MacGregorSailors.com

Been having problems with my merc 30EFI. I did all I can do without diagnostic tools so I need to find someone to service it. Anyone near Hammond Indiana know of a outboard repair place? I was hoping not to have to tow it to the dock to trailer it, would like someone to come out and do it.
The other option is to trade it for something that will let the kids have more fun. 60hp or more. My 30 only has 55hrs on it.
Any advice?

ualpow wrote:Any advice?

Yeah - trade it in for a 60 hp. That 30 hp is too much for hull speed, and not enough to get it to plane for wakeboards or tubes.

I pull folks on a wakeboard with my Honda BF50, but a little more hp would be nice.

Like 90 hp.

At 55 hrs, the thing is ready for its first oil change.
What is wrong with it?

If it were old, I'd say trade it in, but that thing isn't even broken in.

--Russ

I just purchased a 50hp Evinrude E-Tec and I'm waiting to have it installed. While shopping around, the dealers refused to sell me and install a motor rated over 50hp because of the Macgregor factory recommendation of not exceeding 50 horse. Most of them said I would hardly notice the difference in power between 50hp and 60hp anyway. Check out the E-Tec when shopping for a new motor. It's a bit more money, maybe close to a thousand more, but I think you'll like the features. No service required for three years; winterizing is very simple and done by the motor's on-board computer; the cleanest burning two stroke (cleaner than most four strokes) which received an EPA award, and it's quieter than many four strokes. I understand it's the only two stroke allowed on Lake Mead and also it's used by the environmental police on that lake. It also has impressive gas mileage numbers. Look at their mpg numbers powering a pontoon boat of comparable weight to the MacGregor in their website.

ualpow wrote:Been having problems with my merc 30EFI. I did all I can do without diagnostic tools so I need to find someone to service it. Anyone near Hammond Indiana know of a outboard repair place? I was hoping not to have to tow it to the dock to trailer it, would like someone to come out and do it.
The other option is to trade it for something that will let the kids have more fun. 60hp or more. My 30 only has 55hrs on it.
Any advice?

Not quite sure, but I think Mercury engines up to thirty HP are built by Tohatsu. I had heard they manufactured Mercury's smaller engines. Check it out. Maybe a Tohatsu dealer could provide service.

Ualpow...let us know your symptoms and lets see we can conquer that Mercury

I do have the Merc EFI service manual handy,

Congrats on UA coming through that merger since 2012....I'm GS and you guys take great care of me

WASP18 wrote:I just purchased a 50hp Evinrude E-Tec and I'm waiting to have it installed. While shopping around, the dealers refused to sell me and install a motor rated over 50hp because of the Macgregor factory recommendation of not exceeding 50 horse. Most of them said I would hardly notice the difference in power between 50hp and 60hp anyway. Check out the E-Tec when shopping for a new motor. It's a bit more money, maybe close to a thousand more, but I think you'll like the features. No service required for three years; winterizing is very simple and done by the motor's on-board computer; the cleanest burning two stroke (cleaner than most four strokes) which received an EPA award, and it's quieter than many four strokes. I understand it's the only two stroke allowed on Lake Mead and also it's used by the environmental police on that lake. It also has impressive gas mileage numbers. Look at their mpg numbers powering a pontoon boat of comparable weight to the MacGregor in their website.

don't get too fooled by some salespersons claims, your already biting on some false statements. I can tell you the Lake Mead claim is totally B S. you can take any 2 stroke outboard made on Mead. there is no restrictions.

Here's a bit of info from the National Park Service. I don't know from reading this how it effects any particular 2-stroke OB used on boats, but since I'm not planning on any trips to such lakes in the near future, and since I have a 4-stroke OB anyway (label says something about 2008 EPA compliant), it doesn't apply to me AFAIK. But maybe someone with a direct interest can get something useful from it.

http://www.nps.gov/lake/parkmgmt/twostroke.htm

I have a 2002 Mercury 30 ELPT EFI serial # 0T460582. Last 3 times out it would start at the dock and run fine through throttle range. I would shut down and sail around for a few hours. When I go to restart it would crank fine, sometimes fire, sometimes run for a few seconds. First 2 times out I got it restarted but the other day I had to get towed in.
After checking resistance on everything I could I pulled the fuel connector off of the motor. I noticed a piece of what looked like the inside of the fuel line stuck in the connector. Pulled it off of the line and there were lots of pieces. I bought a new 6 gal tank and fuel line with bulb. I had replaced the cartridge fuel filter when I winterized and it is already very dark and starting to "cave in" on itself. Since everything is now new in front of the filter I put the original one back in. It still wont start.
When I bought the boat in 2011 it had been in storage for 8 years. The outboard only has 50 hours on it.
I have been using seafoam in the fuel since I got it and wonder if it dissolved the buildup in the fuel system? Also wondering about the Ethanol in the fuel to. I don't think the "flakes" got past the cartridge filter and definitely not passed the inline filter but the amber colored sticky crud on the bottom of the bowl might have. Every place I call is 2 weeks out for service. I ordered a fuel distribution manifold because it was leaking a little at the #3 injector line. Is there a way to clean the fuel system, pump etc? Also this was the first season I put a little seafoam in the fuel bowl and ran the motor for a few min then fogged the cylinders for the winter. This spring I started it with the old plugs and let it run for awhile then put new plugs in.
I have the service manual and I'm pretty sure its plugged fuel system. I'm headed to marina tomorrow morning and I'm going to start at the outboard fuel connector and check for fuel obstructions to the filter bowl. then output of low psi pump to the vapor separator. The needle on the float in the separator might be gummed up and sticking closed. I'll take the drain plug out of the separator and see what kind of crud is in there then try to start the motor and see if the low psi pump is filling it up.

