# Just bought a 8hp Mercury 2 stroke and was wanting some info



## T Man (Nov 8, 2011)

Hey guys, I just bought an 8hp mercury outboard from a buddy of mine and was wondering if anyone could start me in the right direction. I have a hard time leaving well enough alone so I would like to:

A) Know how to positively id the year of the motor

B) Have someone educate me on prop pitch

C) Know what I can do to hop this thing up a little bit

D) Find a PDF or some sort of file with an owners manual


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## richg99 (Nov 10, 2011)

Most motors have a title/license manufacturers type tag on them. Can you post a picture of yours here? Rich


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## sixgun86 (Nov 10, 2011)

x2 on what Rich said. There will be a tag with model code on the midsection. Google that and it will tell you the year. Sometimes if you pull the cowl it might have it written or stamped inside. I had a Merc 5hp and put a higher pitch prop and didn't really notice much of a difference. Depending on how much weight you have in the boat makes a big difference on a motor that size. Not much you could do to hop it up. Be happy you aren't using a trolling motor or sell it come spring/summer and get something bigger.



> Conversely, a higher pitch will deliver greater top speeds, but slower acceleration. Be aware that lower-horsepower engines can bog down if fitted with a propeller with too high a pitch and diameter, and that can wear heavily on internal engine parts.
> 
> If you're changing pitch on a recreational boat, remember that each inch of pitch is worth about 200 rpm.Lowering the pitch will increase rpm and vice versa. For example, going from a 23 pitch to a 21 pitch will increase engine rpm by about 400 revolutions.
> 
> The trick is to find a prop that delivers acceptable acceleration and top speed.


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## richg99 (Nov 11, 2011)

If the boat isn't performing the way you want...try moving things around inside. The position of your gasoline tank; and/or batteries etc. have a big effect on a small boat's ride and performance.

Rich


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## Canoeman (Nov 11, 2011)

T Man said:


> Hey guys, I just bought an 8hp mercury outboard from a buddy of mine and was wondering if anyone could start me in the right direction. I have a hard time leaving well enough alone so I would like to:
> 
> A) Know how to positively id the year of the motor
> 
> ...



A: As mentioned there is a tag and you can cross reference that on a merc parts site.

B: do a google search to learn more on pitch etc..

C: Only thing you really can do is keep it running correctly with correct plugs and correct fuel mix etc.. There are people who put 15 hp carb's etc on them but they normally end up with a crappy running 8 hp merc.. 

D: Owners manual and service manuals can be found here Iboats manual link they are passworded and it is posted on same thread, if you can find it there keep diffing they are out there.


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