1993 20hp 2stroke mercury questions

I just picked up this 1993 i mean mint 20hp 2stroke mercury and i just can't sell it as it was my plan from the start.I will post pics once i clean it up a bit and then you will understand why i can't sell it.The motor is so clean from top to bottom you can eat off of it,i just want to clean it up a bit from sitting in storage for over 17yrs and replace the few parts to the right factory original specs.So my plan is to clean it up a bit and i'm replacing some things i think it needs for my peace of mind.It runs perfect but it is a 1993 and i have no idea what had been done to it.The old man i bought it from says it's been used very little and it shows but things still wear out from sitting.

I guess he had a issue on the coils,don't know the whole story but i'm putting new coils,new complete wire set on it,complete full water pump kit including the housing and everything under it,new plugs,new lower unit oil and new lower unit plugs and gaskets,complete fuel filter assembly with the hoses and all and a new pull cord.I'm doing this all for peace of mind whether it needs it or not.My question is i don't like messing with the carb if i don't have to but i can do it with no issues,it doesn't leak a drop and works great.Should i just go ahead and do it to even know it works great.The things i'm replacing do need replacing imo because there is 2 different coils with the wrong size length wires even know it runs awesome i just want it correct with 2 brand new coils and wires.When putting the cowl back on it's darn near impossible because the latch gets caught on the wires so i am going to do it right.The wires were a bit long and worn so that is why i'm replacing them.The water pump i have no idea when it was done but it has awesome pressure but it's an easy job.I figure if i'm going to do all this i may as well do the carb.I'm just doing the gaskets if i do it.I will go over the whole thing though if i decide to do it.

So i ask,should i just do the carb gaskets as well or leave it alone?Nothing leaks and i would hate to mess with it if it works right but it's also probably the original parts to.

Keep in mind, this is strictly my opinion, but if we're being honest, you've already fallen overboard IMO. Granted, I can't see the motor for myself, but based on your comments, I have to conclude this motor was stored indoors when not in use and was taken very good care of during it's limited use, (possibly even stored in climate controlled area). And while I firmly believe "if it ain't broke, don't fix it", I can understand replacing the plug wires, fuel lines, and impeller (or any rubber bits that show possible problems). And depending on what it looked like, maybe even the pull rope. But when it's running flawlessly (per your description), replacing the coils, the water pump housing, or opening the carb up (assuming there's no leaks either), is all a waste of time and money. Get those few parts replaced, take the motor out and get some run time on it, then reassess it and go from there. But that's just how I feel about it and what I'd probably do. But what ever you decided to do, good luck with it and congrats on finding what sounds like a very nice motor. Hopefully you got as good a deal on it as it's sounding like. :mrgreen:

The coils do not match up on this outboard and are not right imo so i wanted matching merc coils and wires.I got the coils cheap,both brand new for $59.I got the wires that imo def needed replacement for only $34,so again very cheap.The pull cord was frayed and needed replacement and that was $60 because i had it done because i don't like messing with stuff with springs that can go flying and all that good stuff,lol.The water pump seems to run awesome but that still doesn't mean the impeller is 100% and if i'm going to take the l,ower unit off for the little money a water pump kit cost me i may do it all and have peace of mind.

Now keep in mind i only paid $1000 for this outboard so imo only putting a couple hundred into it is well worth it to have full peace of mind.The compression is 130lbs on each cylinder so it's perfect there.The entire outboard is as clean as you will find one and still has the original prop on it with not even a chip of paint off of it.It has some grease build up around it were the fittings are and up under the lower cowl were the grease comes out.It was put up in a barn hear in fl for close to 17yrs or so the guy told me as his old man owned it.Once i have the motor cleaned up i will post pics.I have not once in my life since they became scarce found one in any better condition and for the money i paid i just can't unload it.This is something i plan on keeping i may as well do everything up to specs,i may as well do the carb.These outboards all day go for between $1500 and $2200 in my area so i jumped on this fast.

