Follow up my previous thermostat issue, and a new problem to ask about........

[GamblerJeff]

Thanks Joe.....appreciate that.....

[GamblerJeff]

So, I know this is probably a stupid question, but I wanted to ask a question regarding the small oil cap that comes with the new Mercury engine oil reservoir. The cap comes separate from the tank. After installing and filling the new reservoir, what is the best way to get this plug/cap into the tank?
From what I have read on these tanks and caps, the caps are not the best quality, and the threads on the tank are extremely easy to damage......and everything I have read says not to remove the cap (once it is in place) due to damaging the threads.
I want to avoid damaging the threads in the first place on a brand new (and expensive) oil tank, so what is the best way to insert/install this cap on the tank? Is it ok to squeeze the long plastic tabs with needlenose pliers to get it in there? Or is there a better trick to it?

[JOE54]

needle nose is what is use also

[GamblerJeff]

Thanks Joe. Now I am trying to find a funnel with a small enough neck to get into that little tiny fill hole on the reservoir in order to partially fill it to prep for the oil pump priming.....and of course none of the big box hardware stores I have tried sell a funnel with a neck that small (except online).....nothing is ever easy!

Joe/Don- So I installed the new tank yesterday, and I torqued the bolts on the reservoir to 21 foot/pounds, like you guys said. On the lower bolts I used a universal and a short extension on the torque wrench (since I was not too comfortable with pulling the lower cowling)......I know that using adapters changes the torque amount slightly, but is it anything significant?
I did put a regular socket wrench on it and just tweaked the lower bolts slightly tighter following the torque wrench.
Should I increase the torque setting on my torque wrench to a higher value to make up for using the adapters? If so, any idea how much to increase it to?

[Savage]

The torque is not that critical, just tighten them.

[Bryanmc57]

and of course none of the big box hardware stores I have tried sell a funnel with a neck that small (except online).....nothing is ever easy!

Go to walmart or someplace similar and get a funnel for filling coleman lanterns and stoves...

[JOE54]

The torque is not that critical, just tighten them.

^^^+1

[GamblerJeff]

So, the oil system drama continues......
So, I found a Mercury service center here at the lake with the Mercury diagnostic laptop/tool/software. He squeezed me in today to do the priming of the oil pump, and he bled the system for me on the muffs after that.....all good there. Although the $190 was tough to swallow ($100 flat fee just to connect the computer to the engine)......

But while they had it running on the muffs the tech told me that he thought I might have a tiny oil leak at the oil pump, but wasn't 100% sure. He said he couldn't really pinpoint it, but thought there was possibly a very very small leak there and told me to just monitor it. I asked him if his software tool showed any red flags with oil pressure or anything like that, but he said that the software he was using didn't show oil pressure (which seemed odd, but I wouldn't know enough to question that). I know his diagnostic software showed only 96 hours on the motor, so just wouldn't have expected an oil pump issue yet.

Anyway, since my boat lives on a boat lift at my dock and not on a trailer, how would I "monitor" something like this?
I assume there is no alarm/fault for a leak (unless it runs your oil down low enough). Would my oil levels drop fast in my remote tank or something? Would I look for oil slicks under my boat?
Is it even safe to keep using the boat if the oil pump has a tiny leak?

This repair would not likely not be something I would attempt myself, since it involves multiple individual oil lines going from the pump to the motor, etc....if the tech couldn't pinpoint a leak, I am sure I couldn't either. Plus, if the oil pump needed to be changed out, I would have to go back through this whole priming thing all over again anyway, so might as well have the pros do it.....

Any words of wisdom for something like this?

[Savage]

There is no "oil pressure" reading on a Two Stroke Optimax

The Origin of the suspected oil leak needs confirmed or denied, its that simple.

[Bob G.]

Might want to get comfortable taking the lower cowlings off to inspect for an oil leak. A lot easier on a trailer than a lift.

[SilverFox579]

+1 to both above, unfortunately, engine hours are not a good predictor for potential oil pump leaks.

