Mercury 4 stroke fuel problems

[pote]

If own a 4 stroke Merc and look around the internet, it wont take long to find someone with fuel delivery problems. I was/am a victim too. Boat in the shop for at least 7 weeks of the season so far and a new FSM float switch on order to be installed. Shop says the part is on it's 5th part # revision - what does that tell you? And switch failure does not set a code.

If you have a Mercury EFI 4 stroke, I recommend you get to know the symptoms of FSM problems and dont let the shop BS you around installing filters and replacing fuel line bulbs. This isnt caused by ethanol, but by cheap OEM sourcing by Merc.

Next time, it'll be a Honda for me.

Any questions/comments, lets air them out so others will get back on the water faster.

Cheers,
Chris on laDiabla

[BobG]

What does FSM stand for?
Never mind - here is the Mercury technical Service Bulletin on it:

http://www.marinemechanic.com/merc/dist ... ooting.pdf

[ronb]

fuel system module (FSM)

Just because a part is under its 5th revision that does not tell you a damned thing. Except that the part has undergone minor revisions. You would actually need to know the timeline of those 5 revisions (they may have been years apart or they could have been running single batches of each part revision) quick patch engineering can get you in trouble if proper QA steps with regression testing are not performed.

-ron

[pote]

Ron, you are correct - changes in oem providers would do this too. Thanks for looking at to more impartially than me.

I did find the key to the problem on this forum and on Boston Whaler forums. Here's a link to another fellow who had the exact same issue and resolution as me on this very forum.
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=10697&hilit=mercury+stroke

I wasnt trying to rag Merc too much, more trying to raise the issue to save a fellow boater the crap I've put up with this summer. A prior rant by me was misguided, but defensible in that the shop blamed bad gas cuz it was an easy cop out for them.

Cheers,
Chris

[JDB]

7 weeks of the boating season lost on a relatively new engine - you have a right to be pissed.

Whether your next engine is a Honda or not, you can still thank Yamaha and Honda for driving Mercury to build a better product.

Thanks, BobG for that informative TSB!

[Just Laxin]

Sorry but I'm sure I will be flamed on but here is what I have done in the past with any problems I have had whether it be the boat or the engine,,,,,,I by-pass the dealer and go directly to the manufacture of the product and keep asking for their supervisor till I get the problem taken care of. I have done this numerous times with all different products and services,,,,,,I do it in a constructive and respectful manor. It's amazing what you do get accomplished!!! Just remember the dealers are just a middle man.

[albow]

So far, in 3 years, the only problem I have had is one time this summer, when I hit the throttle, it immediately died. I know my setup is new enough to handle ethanol, but I have managed to find more pure gas lately and have, and will continue to, only run pure gas from here on if I can get it. Blankety blank government!

[Just Laxin]

So far, in 3 years, the only problem I have had is one time this summer, when I hit the throttle, it immediately died. I know my setup is new enough to handle ethanol, but I have managed to find more pure gas lately and have, and will continue to, only run pure gas from here on if I can get it. Blankety blank government!

At he same time I have never had a problem related to ethanol crap fuel but I always add Startran fuel treatment. I know it sucks to have to do that but I do whatever I have do. Some folks say that fuel additives are nothing but snake oil but they are dead wrong, my father was an oil cemp. and a metal eurgist, (sp) and they do work for what they are intended for.

[pote]

Sorry but I'm sure I will be flamed on but here is what I have done in the past with any problems I have had whether it be the boat or the engine,,,,,,I by-pass the dealer and go directly to the manufacture of the product and keep asking for their supervisor till I get the problem taken care of. I have done this numerous times with all different products and services,,,,,,I do it in a constructive and respectful manor. It's amazing what you do get accomplished!!! Just remember the dealers are just a middle man.

Can you take your boat directly to Mercury for service? Where is that?

[badmoonrising]

Sorry but I'm sure I will be flamed on but here is what I have done in the past with any problems I have had whether it be the boat or the engine,,,,,,I by-pass the dealer and go directly to the manufacture of the product and keep asking for their supervisor till I get the problem taken care of. I have done this numerous times with all different products and services,,,,,,I do it in a constructive and respectful manor. It's amazing what you do get accomplished!!! Just remember the dealers are just a middle man.

That's exactly what I do and not just for boating issues. Always go to the top of the food chain first, always get better results that way.

[badmoonrising]

Some folks say that fuel additives are nothing but snake oil but they are dead wrong, my father was an oil cemp. and a metal eurgist, (sp) and they do work for what they are intended for.

Yep. I am an ASE Certified mechanic. I worked for GM, Chrysler and Ford. They all have their own brands of fuel additives (so does Mercury). Not only fuel additives, GM had it's own "top engine cleaner" which was re badged Sea Foam. Some products ARE snake oil, some work (Stabil, Sea Foam, Startron). Even John Deere gives you a Startron sample when you buy their tractors.

[Just Laxin]

Can you take your boat directly to Mercury for service? Where is that?

Well no, but you can talk to a Mercury engineer directly and take your boat to a Merc. Certified mechanic who will listen to what the engineer said. You don't have to take your boat to the dealer for Mercury engine or drive work, it can be any mechanic that is Merc. certified. I have never taken my boat to the dealer I have bought it from for engine or drive work.

[GregF]

I got Mercury's attention by posting on their web site. Start with customer relations and see where that goes. They ended up sending me to a dealer who was expecting me and they got right on my problem ... after a couple Easter egg hunts through my motor with me buying the parts.

[pote]

I didnt buy the boat from a dealer so I didnt have a dealer to take it back to. I took it to the local certified Merc shop. He seems to be the only guy around with a diagnostic computer that can read codes. Problem was that this problem didnt set any. He did look up my engine in the Merc system to see that the FSM was serviced under warranty for a similar problem in '09. I'm guessing the guy who sold it to me dumped the problem onto me after the original shop didnt fix it right the first time. Still waiting for parts.... Another weekend lost....

[GregF]

The warranty follows the motor. Any dealer can do the work. I bought mine on the internet, drop shipped right to my driveway. I still had no problem finding a dealer to work on it. Finding a competent dealer was a little harder.