Thank you very much for this series on the Merc Model 200 20 hp motor. I have one of this model and have experienced nearly every single joyful situation you have been thru myself, with the exception of the Ting-ting sounds (knock on wood). The one thing you have had to enjoy yet is the reverse lockout linkage breaking. The original part was plastic (whomever thought that was a good idea needs to be slapped across the face several times) and then later superseded by an entirely metal linkage. Doesn’t seem like a big deal to replace, but man, let me tell you, it has been and still is a major pain in my backside. To gain access to the “guide” cover that keeps the lower end of the linkage shaped like an L into the little milled track on the shift cam you have to remove all four motor mount bushings from pivot yoke, which isn’t really that big a deal until I discovered you can’t remove the motor and tail shaft without first removing the upper shift linkage which can only be pulled out from the top. Which means (I should have bought the 2021 Honda 15 Hp I saw on Craigslist for $2,500) you need to remove the shift selector handle, shaft, gear and spring tensioner in addition to removing the entire carb and fuel line assembly to draw the upper shift shaft up and out of the tail so you can then remove the engine and tail assembly from the pivot yoke… all that to get access to a couple little bolts that hold the freaking guide cover on top of the shift cam… so, if your reverse lockout linkage is still one of the plastic parts, it is going to break and it will break at the worst possible moment, naturally. Thankfully there are lots of the new better (which is laughable to call this design better, trust me) linkage arms available for between $15-25 on the eBay or Scamazon. If you need one, let me know because I had ordered one, then couldn’t find the damn thing when I got around to installing it, so ordered yet another one and promptly found the original part shortly afterwards… 😑. Which is also why I have two spare shift selector shaft gears, too… broke one on a fishing trip, went to install it and couldn’t find where I had stashed it, so ordered 2 more from eBay hoping that one or the other would be delivered in time for me to replace it before an upcoming fishing trip, and neither one was delivered on time to do the repair and I ended up making the repair at the lake (6,100 ft elevation, no electricity, no cell service, no nothing up there) and after I replaced it the damn shift was stuck in forward due to the reverse lockout linkage being bound in the stupid guide cover where the shift cam lives on the shift shaft. Just pulled the motor off and spent the week burning thru three huge batteries with my trolling motor (the lake is greater than 1,600 sq. Acres) and managed to still put some decent sized German Brown and Rainbow trout in the boat. Just really slowly and not from the parts of the lake where we’ve brought in some 24-26” trout in years past, sadly. I suppose those fish will still be there when we get back up there with a fully functional motor someday though. Thanks again for your videos relating to this motor that some of us are stuck with. I just hate discarding things that can be repaired, but in this case I should have just jumped on the Honda 15 hp motor and been done with it… you have earned my subscription, man. Cheers from NorCal - Eric

What a day on the water. Nice pickup on the detent cable for the shifter adjustment on the motor. Good luck on finding a good prop for it. Thanks, Tim

Thanks for posting . Cheers

Micheal, you do have Skilz! Love watching your work, and your thought process.

Thank you now we're Talking love when you talk outboards even 20hp ding ding nose

Thanks for posting Happy July 4th.

9x9 is the orig prop and is the right rpm on my 14' deep V heavy boat(24 mph)- you may have to get more prop in the water (lower jack?)- The issue W/ slipage I had was after I replaced the prop seal and I had not quite seated the ring screw retainer ahead of the seal- I tightened the retainer ring just a half turn(it's a large diameter ring) and that was all it took- no more slip

First off HAPPY 4th to Ya and Yours . Man that Murphy DingDing Mercury surely does like to test ya nerves don’t it . For some reason its got some bad juju . Would’ve like to seen the machining down of prop.. I like operating a manual Lathe Hopefully you can find a good prop for it or Nothing else Ya can always turn it into a mini Frankenstein with a 6or8 hp . As always Sir thanks for the ride along and Keep’em coming..👍👍👍👍👍

this looks like something that would happen to me. your driveing me nuts with the shots with of the 1955 johnson in the back ground. LOL

Oooooh shiny new prop.

Same as some earlier commentors, I think that ding-ding comes from the recoil starter. Just for the fun of it, pull and hold the starter rope once the engine has started and see if that makes a difference. If it seems like it, as a final test, you ought to pull the whole recoil mechanism ioff and start the engine with a drill. Got a similar 20 hp Mercury lurking in the shop that I've been proscrestinating fixing as I expect it to also be an endless source of frustration. Regards !

Michael, very useful as usual. Two requests… I wish you would have included footage of how you machined the props. Second, have you ever considered getting a cheap bore scope off of Amazon for those shots that you can’t get to with a Go Pro?

@ 16:25 I can just hear them now. Let me start making the popcorn. I work with a mercury mechanic. His son is also a marine engine mechanic.... with less brand loyalty.

Iv'e shot the hub with self starting screws, just to get me by. Crowning the circumference of the hub is gangster but it works.

Go to a prop shop… get new clutches pressed in the two blade

I have this same motor someone gave to me. I know nothing about outboards so I am trying to watch your videos and determine if this thing is worth rebuilding the carb and putting money into. It has 60psi on both cylinders with me pulling the cord.

Cool😊

Hey off topic here but, I bought a 72 Johnson sea horse from you a few years back. Still runs perfectly. However I need your assistance on a 92 evinrude 60 horse. How can I get ahold of ya privately?

I am positive you will get an original prop for it. Is there a re- hub kit available for it?

That ting sound must be coming from the recoil start. When you first pull the recoil start you hear the noise.

Michael at RMD do you ever find out why that Mercury has Ding ding nose I would love to watch you find the bottom of it I love your Show everything outboard and Your in Board Mercury I really do

very frustrating morning for you, it would get us all fired up, I have just watched guys loosing their vehicle's on the boat ramp, they have got to be total write-offs, not putting on their parking brake, now that's got to hurt.

hello i have a 1978 mercury 200 20hp outboard .how to add electric stater

How do you fix overheating of Suzuki outboards ? Straight from the factory with overheating when running @ idle. The factory knows about this but I am not seeing any updates from Suky.

How often do you change the water in the tank? Ever get any mosquitoes in there?

Michael I bet something lose in motor I hear the ding ding still that puzzles me

Now you know how other Mercury owners feel! 😂

Michael was that Ding ding nose ?

that was not locking in you can't hear it. it could be hear in rev

Losing that mic - dang!

I had heard it is bad to run a 2 stroke out of fuel. Is that an old wives tale? It definitely is a lot easier than pulling the drain plugs on the carb.

Lol….if it will go wrong..

It,s a Murcury what do you want do not like Murcurys ...........