Outboard damage

[Spantman]

G'day, I'm new to boating, having recently bought a tinny with 2004 Mercury 15hp 2 stroke. After a recent trip, I left the outboard in neutral for the tow home. I have been told this will damage my motor. What damage could I have done and how do I diagnose / fix these potential problems?
Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers.

[FNQCairns]

Neutral is fine, never change gears without the engine running, there are no syncros or true clutch on our motors.

cheers fnq

[TimiBoy]

Do you mean left it running on the trailer?

If so, I really hope you didn't overheat the poor thing. Is it running ok? Do you notice smoke now, or a loss of oil or fuel economy? It might be worth getting it serviced and checking the impellor too.

You won't make that mistake again, huh?;D;D

[Donny Boy]

If you left it running on the trailer, I hope you live close to wherever you were at.
You can overheat ( read "Cook" ) the motor coz it needs water flow to keep it cool..... that's why the little water jet p*sses water out.....water flow.
If you did have it running, get it checked by a good mechanic...just in case., especially as Tim said, the impeller.
If not, your probably ok, just depends what you really mean by having it in neutral.

[disorderly]

Timi and Donny,I think you blokes are barking up the wrong tree.
Where does he say he left the motor on while travelling home?....give the guy a break.... no-one would be that stupid.
FNQ's on the money.

Scott

[fivefishes]

Timi and Donny,I think you blokes are barking up the wrong tree.
Where does he say he left the motor on while travelling home?....give the guy a break.... no-one would be that stupid.
FNQ's on the money.

Scott

Scott,

You give people too much credit, it wouldn't surprise me. Unless it was running i can't think of any reason why someone would suggest it could damage the motor. What possible damage could leaving the motor in neutral on the way home cause if it wasn't running.

Matt

[Fish Guts]

he may have been referring to towing it behind a larger boat with the prop free running potentially causing damage to the gearbox ?

[FNQCairns]

he may have been referring to towing it behind a larger boat with the prop free running potentially causing damage to the gearbox ?

nah! he said it was 2 st not 4 st;D;D

[Fish Guts]

funny funny man

[BM]

Just another fishy myth he has heard somewhere I guess!! A free spinning prop causing gearbox damage... Shit, hate to think what would happen then when under power!!!!

Not a crack at you Spantman, just at whoever the ###### was that told you such nonsense!

Cheers

[johnny roger]

Scott,

You give people too much credit, it wouldn't surprise me. Unless it was running i can't think of any reason why someone would suggest it could damage the motor. What possible damage could leaving the motor in neutral on the way home cause if it wasn't running.

Matt

Gday Matt,
not being an outboard mechanic but having a bit of common sense, perhaps the fella that said you may damage the engine while towing in neutral was refering to splines, couplings, or any sort of engaging mechanism in the engine. when an engaging mechanism of some sort is disengaged, (put into neutral) then there is room for play. especially if it is on the back of a boat bouncing along the famous Bruce highway. this movement MAY cause some damage to splines, couplings and the like.
just a thought...:-/
John

[rcfisher]

I have an idea. Lets wait for Spantman to post again....

[TimiBoy]

I just wish Spantman would clear it up, was it on the trailer or in the water?

I it was a Verado I could understand it being on the trailer, it's so quiet!:P


MWAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!

Sorry, had to say it, in response to the 2 stroke comment below ;D;D;D;D.

Verado out of the water and running is quite easy to notice...

[Angla]

Timiboy

Like to see them make a 15 Hp Verado, I don't think so.

I think he is just asking about a prop running free in the wind.

How is the Verado going.

Chris

[BrenMac]

Actually, the last couple of owner manuals I have read state to always leave motor "in gear" when towing to prevent damage to gear box, then a few pages later state"never shift motor into gear whilst engine is not running":-/

Make sense of that if you can.

Cheers
BMac

[Reel Nauti]

I always put my motor in gear after I have turned it off when fishing. Stops the prop free spinning in the tide and possibly picking up fishing line. Never heard of that practice potentially damaging the gearbox.

Dave

[TimiBoy]

Angla,

I love the Verado, as much as anyone loves their engine when it performs well, and exceeds expectations. It does a great job, as I'm sure everyone else's engines do!

Damn, I'm a Politician!!!

Yeah, can't see a supercharged 15 hp tiller steer, huh?;D;D;D

[Blackened]

Yeah, can't see a supercharged 15 hp tiller steer, huh?;D;D;D

G'day

Give them time ;) I'm sure someone would/has done one just for kicks.

Dave

[Fed]

You shouldn't put an outboard in gear unless the motor is running or someone is turning the prop over by hand.
You can turn them off in gear without a problem.

[Mtx]

so he asks a question, and then buggers off.. hmmm

[dreemon]

the suspence is killing me...:-[
I hope it lasts ! :D

[Noelm]

OK, OK this is what the story is, on a small Merc, in Neutral there is a lock sort of a setup that prevents the motor jumping up and down (also in reverse) but when in gear, the lock is released, so the Motor can jump up if something is hit while traveling, anyone with a Gear shift on the throttle could easily test this, now I guess somehow the story is twisted and it should be said to leave it in Neutral while trailering, or even not in Neutral in case you hit something while on the trailer, either way, the owners manual clearly tells you to lower the Motor, put in Neutral for tailering, I could be totaly on the wrong track with all this, but I have a 20HP and still have the owners manual, and also know how it works and how to operate it.

[Spantman]

Thanks for all the replies, and the gags. I was talking about the prop free spinning whilst towing, motor off. I can only acess the forum at work so I couldn't reply until this morning.
Thanks again, I'm sure I will be asking for some more advice soon.
Cheers,
Spantman.

[FNQCairns]

Thanks for all the replies, and the gags. I was talking about the prop free spinning whilst towing, motor off. I can only acess the forum at work so I couldn't reply until this morning.
Thanks again, I'm sure I will be asking for some more advice soon.
Cheers,
Spantman.

Ok all good then, let this be a lesson to you, never post a Q over a weekend you have no access:D;)!.

I heard at least 12 members had their flameing torches and pitch forks found ready to come looking for you tonight, lucky today wasn't a public holiday....;);D;D

cheers fnq