Mercury 6Hp Probs?

[Mr FeLiX]

Evening all,

Just a quick one regarding my current model 2 stroke Mercury 6. It's been running like a dream, hasn't even used the run in tank yet but on the way back to the ramp today, I seemed to just loose drive, so to speak. Flicked it out of forward, nuetral, nack to forward etc and it seemed to come good but it still seemed off.

Pulled the motor at the ramp and I had acres of ribbon weed around the prop. It wasn't wrapped really tight, and I didn't think ribbon weed would do that? But, just wanna be sure.

With the motor off and the selector in F, the prop clicks whereas it used to seem to stop quite solidly. However, whilst flushing the motor it went into both gears fine and spun the prop? This makes no sense to me, so any help would be great.

P.S. checked behind the prop for line etc and found nothing, and there's no sign of leaking oil.

Thanks

Felix

[fishingnut]

Its only a 6 and doesnt have the berries to ''power'' through ribbon weed

[aussie123]

All motors lost drive with weed on them.

Nothing to worry about unless you suck some up into the water pump.

Keep an eye on the tell tail and you can take off the little water pump screen and check for weed if you are worried at all.

[Mr FeLiX]

Thanks guys, I was more worried about the shaft splines that run the prop, cause I think they are rubber? The tell tale is still running well with water, so no worries

[matsmad]

Shoulda kept the Tohatsu 25 ay

[Mr FeLiX]

Nah mate, this little six really is great for what I wanna do with it, plus the insurance company i'm with didn't like the idea. Big motor+small boat= :pinch:

I've done some research, and the prop shaft is the rubber splined design... Uh oh

[Derrilex]

It could be a slipping prop bush. Had that a few times, just like a slippin clutch in a car, plenty of revs but not lots of drive

[Mr FeLiX]

Would something like that be an easy fix? Or is a service departement job? It's only the 3rd time i've had the motor in the water, so it had better not be mechanical and I had better of been imagining it...

[aussie123]

The rubber bush is designed to allow the prop to slip if you hit something.

Eventually the bush wears down and allows the prop to slip under load(higher revs).

They will always grip and get you home at low revs or idle speed.

Any marine mechanic can change the bush for you as its not really an easy job without a press at home to remove the old bush and replace it with a new one.

I would take it for another run first and if it still slips go and get a new bush put in the prop.

I have no idea on the cost either.

[Mr FeLiX]

Took it out on the water today, and the problem it goooone? I pulled the prop before going and checked in closer for weed/line etc and also checked the splines etc. All good

Thanks for advice all

[bootyinblue]

Hot thrust bushes and the excess load of trying to spin with weed wrapped around the prop may have caused the slippage.

Cool bushes and no weed (today) could have made it all better :-)

[Mr FeLiX]

Yep, didn't have a worry. Loaded up well under throttle and not a hint of slippage from the thrust bush/es