changing spark plugs in a mercury 60 hp outboard

[@mikeshomin8144]

Great job on the video! Also, if using just a 5/8 deep socket with no rubber insert or magnet, covering the open end if the socket with paper toweling and sliding the spark plug into the socket while catching the toweling between the plug and socket wall works in a pinch to hold plug in the socket. Done that many times with other applications.

[@martyepperly5803]

Your videos are excellent. You do a great job explaining and covering all the what and what not's to do. It's especially helpful when you explain what to expect, ie.-in your previous video on how the lower unit will drain when changing the oil.

[@huntnfishnuts5880]

Marty Epperly thanks for the great comment. I will try to do some videos covering trailer maintenance this season.

[@martyepperly5803]

@@huntnfishnuts5880 Have you done any videos on removing the lower unit and changing the water pump and/or impeller?

[@louislunky]

Very helpful videos! I've got my boat this year with a Mercury F60 EFI outboard and I enjoy it to get the maintenance explained step by step...thank You!

[@huntnfishnuts5880]

louislunky I’m glad you found the videos helpful. Thanks for watching.

[@deediddy]

Thanks. Always love watching someone else do it first.

[@huntnfishnuts5880]

DW B hope the info helped you out. Thanks for watching.

[@rob.halpin]

Fair play, m8. Thanks for another helpful vid. Keep them coming! That 60's a gem, isn't it? 🇮🇪

[@huntnfishnuts5880]

Robert Halpin your welcome. Yes I love this engine, I have Owens mind from new for 7 years and it has never let me down.

[@divindave6117]

As my ol man always said, and its 100% true... You can judge the quality of a mechanic by looking in his tool box.

[@huntnfishnuts5880]

It’s true, I could have bought a new house for what I have in my tool box.

[@divindave6117]

@@huntnfishnuts5880 yessir. I hear ya!

[@tomp3146]

Excellent tutorial! Thanks very much!

[@Itsme-vo4fx]

You recommend changing the spark plugs about every three years or so. Like you say, it depends on how much you use your boat. So, how many “hours” would you put on that 60hp Mercury before changing the plugs? I only put about 4 or 5 hours a year on mine, which is why I would be looking at total hours instead of years.

[@huntnfishnuts5880]

You can put a lot of hours on those plugs, especially running at low load. At that amount of hours a year I would not worry about changing your plugs for a long while, I would just check one for gap. If your gap is increasing or the plug tip is rounding off then change them out.

[@robertmacphee3913]

This has been a very helpful video. I bought a boat around a year ago and has maybe not been in the water in 20 years. I believe the outboard has basically 0 hours. Everything looks brand new. Except the fuel which I have taken the 2 tanks off and stupidly they have both been filled to the top. Can you please advise what I should do before I fire her up. New fuel filter, how can I flush what is in the system out without harming her. Sorry for the long post.

[@huntnfishnuts5880]

If it has not run in a long time I would spray penetrant oil into the cylinders and turn it by hand to make sure the rings are free and the engine turns over. Drain as much old fuel out as you can, if it’s carbureted drain the fuel bowl and clean it throughly it’s much harder to remove dirt from the carb once it sucks it in. Make sure you’d tanks and lines are clean. Might need to update the fuel lines to barrier lines due to the ethanol in the fuel now. Use fresh fuel from the tank might need a little starting fluid to get it primed up and running. Check your oil if it’s a 4 stroke or add oil to your mixer or fuel if it’s a two stroke.

[@michaelrank2274]

Thanks for your help !

[@huntnfishnuts5880]

I’m glad the video helped you out.

[@spenserwigsten6163]

Thanks for the videos, really thorough and informative.

[@huntnfishnuts5880]

Spenser Wigsten your welcome, hope it helped you out.

[@spenserwigsten6163]

@@huntnfishnuts5880 sure did, keep them coming! Hey, recommendation for you, I've been having a hard time finding concise info on prop choices for various boat/motor combinations. You should do a segment on prop types, and how diameter and pitch vary the performance.

[@mikeford9176]

What size socket do I need? 5/8 or 9/16? Sorry if I missed it

[@huntnfishnuts5880]

It’s a standard 5/8 spark plug, the plugs in my engine are regular copper cord plugs.

[@mikeford9176]

@@huntnfishnuts5880 Thank you gotta winterize this week probably

[@qryche1967]

Have any plans on doing a impeller replacement video?

[@huntnfishnuts5880]

I will when I have to replace it. You have to pull the lower end off the engine, I replaced one an evenrude outboard that I had previous to my mercury.

[@nomadchad8243]

Vessel view costs a couple hundred for the Bluetooth but it’s pretty cool to see all the info it spits out. It has a maintenance schedule built in too,

[@dalebertdurando1496]

If you drop a spark plug while unscrewing, will it drop down into the lower unit or somewhere that it can't be reached? Why all the concern for holding the plug in the socket?

[@huntnfishnuts5880]

It can fall into areas that are difficult to reach but it is more to keep the spark plug straight while you are putting it back into the cylinder head, also to hold it when accessing areas where you cannot use your hand to install the plug.

[@jmaus2k]

Many engines have spark plugs recessed on top of engine. You can't pull them out without the rubber washer.

