Seth Swartz Posted July 21, 2020 Posted July 21, 2020 Whats up everyone! I'm having some trouble getting the performance out of my outboard that i feel i should. A little about the boat. i have a 1997 sprint 286 pro tournament that has a 2002 mercury 200 efi. The boat originally came with a 97 mercury 150 xr6 that pushed the boat around 52mph but i got a good deal on the efi so i figured id give it a try. The hull is only rated for a 175hp but the 200 doesn't seem like its giving it any issues. The 200efi came off a 20ft Stratos and when we test drove the boat when i bought engine we hit 61 in rough water. I have the 200 on my boat and I'm only getting 55mph consistently. I've hit 61mph in perfect conditions by myself with half tank of gas and I think I should be getting more. The guy I bought the motor from said the fastest it pushed his Startos was 68mph and I think with my boat being smaller I should be able to at least get that. The motor seems to be running good always starts up and idles well. if my tach is accurate the most I've been able to push it was 5600 rpm but its hard to get it there and I'm not sure why normally like to sit at 5000rpm at full Throttle. Any ideas what could be the issue and why it cant get the rpms up? Any recommendations on the prop I should be running? I have a 14-3/4x 26P Ballistic prop now. its the same prop the guy was running when i bought the motor Quote
Super User Jig Man Posted July 21, 2020 Super User Posted July 21, 2020 Do you have a jack plate? What is your prop to pad height? Quote
Seth Swartz Posted July 21, 2020 Author Posted July 21, 2020 5 minutes ago, Jig Man said: Do you have a jack plate? What is your prop to pad height? I do have a jack plate. I will measure as soon as i get off work today. Quote
Super User WRB Posted July 21, 2020 Super User Posted July 21, 2020 Did you get the throttle and trim controls that came engine? 26" SST prop @ 5800 rpms = about 70 mph on most bass boat hulls set up properly. Start with the set up @ 3 1/2" pad to prop shaft centerline with engine trimmed paralell to the pad. The heavy things like batteries and fuel needs to be behind the driver seat. Check the engine compression for each cyclinder, (110-135 psi). Check the throttle linkage to make sure it's opening the injectors fully. Check the fuel supply line, prime bulb and filters, use premium gasoline. Replace the spark plugs. Tom PS, check your insurance policy, over powering can void it. Quote
Seth Swartz Posted July 21, 2020 Author Posted July 21, 2020 40 minutes ago, WRB said: Did you get the throttle and trim controls that came engine? 26" SST prop @ 5800 rpms = about 70 mph on most bass boat hulls set up properly. Start with the set up @ 3 1/2" pad to prop shaft centerline with engine trimmed paralell to the pad. The heavy things like batteries and fuel needs to be behind the driver seat. Check the engine compression for each cyclinder, (110-135 psi). Check the throttle linkage to make sure it's opening the injectors fully. Check the fuel supply line, prime bulb and filters, use premium gasoline. Replace the spark plugs. Tom PS, check your insurance policy, over powering can void it. I didn't not get the controls with this motor, I used the controls from the old motor and since added a hotfoot with a new throttle cable. I will check the prop to pad when I get home this afternoon. The engine compression is 114-115psi. It appears to be opening everything fully but I will check again I had trouble with the fuel when I got it and have replaced the lines, bulb, filters and have always used premium gas since I've owned it. I found the problem to be the anti-Siphon Valve and removed that, maybe that wasn't the problem and it still isn't getting enough gas? Could that be a issue not having that valve? also has brand new plugs with one trip on them Quote
Super User WRB Posted July 21, 2020 Super User Posted July 21, 2020 Anti siphon valve in the prime pump bulb? If you removed that get a new bulb assembly. Hot foot may not be opening the linkage all the way. 50+ with the 150 hp is slow, should be 60 mph. Look the boat bottom closely for any dips (hooks) the trailer may have added to the bottom. Critical the last 4' is abosolutely flat. Sounds like you know the basics and should get things sorted out. Tom 1 Quote
looking45 Posted July 21, 2020 Posted July 21, 2020 As WRB suggested, a call to your insurance company is in order. Two of my friends overpowered their boats and paid insurance for 3-4 years before realizing the insurance company wasn't going to honor any claims because of being overpowered. If you'r thinking they son't know, think again. When/if you file a claim, they will find out. One friend got another outboard, the other one was lucky enough to find someone to buy his boat 1 Quote
Seth Swartz Posted July 21, 2020 Author Posted July 21, 2020 43 minutes ago, WRB said: Anti siphon valve in the prime pump bulb? If you removed that get a new bulb assembly. Hot foot may not be opening the linkage all the way. 50+ with the 150 hp is slow, should be 60 mph. Look the boat bottom closely for any dips (hooks) the trailer may have added to the bottom. Critical the last 4' is abosolutely flat. Sounds like you know the basics and should get things sorted out. Tom The anti siphon on the gas tank there was one in the fitting that came out the top that connect to the gas line. The primer pump bulb is brand new. Thanks for all the reply's everyone. I'm going to check to see what my prop to pad height is this afternoon and go from there! Quote
Captain Phil Posted July 21, 2020 Posted July 21, 2020 Speaking of overpowered bass boats, some of you may find this story amusing. My first real bass tournament was on the St. John's River back in the early seventies. Back then, most of us were running 15'-16' boats with 50 hp outboards. This tournament had a flare start, which I had never seen before. The tournament began with someone firing a starter pistol in the air. All the boats took off at the same time going every which way, throwing big wakes and passing very close. This was extremely dangerous, so after a few bad accidents the staggered starts we have today were imposed. After this experience, I immediately went home and bolted a 135 hp Johnson on my boat. When you take a boat rated for 50 hp and put on a 135 it doesn't make it much faster, it makes it ill handling. If you want to go faster, you need more than a bigger motor. The worst case I ever saw was a 15' tri hull Terry Bass boat with a 150 Merc. That boat still had it's stick steering. I think the pilot's name was the Incredible Hulk. ? 1 Quote
Seth Swartz Posted July 21, 2020 Author Posted July 21, 2020 Alright guys so I just measured the prop to pad on the boat and its 3 1/2". That is as low as the motor will go on the jackplate and that's where the original motor was mounted as well. Any ideas where I should move it? Do you think it could still be a fuel issue and its not getting enough fuel? Although if it is I don't know what I could change because Ive changed everything including gas tanks with the fuel system when I was trying to fix the problem when I got the boat. I also checked if the hot foot was opening up the throttle and it appears to be, when I have the hotfoot at full throttle the little piece that moves in the motor (not sure what its called) is bottomed out. any ideas? Quote
Super User slonezp Posted July 21, 2020 Super User Posted July 21, 2020 Something's definitely not right if you struggle to get over 5000rpms but have gotten to 5600. I'd listen to WRB, he has some good suggestions. Quote
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