Way2slow

Yes you use them with the engine running but you still won't get near the flow and circulation through the engine that you get with the engine submerged in a stock tank. If you think so apparently you've never used a stock tank and paid attention to the difference in the volume of water coming out of the exhaust relief ports most engines have in the upper part of the mid section.

I much prefer a stock tank over muffs. Mush better water circulation through motor. For things like that, I've never understood the math. How a $6 item that works half**s is better for protecting and taking care of an umpteen thousand dollar motor that a $100 item that works great. I guess it's all part of this new math I hear about them teaching in schools now.

If you want a bass boat that handles rough water get you an Allison. With it, if you see bad weather brewing, you can probably just out run it. I've seen Rangers and Champions tuck in close behind an Allison so it could cut the waves and keep them from coming over their decks. Even though it's what I call a hydro-rocket, it has a good Deep-V hull that cuts the waves better that most bass boats, it will just run like a bat out h*** to boot.

That is most likely just a water drain hole they put in there so water can't collect inside while the engine is trimmed up, freeze in the winter a burst the case. The oil you are see is most likely exhaust carbon and oil draining out. You can check the LU lube and make sure it's still good but I seriously doubt you have a problem.

Don't see why you can't, as long as there is not a double layer.

It's very common to see black and white used for 12VDC with boats. There are no sensors in the motor so that's probably the power for it. Not saying the motor is good and going to run if you connect it. As for a particular polarity, it does not matter, the motor is just going to run in the direction the wires are connect and the switch reverses them for which direction it needs to run.

Are they coming from a motor or small sensor?

When was the last time the water pump/impeller was replaced. Just because it's peeing, does not mean it has enough pressure. It needs 16 psi minimum, do you have a dash WP gauge? Could be a TSat sticking, could be a sensor bad. If it was run in salt water, could be corrosion in the passages. Without the mechanical skills, all of these can be a few hundred dollars each and it may require going through each one, starting with checking wiring and sensor, then the WP, then the TStats, and if a salt water motor, pulling the heads. Just read the second post, the 88 does not have VRO. It was an economy version of the 90.

Not just NO! but H**L NO!!!! That is more than twice the average going price for replacing the power head. I don't think even a brand new from the factory would cost that and I know a lot of quality remain'd units that can be replaced for half that. I would grab my boat and run as fast as I could from that there. http://www.crowleymarine.com/powerheads/johnson-evinrude/six-cylinder/BRPD611R.html. http://hinklemarine.com/powerheads.php?hsp=P6&make=OMC&Submit=Find+Parts The labor and additional stuff done installing one should not be more than $1,500. When I do one I replace the water pump and rebuild the carbs along with new plugs etc. Now, if you had a good, honest mechanic around, it's a good chance it could be done about $2,500. Most likely it cracked the block on one of the top cyliners and took out the piston (let water get into the cylinder). The block can be repaired and rebuilt for way less than a factory remain'd unit, but that's only if you have an honest mechanic. Normally a quality remain is the better way to go. Find a buddy that knows how to turn a wrench and you can replace the power head yourself in a day, and just order your own remain'd unit. Ask them if that's new or remain'd. If new, ask them what they would charge for a remain'd unit, but they will probably give you that song and dance routine about only using new, if it is new, because they can make twice the profit on a new one than a remain'd unit. Dealers cost on a new unit is close to what they have to pay for a remain'd, but they can mark it up to full list price, about twice what they pay.

Are you talking about while you are sitting in the boat seat or are standing at the rear of the boat? Standing at the rear I've seen them give a static discharge shock, but never heard of on shocking someone operating it sitting in the boat.

If it were mine I would be changing the water pump impeller. Three years is about all I care to run one. I also change my lower unit lube every year. That also gives you a chance to make sure you haven't developed a leak.

If you are just making short run to and from home to the ramp, you are better off with out the brakes. I finally had to lock mine out and then go in and redo the pistons every time I make a long trip so I will have brakes. The housings rust/corrode and make the pistons stick, burning up a $40 set of shoes when it does. I keep bunches of 1 1/8" brake cups just for that purpose. By the way, if it got that hot, you might want to pull that wheel and replace the seal. They will ruin the seal if they get too hot, letting water get in and you are sitting on the side of the road with with a bad bearing.

