40HP Mercury question

[Blue Dawg]

Can't find the independent fuel filter on my merc. There's one you replace with a black plastic box around it. There's another that looks like a lawn mower but it clips I n and you need two little rubber type of rings it seal in with. I don't have a manual.
40 HP, 4 stroke, tiller. Help. What kind of manual should I invest in?

 

[Stand Up]

That is a good question regarding a repair manual for the Merc. I too would like a manual for my 9.9 of 2021 vintage. I know that I can find a digital version but no book.
Where do you get a Haynes or Clymer manual to allow for knowledgeable repairs?

 

[lightflyer1]

Ebay seems to have a few.

 

[airshot]

That is a good question regarding a repair manual for the Merc. I too would like a manual for my 9.9 of 2021 vintage. I know that I can find a digital version but no book.
Where do you get a Haynes or Clymer manual to allow for knowledgeable repairs?

Haynes and Clymer are pretty worthless in my opinion. I have found actual factory service manuals on Ebay and garage sales. Know your serial/model number and year as that is what is normally on the cover along with a pic.
Far more specs, details, trouble shooting info in a factory service manual. Yep they cost more, usually closer to 50 bucks, but when your done, I have always found buyers to get my money back, along with the knowledge I got from them.

 

[DaleH]

IMHO any Service Manual besides that of the OEM brands are TOTALLY WORTHLESS … talk about generic …

 

[oilsmoke]

IMHO any Service Manual besides that of the OEM brands are TOTALLY WORTHLESS … talk about generic …

That's always been the case, there are factory manuals and idiot manuals that tell you have to put oil and fuel in and how to change spark plugs but only the OEM service manual is worth anything. I hate having to page through a bunch of generic information tossed together to cover a bunch of years just to sell books or a CD.
Usually if you search hard enough online you will find a copy either one that someone bought and posted or one that someone scanned in themselves. You just have to dig around a bit but I've never not been able to find one.

For as much as these motors cost these days they should be required to supply everyone with a full set of service manuals. If I own the motor, I don't want to here **** about any copyright BS, its my motor and the manual should be part of the companies responsibility to the customer who owns it. If their counting on selling the motor AND getting me to pay for service, they're sadly mistaken. I've spent time at a dealer as a mechanic years ago and most of the guys they hired there didn't have a clue, there was usually only one guy who knew what he was doing and the rest were just kids muddling their way through it day to day in hope that they didn't break more than they fixed.

 

[airshot]

For older motors and I/O's, you might find downloads on the internet. Not a bad idea to download....did for the manual for my Mercruiser. Let it download overnight, over 900 pages ! Have it on a thumb drive, now I can go thru the index and choose what I want to read and print out. Over the 10 years of ownership, I punched the pages I printed and put them in a notebook. Well over 150 plus pages of nothing so those were never printed. When the boat was sold, the new owner got a copy of the thumb drive and what I had printed during that time. Big plus to the new owner, as there was no haggling on the selling price !!

 

[OldSailor85]

If you are doing your own work, invest in factory shop manuals.

They aren't perfect, by any means, but far better than Clymer, Haynes, etc.

...and buy decent parts if they are available.