Gotta love fresh water

**Pulse186** · 06-12-2021, 08:02 PM

Installed solid mounts a few weeks ago, sure is nice working on motors with no corrosion. Was able to reuse all the bolts and even the gaskets pretty much pulled away intact. Motor is a 2003 Merc 200 EFI with 435 hours.

Have read quite a few threads about what salt water does to outboards, glad I don't have to deal with that.

For the record I didn't use any sealant. Made sure the uppers were seated while tightening them and that the exhaust plate was sitting flat before it was tightened down. No leaks while testing and still none after 2 days running. Used new gaskets but didn't put sealant on those either. Used Loc tite red on the upper bolts.

Also replaced the tiller arm bolt with the ARP part and cleaned and greased everything. I'm never going back to sterndrives, while I loved all my sterndrive boats working on this outboard is 10 times easier. Replacing the bellows on the Formula was a PITA compared to this solid motor mount install.

**Forkin' Crazy** · 06-13-2021, 05:36 AM

Let the vibration begin!!!

**powerabout** · 06-13-2021, 05:51 AM

I race T750's 50hp, the UK guys that set the class and boats up made bushes from some kind of plastic that they had learnt will do the job but has a little give.

**XstreamVking** · 06-13-2021, 06:18 AM

You will get used to feeling every beat and twitch of the engine. I have run the hard black plastic mounts, (better in saltwater) and have run alum mounts also. Feel the same to me. But, hard mounts are necessary if your going to run fast.

**Forkin' Crazy** · 06-13-2021, 07:07 AM

A light flywheel will really get the vibration going! Funny how inertia works.

Heavy wheel, bump the key... running.... Light wheel, you have to give throttle.

**XstreamVking** · 06-13-2021, 07:16 AM

You guys with the lifetime fresh water engines are spoiled. Every shop around here smells of bolt blaster and burned blaster oil. You spray and heat. Try and wrench it...Repeat till the bolts break off. Then it's taps and drills,hard way outs and timeserts.

**TooStroked** · 06-13-2021, 07:28 AM

I recently sold my 1992 Mercury 2.5/200 to a member here. 100% fresh water except for one hour in salt the day the boat was delivered in Long Island. To say the motor was pristine would be an understatement.

I always explain it this way: Our boats don't rot, but our cars sure as hell do.

**Pulse186** · 06-13-2021, 09:44 AM

Definitely can feel the motor more, not as much as I was expecting though and mostly at low RPM. Boat isn't propped for top end but figured the solid mounts were the best option.

**mrichartz** · 06-13-2021, 10:58 AM

Fresh water

...
And the solid mounts you will definitely like...
And twice the vibration..it's nice feeling everything and the control, handling etc...have always have solid mounts in every motor.
Yea these parts of the motors haven't been apart in 26 years when originally painted purple..
And every bolt except one looks new..
Have no patience for salt ..lol...

Click image for larger version.

Name: IMG_20200429_172521.jpg
Views: 22
Size: 420.0 KB
ID: 488714

Had plenty of other adapters so...till I realized how much people are paying for them and can't find them..

Click image for larger version.

Name: IMG_20200411_203952861.jpg
Views: 23
Size: 411.7 KB
ID: 488715

..
Think I uploaded wrong pic...point was they were in pieces
No salt corrosion anywhere, breaker bars torches etc..lol
Just wrenches.!

**Whaaaaat** · 06-13-2021, 11:53 AM

Saltwater is free locktite.

**mrichartz** · 06-13-2021, 11:58 AM

Well and left long enough also a free disassembly

**trivialpursuits** · 06-14-2021, 04:18 AM

Not to derail the thread too much -- but what's the general guideline (mph) for needing solid mounts?

**LakeFever** · 06-14-2021, 04:51 AM

Originally Posted by trivialpursuits

Not to derail the thread too much -- but what's the general guideline (mph) for needing solid mounts?

Soon as the chine walk starts. I bought a vandal to use while I’m restoring my vking and i managed to make over 10mph gains from when I bought it but the brick wall is the stock rubber mounts are now the Achilles. I’m unable to control the steering well enough to really stretch it out because the little 75 that’s on there needs a lot of distance to slowly wind out and it’s just too hard to control the chine walk. In my vking with solid mounts it’s far easier

**trivialpursuits** · 06-14-2021, 04:54 AM

Originally Posted by LakeFever

Soon as the chine walk starts. I bought a vandal to use while I’m restoring my vking and i managed to make over 10mph gains from when I bought it but the brick wall is the stock rubber mounts are now the Achilles. I’m unable to control the steering well enough to really stretch it out because the little 75 that’s on there needs a lot of distance to slowly wind out and it’s just too hard to control the chine walk. In my vking with solid mounts it’s far easier

Thanks. I have a 28 Manta with twin 250s and I've noticed a little chine walk happening in the mid-upper 60s. Guess I'll put mounts on my project list.

**LakeFever** · 06-14-2021, 08:07 AM

Im surprised no one does a polyurethane mount kit. I use them all the time in fast street car stuff. Its a nice middle ground vs solid/rubber being too harsh and too soft respectively. Cant be that hard to make some, hmmm