Boating

Many marine engine problems can be traced back to a few simple issues such as poor connections, a badly adjusted or dirty carburetor, or the need for a tuneup. A rough-running engine can cause...

Marine engine alignment is extremely important to the performance and longevity of any boat configured with an inboard engine. Whether it's a sailboat, a ski boat with a small V8, or a cruiser...

Once you have finished boating for the summer, what do you do with the engine? Or, suppose you need to do some maintenance. Do you lay the prized piece of equipment down on the garage floor? No,...

Pull-rope or recoil starters are the most common method of cranking outboard motors of 25 horsepower (HP) or less. The rope is wound around a spring-loaded spool, and this spool provides a...

It is important to prepare your boat properly to idle, whether you are in the water, or your boat is on a trailer in the driveway. You can idle the engine on the water to warm it up before heading...

Installing a second battery in your boat adds many extra hours away from land. Having a dedicated starting battery and a dedicated "house" battery to run extra appliances with the engine off means...

Boat owners take great care of the massive and expensive engines that power their motor boats. They require meticulous scheduled maintenance, especially in cold weather climates where boat owners...

A faulty engine coupler is a serious problem for any boating enthusiast. Engine couplers that are failing will not be able to turn the outdrive effectively, and thus your boat will not be able to...

New boaters often incorrectly believe that piloting a boat is like driving a car. There are a few differences that anyone thinking about boating needs to understand before getting behind the...

Unlike your car, your boat doesn't need to change gears while on the move. This allows for a much more simple transmission system than the one in your automobile. An outboard motor only has three...

Whether you're installing a new engine that's more fuel efficient, or simply re-powering your boat for increased performance, removing and installing an engine can be handled smoothly and with...

The Mercruiser is one of the most popular power packages in boating. While these units provide years of service, boat owners must keep up with regular maintenance schedules. The Mercruiser can be...

The Mercruiser stern drive is one of the most popular and seaworthy marine engines in the world today. From small pleasure craft to high-performance racing boats, Mercruiser is often the first...

The Mercruiser seawater pump is a reliable device that if maintained properly will provide the boater years of worry-free service. However, the impeller inside the water pump should be changed...

Salt water can cause some serious complications when it comes to storing, restoring and just plain using your marine engine. If you do not defend your marine engine from this element, you will...

With the approach of the boating season, a boater's thoughts turn to fitting out: painting, cleaning and repairing all the little details that needed to wait until just before the new season...

Properly servicing and preparing your MerCruiser engine for cold weather will extend its life. Water left in the engine may freeze and crack the block or damage the manifold system---and "damage...

A Mercury outboard engine comes equipped with an internal water pump, which is located in the lower unit. The lower unit is the part of the engine that has the propeller and is submersed into the...

If you lose the belt that drives the alternator on your Mercruiser engine, you can spend $100 to have your local Mercruiser dealer replace the belt, or you can buy a replacement belt at an auto...

The end of the boating season means many things, but for the boat owner it means preparing that outboard motor for storage until the next season. Having a secure place to store the engine is...

The parts of a boat engine are very similar to those of a car engine. In fact, most boat engines are manufactured by companies like Chevrolet and Ford. To understand the parts of a boat engine and...

Internal combustion engines, whether inboard diesel engines or gasoline outboard motors, produce the gray-black particulates we know as soot. Usually, the soot is in the form of particles so...

A wise boat owner can extend the life of his investment by changing the boat motor thermostat once a year. Doing it yourself can also save some money. It's a quick task and not difficult to do....

While there is no direct correlation between hours of engine time on a boat and statute miles driven on a highway, there is a relationship between statute miles and nautical miles. A statute mile...

All boat engines are cooled by either a closed system, in which anti-freeze circulates through the engine, just like a car engine, or an open, or raw-water, system, in which the water that...

Outboard motors that use carburetors suffer from gasoline gum and varnish build-up when untreated gasoline is left in the fuel system. As modern gasoline evaporates within fuel lines and...

You dreamed about it and now, it's time to put that new engine in place. Installing that new engine, whether it's a huge Wartsila diesel in a large vessel or small-block Chevy engine in your...

Problems with a boat's prop usually come back to blade damage: they're bent, they're nicked or they're otherwise dinged. You might feel a little vibration or you might think your teeth are being...

Buying a used boat is risky but has its rewards if the right precautions are taken. Several steps in the boat-buying process are vital in deciding if you should make the purchase. If you follow...

A marine battery is usually a hybrid between a deep cycle battery (used for long light loads like lights, electronics, trolling motor, etc..) and a starting battery (used for heavy quick loads...

As anyone who has owned a boat with an outboard motor knows, we dread coming back to the boat to find the engine won't start. Sometimes, even after regular use, the engine won't start. Other...

Big changes happened in 1999 when the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) legally required boat owners to perform engine maintenance to meet prescribed emissions standards. The...

Proper maintenance will eliminate the need for a lot of repairs on your boat. Keeping the boat fit includes seasonal requirements as well as things that should be done after each use. But even if...

Removing boat engines requires you to have skills as a rigger more than a mechanic. You may have to use a cutting torch if the vessel's deck planking is anchored by pieces of angle iron welded to...

It never hurts to have a backup system, but exactly how do you back up the speedometer on your boat? If you have an electric speedometer and the boat's power, or even just that circuit, goes down,...

Stick steering allows an outboard-powered boat to be steered from the front of the craft, without installing an independent steering system. When the stick is moved, the cable rotates a drum...

It's that wonderful time of the year when the weather has turned warm and you are itching to get out on the lake. You need to make sure your boat is ready for the season before you plunge in. The...

Launching a motorboat from shore is fairly simple, but starting the boat's engine once you have launched can be more difficult. Push the boat into the water and position it parallel to the...

Setting the proper pitch for a boat prop maximizes the boat's performance. With the correct prop, the engine operates at the minimum RPM (where the maximum power is produced), but will not exceed...

An inboard engine works just like a car engine in terms of how it creates power and delivers drive to the boat. It is, in the case of a gas or petrol inboard, a combustible engine that has...

When boating season ends, some people park the boat in the storage yard or driveway without a thought for starting the engine the next season. In so doing, they insure that the first start up of...

It's boating time, and the family can't wait to get on the water. Problems with your boat can cause heartbreak and tears, mainly for you. There is a wide variety of Mercruiser engines and models,...

Winterizing your ski boat will protect it from the elements of winter. Failing to winterize could result in thousands of dollars in repairs when you attempt to hit the water after a long, cold few...

Avoid cleaning the engine of a speed boat when the engine is hot. Clean speed boat engines with tips from a car wash owner in this free video on speed boat detailing.

Before you go boating, ensure that the engine is in top operating condition. Check the gas and oil and make sure the battery is charged. Try starting the engine. If it starts, shut it off right...

Most engine manufacturers recommend changing the oil in your boat's engine every 100 hours of use. Alternatively, the general recommendation is to change a marine engine's oil at least once every...

The powerhead on an outboard motor is similar to the heads of a car motor. It is the top of the motor onto which the other components of the motor bolt onto and it provides protection to the...

Fundamental marine engine repair has become a necessary requirement for all boat owners. Many issues encountered by the average mariner have basic causes and can be resolved through an...

It's frustrating to launch your boat and realize the motor won't start. If you own a Johnson boat motor, it's going to have the same problems as any other gasoline-powered motor. If you decide to...

Outboard motors are the workhorse motors of the boating industry. What frugal minded boater hasn't at some point in his/her boating career run an outboard motor on one of his/her crafts? Outboard...