That motor should run 5 to 6 psi fuel pressure. Not that it has anything to do with your problem but was the cooling mod on the block. That requires some drilling and plugging of some passages between the cylinders, doing away with those little red and white plastic baffles and going into the lower part of the exhaust chest and plugging off the original exits holes because mod changed the exit point of the cooling water. The cooling mod is almost a must if you run them long and hard or it will probably pop #2 cylinder again. The exhaust gas temps on #2 are about 50 degrees hotter than they should be and that makes the ring locator pin come out and it's also more subject to melt a piston if that carb gets even a little dirty. If you didn't do the cooling mod, you should increase the main jet size in #2 carb two number sizes larger than the others. If it's a 62 go to a 64 or if it's a 68, got to a 70. That extra fuel helps keep the piston a little cooler. Did you build it back stock, was any port work done (I hope not because most people only butcher a block doing it), and did you plug the exhaust reliefs. Are you running the stock heads? Are you running the stock air box? Did you do any mods to the exhaust? The reason I'm asking is any of this work requires rejecting the carbs. Just this past summer I helped a friend that was working on a customers boat somebody had tried to modify and the couldn't get it to make power, acting like yours. They did a butchered up job on the block and still had the factory #62 jets in it. It was running so lean, it was too lean to melt down because it could make enough power to build enough heat to melt down. I ended up putting a set of #76 jets in it. The linc and sinc is critical on that motor so hopefully it's done right. How was the timing set on it, it has to be done above 5,000 rpm and under a load. I would also back it down from 18 degrees to 16 degrees for the junk we have for gasoline now. If it's a bone stock motor, no mods of anykind, then I would start with a linc and sinc, paying very close attention to getting all the carbs in sinc. I would also be concerned about that 3psi fuel pressure, that's way too low. Shoot, I run a Carter electric 15 psi @ 80 gph and regulate it down to 6.5psi. But that's on a motor putting out just a little more hp than yours. A 1,000 rpm drop is almost a dead giveaway for one cylinder being out. Sluggish hole shot and 4,800 rpm is a classic dead cylinder. Those motors can have a cylinder out and you would swear it's running on all six. Not saying I know anything about them but I have messed around with one or two over the years.

My main concern with a Florida boat is the good possibility of being used in salt water. This makes them much more difficult to work on and causes many other problems within just a few years.

Saltwater and big water guys prefer two engines for the safety. If a motor breaks while way out they still have one they can get home on.

Personally, I wouldn't have either one at those prices, or at most any price for that matter. As for the pressurized tank, with a little know how they can be converted to a fuel pump and and use standard tank. Of course, that's something you would have to do yourself because at today's shop rates, it would be too expensive to pay to have it done.

I have a neighbors boat rated fo 420 pounds. He alone weighs 480, and his wife probable weighs over 300, and they both go in it.

My brother had one and recently called and said it went bad and fried two batteries. My son had one that quit and let a battery on it go completely dead and ruined it. He had another one that went bad and fried that battery. All three of these chargers were less than a year old. So, needless to say I don't have much faith in its reliability using the float made as a maintainer. There Ship to Shore model does a good job but my dad went through three of those in four years. For my personal use, I use higher end chargers, I don't buy those dime store specials, but not many people are wanting to $200 -$500 for a charger

The biggest problem with the charger is it will slowly kill your battery, and it's too small. You should be using a 10 amp charger, but those little hot box things like that are designed for the farmer or people who might need to charge a battery ever once in a while. They are totally the wrong type charger for repeatedly charging a TM battery that is regularly discharged and charged. However, you won't by a good charger for $20, but you will shorten the batteries life by enough that $20 charger will have cost you about $50 just on the first one. Then you can start figuring $25 - $30 for each one after that one.

Just for guesstimating, 109 Ah @ 50% = 54 Ah. 54Ah divided by how many amps your charger is putting into the battery equals how many hours it will take to charge it. Also, you should not be using a trickle charger.

As I have stated many times, I'm not a merc guy, but I would think 1,000 in neutral to be rather high on a good motor. I usually expect more than about a 50 rpm drop when in gear. It my be 2000 for all I know about merc, so not trying to start anything, just stating my thoughts.

Always the cranking.

Probably around 750 rpm in gear. That will be in the manual, and I can't stress enough, other than checking the cable, don't screw with it if you don't know exactly what you are doing.

You need to have that battery tested or checked out real good or that could be the most expensive battery you will ever own. Don't screw around with batteries, the boat charging system will pay the price. Or should I say you will pay the price for having the charging system replaced, if you are lucky and that's all that gets damaged. Outboard motor charging system are not heavy duty, robust system like automobiles, even though bad batteries is what gets most automobile alternators also. A bad battery places a constant demand on the alternator trying to keep it fully charged and burns itself out. It can take out the stator, the Rec/Reg or both. Either one can be fairly expensive to replace. Then you can get a double whammy if you have to hook jumper cables to it. That little arc created connecting/disconnecting jumper cables can spike the ECM or power pack and take them out. Again, very expensive parts. If it was mine, I would replace that battery, that $100 is not worth the grief it can cause.

You have to remember, horsepower wise, that 50 is only about a 42 by today's rating method. The big difference is going to be the weight. Depending on the gauge aluminum, if it's a heavy gauge, the hp is not going to be a problem. I ran a 50 Johnson on a 15ft console type Jon for years.