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Thread: I Emailed Merc / 496HO soot

  1. #1
    Beer-30
    I just emailed Mercruiser about the sooty transom from my '01 496HO. Hopefully, they will uphold their good name and rectify the situation. I will keep all informed.
    If anyone has dealt with this ECM idle mapping issue, let me know.
    Being the holiday weekend, I don't expect to hear back until next week sometime.

  2. #2
    James'SS-24
    If you run 87 octane it helps. Don't know why but it does. When I put the whipple charger on mine it totally went away! Don't know what Dustin does when he calibrates the ecu but it works!

  3. #3
    Beer-30
    If you run 87 octane it helps. Don't know why but it does. When I put the whipple charger on mine it totally went away! Don't know what Dustin does when he calibrates the ecu but it works!
    Yeah, have only run 87.
    The problem is fuel mapping in the ECM. When Whipple re-calibrates, they correct this. I am seeing if Merc will correct it. They just emailed and need to have it at an authorized dealer to confirm a problem. DUH!

  4. #4
    Beer-30
    Hey Dustin, you out there?
    What's your take on this? I am a previous customer. Had a 350 TBI kit put on our old 1995 3/4 ton several years ago. Drove it to you to do it. Anyway, do you have any solution?
    It seems crazy to have a dealer look at it, when it is already obvious what is wrong. Anyway you can cut me some slack on the re-cal?
    I don't mind paying something for an upgrade, but part of it is curing a Merc problem. Can you get re-embursed for some of it from them? I'll drive it to ya! (well, on the trailer that is). Mainly just trying to cut through the red tape of getting it evaluated. We all know what's wrong.
    The money I spend for the dealer to look at it would be better spent to you, right? I feel like I am Cajun, having a blackened transom and all!
    And...I already have the K&N.

  5. #5
    NuckinFutz
    I just tried to call Merc's customer service to see what they had to say about the soot. It leaves alot to be desired having a new shiny boat and a transom that looks like it belongs on the Titanic. They aren't open on weekends, but the number is 405-743-6566 extension #4. I spoke with them the other day about the reason they don't like sythetic oils in the 496HO. They claim their studies show synthetic doesn't offer the corrosion resistance and it breaks down under a load quicker than dinosaur oil. I don't know if I buy their claims about synthetic not being better than dino oil in both corrosion and breakdown. I think they are trying to sell their oil. Bottom line is Mobil 1 is getting dumped in mine from now on.

  6. #6
    Beer-30
    Ah, another one on the soot trail, eh? I am going to go by my dealership Monday and see how he wants to proceed. They emailed and want to go through the "authorized" service center and said they will be glad to work with them on the problem. Said they wanted a "product evaluation".
    Hey guys, I've already evaluated it! :hammerhea
    I just don't see how the oil could hurt it. Been running it in other engines for years. Corosion shouldn't be a problem anyway, with either oil, unless you just start it for 15 minutes at a time and leave it parked the rest.
    I'll keep posting as progress occurs or doesn't occur.

  7. #7
    NuckinFutz
    I think Mercury should just send a tech to Havasu and spend an hour at the launch ramp on a Saturday afternoon and he can evaluate all he wants. I don't know of any 496HO without soot.
    I'm glad they want me to go to a authorized service dealer. I can't seem to find any local dealers who even know Merc now offers a 496.
    As far as the oil, I've run Mobil 1 in my last two boats with the last one running perfectly when I sold it with 650 hours, and they were both Mercury powerplants.

  8. #8
    Beer-30
    Talked to the dealership today. Going to hook up the scanner/ECM reader on Thursday morning. Going to check TPS and make sure that's at the right specs. We'll see what comes of it.

  9. #9
    NuckinFutz
    Let me know what you find. If you can fix yours some, I'd be willing to search for a dealer that can do the same for me. Maybe a trip to Havasu (really honey, they are the only ones that know how to fix it)!

  10. #10
    desertbird
    The Soot is a problem, and I even asked Raylar about it too. I know it's TOO rich @ idle, since idle is the only time the exhaust gets to float around the back of the boat like that.
    Mine isn't the HO, and I got the soot with any gas I have run (87,89,91). It's nasty, and looks like the transom of a diesel tug. :burningm:
    I worry that the Merc dealer will tell you that the ECM is spec'd right, therefore, nothing to fix and Merc will send you packing. :angry2:
    I believe my engine is an '01 too (need to check, it's a re-power). Is the 01 the only year of this problem? I thought that it might just be "break-in" but after 25 hours it is marginally improved. :idea:
    As far as the oil goes? Next season is Mobil 1 . I wanted to break it in on the dino stuff, as is my tradition. Every engine I've built, and every engine I now own has M1 running through it's veins. The bored & Stroked SBC 383 in my motorhome pulls me up the Baker grade @ 50 MPH and 210 degrees still holding 50psi oil with Mobil 1 15w40. During the dino break in on that motor, it would drop big time psi with heat. The synthetics hold up, period.

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