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Propellor turning at idle.

M

m0rgo

New member
Apologies if this is a basic question.

But, I have inherited a 2.5 HP 2-stoke Mercury outboard.

Everything seems to work OK, but the propellor rotates at idling i.e. minimum throttle setting.

Being a total novice with outboards, I'm not sure that this is right. I expected virtually no propellor movement until substantial revs are applied, given it's a centrifugal clutch.


Can anyone advise me?

Thanks
 
Thanks for getting back guys.

I have assumed it's a centrifugal clutch as there is no gear shift. The motor rotates 360 degrees, so no reverse.

I tried the motor out in a large bin. It seemed to me that as I pull the start cable the prop was turning, as there was immediately water movement, and once started, at the lowest rev setting, there is a fair amount of water churning about - consequently, it's difficult to see what exactly is going on.

Could that be water pump action? Seems a bit vigorous for that.

I would have thought - now there's dangerous - that at minimum revs, there wouldn't have been any prop movement - otherwise it's not going to be possible to stop with the motor running.

I've tried looking at various vids' on Youtube, but could find nothing conclusive.
 
The serial starts OP1104..

So, it would be normal to have some prop rotation, even at idle, in order for the cooling system to work.

My experience is more with inboard engines that have gear selection.

I guess at the low end, just shutting off the motor is as good a way as any to stop.


Thanks for the reply anyway.

Cheers

Duncan
 
It looks like there is no clutch at all and therefore the prop will be turning whenever the engine is running. Stopping or at least slowing could be achieved by turning the outboard around to what would be a reverse position (the prop always turns in the one direction only pushing water under the boat instead out out behind the boat). You will find that the waterpump (if there is one) will have to be always operating and will be driven off the vertically mounted drive shaft (from under the powerhead down through the leg to the prop shaft).
 
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