# Help ID my Mariner! (and rebuild/maintenance stuff)



## stinkynathan (Mar 4, 2009)

I just bought a boat with a Mariner 15hp motor. I'm trying to ID it so that I can get the carb rebuild kit and any other parts I may need.

The tag said:


> Mariner 15m
> 684C s 018599


I've searched the internets and read about other 684C engines and I'm guessing that this is a 1981?

It won't start right now. When I bought it, he showed me that it runs for a few seconds on starter fluid. It was REALLY cold that day, so I assumed that it's just a cold-blooded engine. Obviously that's not good for the engine so I need to rebuild the carb I'm assuming.

The starter is only grabbing on the last 4"-6" inches of pull and I randomly get a half pull of grab when things line up. How easy/expensive is that going to be to fix?

The guy I bought it from said he didn't winterize it and I'm just going to assume from that statement that maintenance hasn't been done (at least not regularly) for the 3 years he owned it. Maybe he did winterize it other years, but I'm not taking any chances. I'm going to replace the plugs, rebuild the carb, and change lower unit lube. What else do I need to do to this thing?

I've already ordered the 77-89 Mariner Seloc manual, but I'm impatient....hehe. The lakes are still frozen here and I still feel like I should get this thing going pronto.

Are there any sites online that sell parts for these motors? marineengine.com has some things, but I didn't see listings for my serial number under the Mariner OR Yamaha sections.

More questions/comments to follow as I work on this thing.

Thanks!
Nathan


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## Captain Ahab (Mar 5, 2009)

Welcome aboard Nathan


I suggest your order a factory manual - the Seloc is fine for general stuff but a factory manual will give you everything!


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## Zum (Mar 5, 2009)

Welcome.
Where are you from,alot of those Mariners up here in Canada were made by Yamaha and alot of the parts are the same.Yamaha parts tend to be cheaper.


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## bassboy1 (Mar 5, 2009)

stinkynathan said:


> It won't start right now. When I bought it, he showed me that it runs for a few seconds on starter fluid. It was REALLY cold that day, so I assumed that it's just a cold-blooded engine. Obviously that's not good for the engine so I need to rebuild the carb I'm assuming.


Starting fluid is bad news for 2 strokes. If you need something like that, pour premix into a squirt bottle, and use that to squirt into the carb.


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## stinkynathan (Mar 5, 2009)

bassboy1 said:


> stinkynathan said:
> 
> 
> > It won't start right now. When I bought it, he showed me that it runs for a few seconds on starter fluid. It was REALLY cold that day, so I assumed that it's just a cold-blooded engine. Obviously that's not good for the engine so I need to rebuild the carb I'm assuming.
> ...



Oh yes, I didn't know that when I bought it, but I read it after I got home. I've since quit using starter fluid. What's this premix of which you speak?



Zum said:


> Welcome.
> Where are you from,alot of those Mariners up here in Canada were made by Yamaha and alot of the parts are the same.Yamaha parts tend to be cheaper.



I'm pretty sure that it is a Yamaha-made Mariner, but I haven't yet found someone that can identify exactly what year I have OR a source for the rebuild parts online. My Seloc manual is supposedly still "out for delivery" by UPS today, I'm not holding my breath since it's already 4:20. 

I've seen various sources for Mariner parts online, but no one has parts for my serial number range, at least as far as I've found. Same for the Yamaha parts I've seen. I pulled the carb and couldn't find any identifying marks on it, either.


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## bassboy1 (Mar 5, 2009)

> What's this premix of which you speak?



Oh man, when in reference to 2 strokes, that phrase makes me cringe beyond belief. Now, you may know about this, just under different names, but in case you don't, I'll explain. It is the gas and oil mix that 2 strokes run. 2 strokes do not have an oil pan, or keep a few quarts of oil in the crankcase, for parts lubrication. Instead, the oil is mixed with the fuel, and it lubricates the parts, and is burned with the fuel. Your motor runs at 50 parts fuel to 1 part oil. You just mix it with the gas. Use a TC-W3 rated outboard 2 stroke oil. Running a motor with regular gas, and not premix is just the same as pulling the drain on the bottom of your tow vehicles oil pan, and then cranking it up and driving it, without putting fresh oil in.


