Best place to call for 496 HO support / tech question need help??????
 

Any idea were the best place is to call for tech support for mercruiser 496 mag ho? Thanks have a throttle issues were you push thottle forward and nothing happens. No beep, to rpm increase. When running it is great just coming off idle sometimes. Note is did get a raw water strainer filled once and that limited rpm's but have flushed and cleaned them out. It is twin engine and the other is fine. Ran boat several times and it does it every once and awhile, but will be acceptable. Thanks

Very important questions will be ask by Merc and any Merc boat dealer service center. Serial # of the engine / and year model of the engine, also mechanical shift or DTS (fly by wire ) (persay) - also motor completely stock and what control box does your app have and or has that been changed out - worked on also any work done to the boat / motor as this all was working beforehand and now it does not. Anyways I might be to help knowing all these questions.

next scan the motor what or any fault codes present or stored in the history. Do you have smartcraft gauges? what happens when you run motor on the water hose ?

Later model 496's, 2004 or 2005 and up have a shift in gear switch and this could be your problem if it is out of adjustment or bad or bad connection9s). But again I have no idea what year model and engine serial # you have. This will dictate what you have as far as parts and set up from Mercruiser. and proper procedures to service marine engines from the OEM. .

Thanks for a direction to follow. Yes 2004's and yes fine before. Called somebody to try and get scanned.

With a pair of 496s, and issues like you describe, I'd invest in the Rinda scanner. www.rinda.com
Money well spent over the long run especially waiting for service in the height of the season.

So looking into that. Just not sure what to get. Semi new to boating and not sure what to get. This is why I ask here. Alot of good people have helped me before

Call Rinda and they will walk you through it; could not be easier.

a magic 8 ball is a more affordable way to diagnose engine problems on a 496

Quite the opposite. Please tell us about your experiences with such.

And I will give you guys the lastest. Diacom / Rinda has a new lastest scanner hand held called Techmate Pro scanner. You can get it in different levels for motor apps as what those engines you want it to scan. The deluxe kit that will scan everything including Merc outboards all current catalyst engines, all PCM & ECM 555 and all MEFI 1 thru 6 and E control controllers. Also will scan all Ilmor engines on top of more. The cost is 829 for the top of the line deluxe model. Of course there is different levels of the tool so pricing would be cheaper. I just talk to Mr. Rinda about some of the newer diagnostic stuff so putting this info out there. Good luck

I highly recommend the new TechMate Pro Scanner by Diacom / Rinda. I have mine now for over a week and it is the best hand held scan unit on the market. It is brand new. No laptop needed, just the unit and the correct adaptors tp plug into the DLC.

I have nothing to do with marketing it or selling them but if you could, if in fact you order the new scan unit from Rinda pass the info on that you received this from John who is with Am-tech and Boats Unlimited. Thank You very much.

Also this unit is the only scan for the new Indmar Ford marine engines on top of everything else it will scan. FYI

I agree, boating with an engine that has guardian mode without a scan tool or smart craft can be frustrating, diagnosing using a forum and throwing parts at it can be expensive.

Years ago a guy missed a poker run because one of his 700sci wouldn't come off idle, the culprit, a weak impeller making no pressure at idle. Engine was running just as cool as the other.


You also have the option with twins to swap parts, however some sensors are delicate and can be damaged removing them.

If you want a guess, my guess is your TPS. If you have a good volt meter you can back probe and test (google TPS volt meter test)

4bus - Will smartcraft tell you everything that a scan tool will?

Smart craft will read codes and show data stream from every sensor, the smart craft will not perform systems tests such as leak down, base timing hold and other ECU commands.

the smartcraft will not tell you as much info as a scan tool in fact some of the codes thrown in the smartcraft are not correct and need to be checked with scan tool

Smartcraft does not give you the specs nor the parameters of the sensors or for any fault codes. It will show a fault with a abbreviated listing of that fault code on the smartcraft gauge. Example: ESC-NS POS DIFF - means ESC and neutral switch position fault. You have to learn this abbreviations as well as they are in all the diagnostic service manuals thru the OEM's.

Thanks guys, good to know.