have to do with the coughing when i bought it? And i've might have hid the problem by adjusting the idle rpm and and cleaning carbs.
As i've read on ur forum the stator seems to be a usual reason for problems with this engine, but can it really act like this if the stator is bad? Any ideas of what it can be if it's aint the stator?

As ive heard i can somehow use a Dva meter to see that all the sparks is getting its correct peak voltage, Does anyone here have the correct numbers of peak voltage, and where should i take measurements? The primer? Switch boxes? If anyone has like a link to a guide or something it would help alot.

Aside from that (which is the main problem) the oil alarm keeps beeping, sometimes it's quiet and sometimes it starts just random. I've tried to search for the cause without any luck. This is done:
Refild the internal oil tank, Replaced the transparent oil lines (which were leaking, puh

), and checked so the plastic gear which drives the oilpump and all seems fine. Anything else that usually breaks on these engines regarding the beep-beep-beep sound? Im thinking of skipping the automatic oilmixer and just filling a hose which lead from the oilpump intake to outlet with oil and mix the oil manually, but im not sure if that would do it without tearing the original oil pump down?

Besides that my temp gauge indicates like 70c (like 160f) on idle, but when i put the engine on load it goes up to about 110 (230f?) celsius which seems far too hot. No alarm beeping for heat though and water is coming out with strong force. Maybe it's just the temp gauge sensor which has gone bad or is not correctly adjusted as otherways the inline system would give me a constant beeeeep if its overheating, right? Is there anmyway of testing if its running too hot? Like trowhing water on the cylinders and it should not vaporize or something like that? When it is under load ofcourse. How hot should it be under load? I'll start with the termostats i'll guess... Might be worth noticing that the engine has never gone in salt water, only in our big lake Vänern.
Compression on all cylinders is over 120psi on all, and the engine was rebuilt like 8 years ago as this boat was earlier used to waterskiing contests, so it has done maaany hours on the lake, so i guess the hardware parts of the engine should be fine.

All help is appreciated, and btw does anyone of you guys know where to get a hold of spareparts for this engine with shipping overseas. Like fuel pump rebuild kits, impeller kits? Greetings from Sweden, and i once again apologize if the text is hard to understand....
//Allaaan

**rgsauger** · 11-21-2013, 02:25 AM

Check out the 2.4/2.5 category over ay bassboatcentral.com Don at european marine can hook you up on parts.

I have the same motor that is doing about the same thing. Have you pulled the advance boxes off your motor? I am about to yank mine and then recheck the timing. Good luck!

**Allaaan** · 11-21-2013, 11:43 AM

Thanks for the link, will probably help out when looking for parts.
As of now the engine is not modified at all. I've also thought about the timing, but as i loose 1k rpm top and not so stable rpm at low rpms, could that really be the problem? I mean it went just fine with these settings some years ago...

So you have also lost 1k rpm top and the engine is coughing in low rpms? Please check in when you have tested to pull the switchboxes and fixed timing to let me know if it worked out for you.

Thanks in advance

//Allaaan

**CharlieB53** · 11-21-2013, 09:59 PM

I believe rgsauger is talking about removing the idle stabilizer module which is the small black module connected to the Black/white wire on the switchbox Bias terminal. The far left terminal along the top of the switchboxes. When this stabilizer module goes bad it can destroy the motor, better to remove it, reset idle speed if necessary and reset WOT Timing to 21 degrees while cranking with the spark plugs removed and grounded.

Ensure carb cleanliness, floats all adjusted the same, sych'd so all throttle blades operate perfectly the same, closed.

If the water pump impeller is old, replace it as the vanes have taken a 'set' and are not pumping enough. It may seem as it it is pumping well but you will notice the difference a new impeller will make. Change it at least every other year.

**Go Time** · 11-22-2013, 08:09 AM

Remove the oil injection and advance/idle stablizer, then check the ignition system thoroughly. I suspect you have lost ignition on a cylinder or it is intermitent...... As for the cooling, replace the "moving components (thermostats, poppet assbly and water pump). they are relatively cheap and eliminate most cooling problems.

**Allaaan** · 11-24-2013, 10:38 AM

Thanks for your input and time guys, you are awesome, this will help alot when when searching for problems. I've now ordered a manual for then engine which probably will help me some when taking all these parts apart and to see the bigger picture of how wiring goes. Regarding the oil pump, is it only to remove? or is'nt the hole that is left behind it supposed to be filled with anything? Cant i just leave the oil pump there and make it recirculate oil to itself to keep it lubricated?

I've also ordered a new impeller and i will take apart the poppet valve and thermostats to clean and check for damages, that will probably do it regarding the cooling i hope.

Is the advance module and idle stabilizer the same box? I'll remove it, but what to do with the wires connected to it? Just let them hang or should they be connected to eachother some way? In which order should the ignition system be tested? using a dva peak volt meter i assume, but is there like a list of what volt the output should be from different parts?

And thanks again for all your help, truly appriciate it!!

//Allaaan

**rgsauger** · 11-24-2013, 11:06 AM

Allaaan, half of your q's will be answered by your manual. You will need a $20 blockoff kit for yanking the oil pump. Buy the kit and toss the pump in the trash. The ohm specs, etc. Will be in the manual. Do a search on this forum for removing black box and you will find directions. Keep posting and let us know what the prob was! Good luck

**CharlieB53** · 11-24-2013, 11:47 PM

Ohm and DVA specs are in the CDI Ignition Guide available free at

CDI Electronics Practical Outboard Ignition Troubleshooting

**rgsauger** · 11-25-2013, 01:56 AM

Thanks CharlieB!!!

**rgsauger** · 11-30-2013, 10:26 AM

Any word on finding your extra 1000 rpms, Allaaan?

**Allaaan** · 11-30-2013, 11:07 AM

Originally Posted by rgsauger

Any word on finding your extra 1000 rpms, Allaaan?

Im afraid not, here in sweden its minus 10°c atm... What i've done so far is ordered a new impellar, and looking for a new control modul regarding getting the intermittent never ending beeping away. Ive also checked the oil pump and looked at the plastic gear and it all seems fine. After some research the beeping might have to do with the lack of power as the ignition is set "to a safe level" by the advance module when its given a faulty code from the alarm control module, so ill give it a shot and replace it hoping it will solve my problems and update you how it went in spring.

If it does not work out ill probably remove all Electronic devices that can be removed (oil pump, advance module, idle stabilizer etc) and set the timing manually, but my hopes is that i can keep it stock.

Also found some hoses that were leaking, have no idea what they do but i've replaced them now. They went from each separate cylinder to the carburators. If someone got knfo ln those hoses ill be glad to hear.