What's up DesertBird? Haven't heard from you in awhile.
Thanks for the backup on M1. I am running the same 10-30 as I do in the tow rig. Warmed up idle is 25 psi, cruise is 50 or so. Plenty on both counts.
Not gonna let the Merc thing go. They know. I am sure they will want to keep a good name. We'll see.
I tried some citrus cleaner last time and it cleans it up pretty well. Just shouldn't be there, though.
I have mentioned this before but just in case you missed it...
The ECMs in my 2002 Flame where swapped out under warranty in 2003 for this very problem. If they don't acknowledge the problem then they are sweeping it under the rug. They may also tell you that your out of warranty which would be hard to argue I suppose.
Bottom line is that there is a problem and is fixable but may be a warranty clause. After the swap out the black soot has never returned.
Dave
Howdy B30 what's new with you? How's the antennae?!
We just came back from an AWESOME trip to Lake Mead for the week of the 4th. Boat runs fantastic with exception to the damn soot.
I use some industrial baby wipes on the ramp to knock off the first coat, and have used both a citrus and the purple stuff to remove the $hit when I get back. In all cases, I notice that the cleaners kill the wax, so the transom just makes more soot stick unless I do a full polish job.
Real pain in the ass if you ask me.
Keep me informed about Merc's answers. Mine is certainly out of warranty, so I don't want to find myself spending $90/hour @ Teague just to find out that.
Maybe we should just belly up and put the Whipple on it! That seems to fix it! I emailed Raylar too, too find out what his thoughts on the situation are. No answer yet. I wonder about the Raylar kit, because it keeps the same Merc programming.
Without an O2 sensor, I wonder if a rich idle isn't just a safety net. My big complaint is that many a carburated boat doesn't have this problem......
But I don't think anybody has solved it....
http://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/s...ad.php?t=26415
I have never seen a 496HO that doesn't soot up to some extent. The best product I have found that removes it effotrlessly, and leaves a coat of wax behind, is called Shark Tower. It is a Waxing Frenzy product, and is sold by John from Attention to Detail (Warlock 25 here on the boards). It works great.
Thanks all.
DesertBird, the antenna works just great. Completely hidden flexible wire one that is laying between the headliner and the mid-cuddy roof. Best $6 I ever spent.
I am sure there will be some residual soot, I don't think you can ever get away from it totally. I just think it is excessive at this point. Lots of others agree, and I have heard from other owners (thanks Nordic) that have resolved the problem.
Raylar made it clear that it is a well known, well documented problem and feels that if leaned on hard enough, Merc will comply regardless of Warranty.
I also understand that when Dustin puts a Whipple kit on your boat, he re-programs the ECM and lightens up the idle mapping. If Merc gets outrageous, I may just try to work a deal with Whipple to re-cal.
Keep this thread live, and let's find the answer to this soot question once and for all! If you wander through all the links I put up, it looks like nobody has really found a solution.
Some don't think they have it, some think it's excessive.
Some got a new computer, some bought 87 octane.
To each is own, but after cleaning my boat this last time, I was aggravated! This thing is FUEL INJECTED with a 3 STAR emission sticker!!!!!! WTF!?!?!
Mines a 2004 with the engine installed last July. I'm not worried about the warranty running out since I purchased the extended 5 year warranty. Majic eraser does a fair job on the hard to remove soot deposits, but I wipe the transom down several times a day while parked. I still have a hard time removing some of the grime however. It is something Merc needs to recognize. As a side note I don't see any difference in soot between Havasu and Powell with the altitude change.
No, the ECM compensates for barometric changes in altitude, so the soot will be the same.
I go to the dealer tomorrow AM to put it on the scanner and see what's up. Then, if is shows nothing, it will be up to the dealer on what he wants to do.
I'll keep you posted.
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