"Just picked up an old Merc 18
"Just picked up an old Merc 18 (1983) and I'm a little concerned about the sound it makes while running. I don't have any experience with two strokes, but I'm a good with 4 strokes (automotive and motorcylce). Anyway the motor fires up real easy, but once it's running it vibrates a bit and it almost feels like something is catching every once and awhile. When it sound like something is catching, I get a good puff of white smoke out of the exhaust. I havn't put the boat in water, so I was messing with it in the driveway on with a pair of muffs for water supply. I changed the plugs and they were black, slightly oily, and full of carbon. I took off the carb and cleaned all of the ports and jets. Also. the mixture screw is on the front of the carb, so i'm assuming that it adjusts air into the mixture not fuel, right? It seems real particular about where it wants to be with that screw. Also, do these motors have oil in them? Couldn't find a drain plug. If its the one down by the prop then i'd say it's empty. Where do you add oil? Do you fill it up till it's even with the bottom of that screw? Any info would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Albuquerque Andrew"
"Just picked up an old Merc 18 (1983) and I'm a little concerned about the sound it makes while running. I don't have any experience with two strokes, but I'm a good with 4 strokes (automotive and motorcylce). Anyway the motor fires up real easy, but once it's running it vibrates a bit and it almost feels like something is catching every once and awhile. When it sound like something is catching, I get a good puff of white smoke out of the exhaust. I havn't put the boat in water, so I was messing with it in the driveway on with a pair of muffs for water supply. I changed the plugs and they were black, slightly oily, and full of carbon. I took off the carb and cleaned all of the ports and jets. Also. the mixture screw is on the front of the carb, so i'm assuming that it adjusts air into the mixture not fuel, right? It seems real particular about where it wants to be with that screw. Also, do these motors have oil in them? Couldn't find a drain plug. If its the one down by the prop then i'd say it's empty. Where do you add oil? Do you fill it up till it's even with the bottom of that screw? Any info would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Albuquerque Andrew"