[@qryche1967]

Do you use anti seize when replacing the plugs? The owners manual says to use it, but the plug mfgr says NOT to use it.

[@huntnfishnuts5880]

I do not use anti seize on spark plugs, they actually come from factory with a clear anti seize coating on them, with a liquid anti seize on them you cannot torque them properly as the anti seize acts as a friction modifier.

[@qryche1967]

@@huntnfishnuts5880 Thank you for your reply.

[@shyguy8240]

Why you have spark plug in the back like that? Does it has 5 spark plugs? I thought there was the 4 visible one we can see. You removed one hiding in the back there

[@tobypete2]

Awesome video, thank you

[@ricardovicente9300]

hellow sir yours videos are rly nice and iam learning very much mainetence the engine motor. so i have a question i have engine board like yours and my question is how many spark plug the motor have ?

[@huntnfishnuts5880]

This engine has 4 spark plugs as it is a 4 cylinder engine. It can be easier to get to the lower ones if you remove the coils first to give you more room.

[@Steelhead-p6c]

Awesome great job I like the little tricks how about a thermostat on that motor video!

[@russshuckrow5159]

will 5/8 fit the 90hp too? I read somewhere that it wouldnt

[@kaelenfabry9225]

Thanks for info -- but my difficulty is getting the last plug out (lowest one). I can't get at it very easily -- should I be removing something to get at it?

[@huntnfishnuts5880]

Kaelen Fabry it might help access if you take the coil off.

[@pensnut08]

THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What year is the engine? Mine was made in 2012 and got it used and I have no manuals or any of that, so this is a HUGE help!

[@huntnfishnuts5880]

This is a 2011 model year. It’s a stroke 60 Hp. Glad you found it helpful.

[@b.g.tercero2351]

Great videos. Would you mind snapping the steering cable on your boat so you can make a video fixing it?

[@huntnfishnuts5880]

I think I’ll pass on that request lol, but thanks for watching, if I ever do have to replace it I will post a video about it.

[@johnphilips3416]

good vidio,thanks for shareing

[@jonathanwise4252]

Where do I hook battery cable on 07 25 4stroke mercury elpt..positive to starter? Negative to block?

[@huntnfishnuts5880]

Jonathan wise the negative cable should go to the engine bock. The positive cable should go to the starter motor. It will then ground through the block to operate when you use the starter switch. Hook the positive up first then the ground.

[@christran419]

Thanks for the nice video! I have similar engine as yours 60hp 2008. My question is do you normally get salt residue right underneath the back of the engine inbetween the fuel filter and the spark plug ignition wires? Thanks

[@huntnfishnuts5880]

Chris Tran I cannot day as I do not run my boat in salt water only fresh. The area you are explaining to me should be covered from salt water exposure but I think the water pump vent is in that location make sure you don’t have a leak around the vent that might be spraying salt water on the back side of your engine. If you have residue it must be getting salt water on the engine from somewhere. Glad you found the video helpful.

[@rendezvous5784]

A lot of good info, thanks for sharing!

[@huntnfishnuts5880]

Rendezvous thanks Rendezvous hope the info was helpful to you.

[@dropover]

I was changing my oil filter (first time) and I noticed that the little red wire in the harness right next to the filter was cut. Maybe I accidentally did it. My questions are what is it? Can you run the motor without it? Can I rejoin it with a butt connector? If not, how can this be fixed? Anyone out there who can help? Thanks. Very good video by the way.

[@hootertexas9711]

Gotta get vessel view. $150 right now on sale from mercury. You gotta get it

[@huntnfishnuts5880]

I heard that’s a sweet set up might get that, thanks for watching

[@triciawhitstine2791]

Can you explain the trim in a video please

[@huntnfishnuts5880]

Tricia Whitstine the trim setting is the angle of your engine compared to the keel of the boat. At zero trim the engine is all the way down, you would have it here for idling around. When you increase speed and the boat comes up on plane you need to adjust your trim up from zero so the boat rides as parallel to the water as possible. This will make it go faster and easier to steer. It will also have the minimum amount of hull in the water. When your trim is correct you will notice a nice smooth ride with an increase in speed. Also the steering won't wander. Hope this answer helps out. Yes I may cover this in a future video.

[@MrDrewbug1]

Thank you, you know what your talking about.

[@caygeonkid]

Good idea to check what you need. They are not all as easy as this one. Try a 75hp Mercury Four Stroke as an example. Tough to even find them!

[@huntnfishnuts5880]

Oh yeah like the drain plug they put behind the propeller, that was clever. Thanks for watching.

[@FaithisKey792]

Thank you, extremely helpful.

[@darrelllee8218]

Good for the easiest plug, now show me how to do the other 3?????

[@jacksonkristoff903]

I like your shirt lol

[@huntnfishnuts5880]

Jackson Kristoff thanks Jackson, you can't go wrong with Jake the dog and Finn the human lol. My kids got me the shirt.

[@stepitupmorons8704]

hey thank u,,,

[@joshradford1989]

The bottom plug.

[@johnellenburg2297]

The coils are not 10 mm

[@JohnEastonFishTecCharts]

Try changing the bottom plug on a 40, engineering disaster

[@huntnfishnuts5880]

Yeah I deal with poor engineering decisions all the time with my job, sometimes you have to wonder what they where thinking especially for a service item.