Hmm are you running fuel with ethanol? Probably a controversial subject, but it does attract a lot of water.

[quote="raycarlson"][quote]#quote="WASP18"#I just purchased a 50hp Evinrude E-Tec and I'm waiting to have it installed# While shopping around, the dealers refused to sell me and install a motor rated over 50hp because of the Macgregor factory recommendation of not exceeding 50 horse# Most of them said I would hardly notice the difference in power between 50hp and 60hp anyway# Check out the E-Tec when shopping for a new motor# It's a bit more money, maybe close to a thousand more, but I think you'll like the features# No service required for three years; winterizing is very simple and done by the motor's on-board computer; the cleanest burning two stroke #cleaner than most four strokes# which received an EPA award, and it's quieter than many four strokes# I understand it's the only two stroke allowed on Lake Mead and also it's used by the environmental police on that lake# It also has impressive gas mileage numbers# Look at their mpg numbers powering a pontoon boat of comparable weight to the MacGregor in their website##/quote##/quote# don't get too fooled by some salespersons claims, your already biting on some false statements# I can tell you the Lake Mead claim is totally B S# you can take any 2 stroke outboard made on Mead# there is no restrictions##/quote#

No two stroke restrictions on Lake Meade? Looks like things are about to change.
http://www#nps#gov/lake/parkmgmt/twostroke#htm

This is impressive for a two stroke#
http://www#brp#com/en-us/company/news/e ... ence-award

http://www#evinrude#com/en-CA/Press-Rel ... geNumber=4

You may have a more serious problem. Ethanol degrades many formulations of rubber, which seals, gaskets, and hoses throughout an engine are made of. The switch to ethanol fuels in the mid nineties caused a lot of exactly this kind of problem with rubber fuel system components being dissolved away.

Now all outboards produced are using plastics and rubber formulations that are fine with ethanol, but the age you're talking about was probably developed a few years earlier and that puts it smack in the midst of the Ethanol problem range.

If this is the problem, Unfortunately, it would require a complete rebuild to make reliable again, which its likely not worth.

Take a small piece of the rubber, clean it, put it in a small bottle of vodka, and see what happens to it. If it discolors the vodka over time, you may as well throw that engine away.

Matt

I've run ethanol fuel in my Merc EFI for 10 years with no problems.

I think the manual has the test procedure for the LP fuel pump. My sense is you are correct on the diagnosis - if the engine gets fuel pressure to the injectors it will run.

My gas is probably similar to yours (I have a Merc 50 hp). I use 87 octane with ethanol. I use sea foam. I'm not (so far) having any problems.

How old are your rubber fittings?

ualpow wrote:I have a 2002 Mercury 30 ELPT EFI serial # 0T460582. Last 3 times out it would start at the dock and run fine through throttle range. I would shut down and sail around for a few hours. When I go to restart it would crank fine, sometimes fire, sometimes run for a few seconds. First 2 times out I got it restarted but the other day I had to get towed in.
After checking resistance on everything I could I pulled the fuel connector off of the motor. I noticed a piece of what looked like the inside of the fuel line stuck in the connector. Pulled it off of the line and there were lots of pieces. I bought a new 6 gal tank and fuel line with bulb. I had replaced the cartridge fuel filter when I winterized and it is already very dark and starting to "cave in" on itself. Since everything is now new in front of the filter I put the original one back in. It still wont start.
When I bought the boat in 2011 it had been in storage for 8 years. The outboard only has 50 hours on it.
I have been using seafoam in the fuel since I got it and wonder if it dissolved the buildup in the fuel system? Also wondering about the Ethanol in the fuel to. I don't think the "flakes" got past the cartridge filter and definitely not passed the inline filter but the amber colored sticky crud on the bottom of the bowl might have. Every place I call is 2 weeks out for service. I ordered a fuel distribution manifold because it was leaking a little at the #3 injector line. Is there a way to clean the fuel system, pump etc? Also this was the first season I put a little seafoam in the fuel bowl and ran the motor for a few min then fogged the cylinders for the winter. This spring I started it with the old plugs and let it run for awhile then put new plugs in.
I have the service manual and I'm pretty sure its plugged fuel system. I'm headed to marina tomorrow morning and I'm going to start at the outboard fuel connector and check for fuel obstructions to the filter bowl. then output of low psi pump to the vapor separator. The needle on the float in the separator might be gummed up and sticking closed. I'll take the drain plug out of the separator and see what kind of crud is in there then try to start the motor and see if the low psi pump is filling it up.

Unless that Merc is 1990 or earlier.. Non-compatible plastics etc is NOT an Issue..
Ethanol has been in general use since about 1988 ..