Now granted i can probably just use this motor as is and it will run awesome,no doubt.I'm just a very anal person when it comes to making sure it's all up to specs and i noticed the wrong wires were on this outboard,in other words to long and i also noticed i just didn't like how the coils looked.All in all if i replace the coils and parts,wires,plugs,pull cord,full water pump,carb gaskets,new lower unit oil and plugs,new fuel filter assembly and clean it up to perfection/showroom i will only have around $1200-$1250 invested and it will be like new again and imo be extremely dependable.I forgot to say i would be doing all the work myself except for the pull cord so no labor costs.I guess i may as well do the carb then if i'm going this far.The carb gaskets from what i can see seem pretty solid and not brittle a bit so i guess i will give this some thought.If i get in the moment i may just go all the way and do it all.

You're back man, how's the suzuki running? Did you get rid of it already?

Yeah,i went through a few outboards,i guess i like the thrill of testing them.The suzuki was gone a while ago.I wanted to find a 20/25hp 2stroke merc or yamaha and i found one for really cheap and man this thing is cherry.As of now i have a brand new 20hp 4stroke merc and the 20hp 2stroke merc.The suzuki was a nice motor i just love the all in one handle for the merc and easy access oil filter.Plus i got the merc at cost with a full 5yr warranty.Yes the suzuki is efi and a hair lighter then the merc but i love how the merc is built/it's a tohatsu with merc decals and some great features.I also had the 25hp 4stroke efi suzuki and it was a nice outboard to.I just can't stay away from my 2strokes,i love them.The suzuki is by far neck and neck with get up on plane power but this 2stroke merc left it in the dust once on plane as it should because it's based on the 25hp powerhead and has so much more power.

The early 90's and early 00's mercs were power houses.There is a guy on youtube i have been following and this guy tests tons of outboards and it seems like the 20/25hp from like 1993 or around that yr were insane with power.I have watched near every yr of merc from like 85 till like 2006 on a near same jon boat and it just seems like the early merc had so much more power and wot speed.My outboard is a beast.I have owned quite a few 25hp mercs and this 20hp is the most powerful i have ever owned out any 20/25hp outboard i have ever owned.I can't quite put my finger on why either.I have heard through the yrs that the early mercs from these yrs like the 90's were built more powerful,i don't know if there is any truth to it but i like to give merc a call tom to see what they say.

Ok, i have one more question,any help would be awesome,

So i looked at the shift shaft rod today and it was not going through the reverse hook that is there but it looked like it should.So my question is,is the shift shaft rod on a 1993 20hp 2stroke mercury supposed to go through that hook before i connect it back to the clip under the carb?.The funny part is reverse is fine and i believe everything works as it should but man i am almost 100% positive from looking at it that it should go through that hook because the hook is just laying there and if you grab it,it moves all over the place as in back and forth and has lots of play.I'm hoping someone can confirm this as i am going to have this lower unit back on by tom night.

Any help would be awesome,thanks.

I found the answer to my own question,I did some research and got lucky as one fellow had the same issue as me,problem solved.

scoobeb said:

I found the answer to my own question,I did some research and got lucky as one fellow had the same issue as me,problem solved.

Click to expand...

If you don't post the solution to the problem/question, this thread will be pretty useless to the next guy doing a search for the same problem.

JMichael said:

scoobeb said:

I found the answer to my own question,I did some research and got lucky as one fellow had the same issue as me,problem solved.

Click to expand...

If you don't post the solution to the problem/question, this thread will be pretty useless to the next guy doing a search for the same problem.

Click to expand...

The top of the shift shaft from the get go was missing a ss washer,that was my first finding after doing research.2nd,the shift rod goes through the reverse loop as i suspected and the washer goes on the shift shaft before putting the lower unit back on.I always remember having a merc 2 stroke it being able to be tilted up in f gear but the motor would lock in f gear due to that washer not being on the shift shaft and it not being through the reverse loop.The washer is used so when it goes into f gear it lifts the hook to keep the outboard released at all times so if you were to hit a rock or stump or any hard objects the outboard will kick up and limit the damage if any to the lower unit.

This happens quite a bit when taken to a marina sometimes or by our own hand by mistake when replacing the impeller.They forget to check if the washer came off which is very common from all i have read.When putting the lower unit back in it is easy to pass right by the hook thinking it went through and then going on your merry way.The people this has happened to went to marina's to,figure that,a mechanic forgetting to put something back together right,hey they are usually in a rush so that is why i try to do as much as my own work as possible.The shop books do wonders and man i saved myself a ton of labor by doing all my own work.I tried to explain as best as possible.