In praise of service manuals

[SamR]

I tried to fire up the boat in the driveway for the first time this season and got a check engine light. :? I grabbed the service manual and read up on the service codes and how to read them from the motor. Pretty easy on my FICHT, pull two phillips screws from the throttle position sensor and tie the lever down in it's full throttle position. The check engine light blinks out the code(s). In my case it was low voltage so I cleared the codes (more messing around with the sensor), cleaned the battery posts and regooped them with grease. I'm back in business.

I made up a laminated copy of the service codes sheet and will keep it on the boat. It will be a great OTW tool if another code pops up. If you don't have one, I strongly suggest buying the service manual for your motor. If I can figure it out, you definitely can :wink:

 

[ray]

SamR, did you get an after market service manual or a factory type mechanics service manual? I also enjoy doing my own work, and the boat I just bought has a new to me Merc Optimax. I've been trying to decide which manual to get.

 

[HM5]

Ray, you can do a search on eBay for Mercury outboard manual, and it should turn up several OEM service manuals for that Optimax

 

[SamR]

It's the factory type, not an after market.