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## stinkynathan (Mar 5, 2009)

bassboy1 said:


> > What's this premix of which you speak?
> 
> 
> 
> Oh man, when in reference to 2 strokes, that phrase makes me cringe beyond belief. Now, you may know about this, just under different names, but in case you don't, I'll explain. It is the gas and oil mix that 2 strokes run. 2 strokes do not have an oil pan, or keep a few quarts of oil in the crankcase, for parts lubrication. Instead, the oil is mixed with the fuel, and it lubricates the parts, and is burned with the fuel. Your motor runs at 50 parts fuel to 1 part oil. You just mix it with the gas. Use a TC-W3 rated outboard 2 stroke oil. Running a motor with regular gas, and not premix is just the same as pulling the drain on the bottom of your tow vehicles oil pan, and then cranking it up and driving it, without putting fresh oil in.



Well, yeah, I know that 2-strokes run 50:1. That's filed in the common sense category for me. I've just never heard of anything called "premix," especially in regards to putting it in a bottle to spray in a carb. I've never worked on a 2-stroke, but I'm not *completely* ignint :mrgreen:


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## Zum (Mar 5, 2009)

https://www.brunswickmarineemea.com/download/dosearch/@isnew/desc?mod=17&lang=EN&categories=Outboard$

This is a good link to find the year.
Kinda looked through it...thinking it's an 1982,made in Japan,Yamaha


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## stinkynathan (Mar 5, 2009)

Zum said:


> https://www.brunswickmarineemea.com/download/dosearch/@isnew/desc?mod=17&lang=EN&categories=Outboard$
> 
> This is a good link to find the year.
> Kinda looked through it...thinking it's an 1982,made in Japan,Yamaha



Sweet! Thank you!

Now, the problem is finding a carb kit for this motor. I haven't even been able to find anything that I think identifies the carb. I see a "68453" and "2C" stamped on the outside of the carb, but I can't find anything in the parts catalogs online that coincide with those.

What else should be looking to replace/rebuild other than the plugs, lower unit fluid, and carb?


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## Zum (Mar 6, 2009)

I not sure if you checked the compression but anyways.
The carb. may just need a cleaning,hopefully your fuel pump is good and you tank and hose that supplies the fuel is good.New plugs(maybe even check to see if you have fire,may need wires etc.),new premix fuel...she if she'll go.Lower unit oil and the other things are real good to do also...I always like to see them start.
If your stumped on the carb.kit,maybe you have a Mariner/Yamaha dealer that can help you out by bringing it in.That manual should help.


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## stinkynathan (Mar 8, 2009)

Replaced the gas and plugs today...couldn't get it started. I pulled the plugs and let it sit for a few hours. I came back tonight, adjusted the carb linkage and it fired up on the third pull. Not sure if I'll still rebuild the carb and fuel pump. We'll see how hard it is to start tomorrow before I make a decision on that.

Now if I can just get the 1/8 to 1/4 turn of slop out of the twist throttle gears this thing will be ready for the season.


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## Captain Ahab (Mar 8, 2009)

Glad to hear your boat is progressing


And about your screen name. . . . . ?????


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## stinkynathan (Mar 9, 2009)

Well, the issues never seem to end. I let it sit for the last 24 hours to see if it would start easy or hard and require a rebuild. It started and died on the second pull. Pushed in the choke, pulled a third time, and pulled the rope off about in the middle. It started and ran just fine, though! A new rope and I should be good to go. If it wasn't going to be so cold here the next few days I'd fill a garbage can with water and test this thing out for real.

Question:

Should the twist throttle be spring-loaded and auto-return to idle like a motorcycle throttle does?



Captain Ahab said:


> Glad to hear your boat is progressing
> 
> 
> And about your screen name. . . . . ?????



In high school I accidentally farted in PE right by the "hot, popular girl" and she yelled, "Nathan just farted! Nathan is stinky! Stinky Nathan!" I signed up for Hotmail and AOL messenger a week later when they were just starting to get popular and picked that for my name. I pretty much just choose it out of habit now.


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