[JOE54]

JEFF ive seen um leak within 25 hrs of run time , pump is rpm regulated more rpm more leak , there is no fault for leak , one year warranty on part

[GamblerJeff]

I do understand that Bob......thanks for the input. For me, this is more than just being comfortable with removing the lower cowl. And like you said, it would certainly be easier on a trailer....I know this too. In fact, just about everything maintenance-related is easier on the trailer......

But getting my boat to a ramp and onto the trailer is a logistical nightmare....slight exaggeration, but not far off.
I don't have help with the truck/trailer once at the ramp, and also don't have help getting the trailer to the ramp if I need to pull the boat out. So my boat stays in a lift at my dock at my house.....this allows me to go fishing when I can. It is a long way to a public ramp, especially if I can't run the boat at speed. The other issue is even when I can get the boat out of the lift and back to my barn to do certain maintenance items, I don't have strong consistent water flow out of the ground hydrant pump located at my barn in order to run the engine on muffs to test some of this stuff out.

I was just hoping some of you guys could tell me how critical a tiny leak is at this pump, and if there are any telltale signs of a leak at that pump that I could watch out for out on the water, since it doesn't seem like the oil leak is big enough to pinpoint, at least according to the tech. If it was critical, I would have thought he would have told me not to run the boat and have the pump changed ASAP......but his exact words were "might be a tiny leak, just monitor it".
He sprayed a bunch of stuff in there around the components (I guess looking for bubbles or a leak) and couldn't really see the leak, but said he thought there might be a very small leak.....maybe he felt oil under there.....maybe he saw oil in the cowl below......but with the oil that overflowed out during my own bleeding process (before realizing the oil reservoir magnet was bad), and then me changing out the reservoir and inline oil filter, and then the priming/bleeding of the system again yesterday, there is definitely some oil residue down in the cowl....tried to mop up best I could, but I would have to physically see a dripping leak to know for sure, and I am worried about putting the motor on the muffs with low water flow at my barn.

I guess could just pay the shop to replace the oil pump on "suspicion of a problem", but that is just another expense added to all this without confirmation of a real problem.....not to mention a 2 month wait to get it into a shop to even do that.

[Savage]

JEFF ive seen um leak within 25 hrs of run time , pump is rpm regulated more rpm more leak , there is no fault for leak , one year warranty on part

Nobody using a key board on this site can tell you this possible oil leak wont become "critical"

Hands on expertise is how the possible leak must be diagnosed.

If you don't have the ability to monitor this possible leak, then your best course of action is to have the leak PROPERLY diagnosed and repaired.

[GamblerJeff]

Thanks Savage.....I agree 100%. Wish I had more options (experts) for in-depth diagnostics and troubleshooting here in the country, but just not a reality. We have a couple Mercury certified service places, but they stay totally booked up and we just don't have any "Dons" and "Joes" around here.....

[EuropeanAM]

Savage hit the nail on the head too. I have seen at least 1 case where a leaking oil pump that was ignored resulted in a powerhead failure. There can (and sometimes is) more going on in the pump than just a "nuisance leak".

[GamblerJeff]

Thanks Don for chiming in on this. I guess I will attempt to start the engine and look as close as I can with a flashlight (and maybe a small flex-line camera I have too) to see if I can see any oil at all dripping anywhere around the pump.

Like I mentioned in an earlier post Don, the only water supply I have at my barn is a old style hydrant type pump handle connected to a line underground that runs to my well. It does not have that strong of water pressure when using a hose and can be intermittent or inconsistent pressure (pressure kinda comes and goes).......how much water pressure is needed to run these engines on muffs? Is there a way I can tell if the engine is not getting sufficient water so I can shut it down before messing something up?

[EuropeanAM]

A good consistent flow is more important than pressure. Perhaps a deep basin you can fill with water and submerge the entire gearcase would be a better option for you.

On the oil pump, if you have even one drop on the lowest allen-head capscrew, it's leaking. No further investigation into pump is required in that case.

[GamblerJeff]

Does it usually leak on the side with the oil line attachment ports or on the front side with the metal cap?

[EuropeanAM]

Does it usually leak on the side with the oil line attachment ports or on the front side with the metal cap?

The allen-head capscrews are on the side with the stainless cap. This is where most pumps would leak if it's the pump itself.