



Also there are good repair forums on the internet, one being



And you have to realize that replacement parts for many of these old motors may not available today. Yes, you may be able to improvise at times, but will it stand up under extended usage and /or possibly leaving you stranded? Then for you who are tied to a I-Phone or your computer, and have never considered going to a established marine repair shop that may be able to really help you with personal experience and possibly some used parts, so you may be chasing your tail for a long time online.



Now I would like to address another issue, although pretty much in line with the opening paragraph. I repeatedly get inquiries asking if I would clarify some sections of my articles. I try to do this almost daily, BUT if you are NOT anywhere mechanically inclined, or have never done any outboard repair, YES things can be totally foreign to you. My comment back to one man who did not understand my boat related words, was that if a person was writing a computer repair manual, you have to use computer terms. My suggestion at that point, take it to someone who can fix it. OR take your repair SLOW, remove a part at a time, take photos & be very observant of what location and what it is connected to BEFORE it comes off. Then look at my instructions, it now may become a lot clearer to you as you get into your project.



AND if you do inquire about your specific problem, remember that I do this for FREE and it bothers me considerably if you ask for my expertise and input, BUT give me nothing as to previous repairs that you have already done, OR why you did them. Then when I reply, you say that you have already done that. OR you contact me but do not give me the title of my 60+ outboard repair articles that you are referring to. AND most of these in queries want my response within hours. Kind of makes me a bit less interested in helping if you are that narrow minded as I flunked mindreading school years ago & learning by Osmosis is rather slow.

First off I probably should apologize as these outboard motor repair articles started out designed for someone with some basic mechanical knowledge and a small amount of how motors operate. It has become apparent, because of increased correspondence that an increasingly number who use my articles have almost NO OR LIMITED knowledge of even the principles of mechanical operation of these devises. Therefore I am in the process of trying to re-write some existing articles, (however this may take some time) or adding other articles directed toward what many of us shade-tree mechanics have taken for granted. These articles are not meant to replace factory service manuals and I recommend that you DO purchase a manual if you intend to work on any motor other than change spark plugs or gear oil. My articles may explain examples of what you will run into (& many times goes way beyond the aftermarket manual, BUT DOES NOT replace it). Here, you have to have some basic mechanical knowledge, be able to read and understand AND be able to apply it, and not be all thumbs. Again, these are not meant to replace the service manual. You can many times purchase used manuals off eBay.Also there are good repair forums on the internet, one being iboats.com however, if you go to these, PLEASE first use the FAQ sections or do a search of the forum for your problem. In all probability you may be a newbie to the forum, but your issue probably has came up many times before. And if you do ask a question, be specific as to the make, year, model & HP of your motor AND give a history of repairs, if any, plus a detailed situation you are experiencing, if these are recurring problems, or if the motor is new to you. Also when you log on to ask a question, use a descriptive header line, not just "PLEASE HELP" . Do not expect an immediate response, as any answers you receive will be from other members who have a life off the internet. If you get no response in a few days, it may be that your question is not worded with enough clarity, OR no one at THAT TIME has a proper answer. Remember, a bad response answer is worse than no answer at all. Or you may make another later post changing the title & also rewording the question for better clarity. And please refrain from posting in a texting type abbreviated, no punctuation format, which is HARD to read when related to trying to really understand your problem, accepting the fact you probably have little knowledge of normal technical outboard motor terms.And you have to realize that replacement parts for many of these old motors may not available today. Yes, you may be able to improvise at times, but will it stand up under extended usage and /or possibly leaving you stranded? Then for you who are tied to a I-Phone or your computer, and have never considered going to a established marine repair shop that may be able to really help you with personal experience and possibly some used parts, so you may be chasing your tail for a long time online.Now I would like to address another issue, although pretty much in line with the opening paragraph. I repeatedly get inquiries asking if I would clarify some sections of my articles. I try to do this almost daily, BUT if you are NOT anywhere mechanically inclined, or have never done any outboard repair, YES things can be totally foreign to you. My comment back to one man who did not understand my boat related words, was that if a person was writing a computer repair manual, you have to use computer terms. My suggestion at that point, take it to someone who can fix it. OR take your repair SLOW, remove a part at a time, take photos & be very observant of what location and what it is connected to BEFORE it comes off. Then look at my instructions, it now may become a lot clearer to you as you get into your project.AND if you do inquire about your specific problem, remember that I do this for FREE and it bothers me considerably if you ask for my expertise and input, BUT give me nothing as to previous repairs that you have already done, OR why you did them. Then when I reply, you say that you have already done that. OR you contact me but do not give me the title of my 60+ outboard repair articles that you are referring to. AND most of these in queries want my response within hours. Kind of makes me a bit less interested in helping if you are that narrow minded as I flunked mindreading school years ago & learning by Osmosis is rather slow.