loose flywheel

[Jerry Carpenter]

I have 1999 200 hp merc. Needless to say at 11:00 pm on a saturday night in the middle of a larbor day downpour. The moter died and then refused to start. All the warning bells and horns are going off. We removed the engine cover and found the flywheel had about 1/4 movement (tilting movement) in it. I tied the boat up to the dock and left the brother-inlaw in charge and hitched a ride to the truck and trailer, the next morning I discovered the flywheel had approx. 1/2 turn with no resistance. I tightened the nut up a little more and relanuched the boat. Started fine for about 6 or 7 times. Problem solved or so I thought. That night the second time it started it was idiling about 2500 RPM. Took the boat to a shop and was informed today that by tighting it up had stripped the splines off of the fly wheeel new part is 330$. I guess the question is, is this going to be something I'm going to have to check all the time? Anyone else had this problem before?

 

[Jim B]

A guy in my club had the same problem with his 99 200 efi. From what he told me when he took it in the dealer said it was common for that to happen on that year motor and they had seen a few with that problem. Since the dealer fixed it has not been a problem for him any more.

 

[Staci Matheis]

How can YOU strip the splines by tightening it?

Doesn't seem likely to me.....

If they can take the torque the motor puts out.....

Surely a few cranks from your wrench wouldn't be enough.....

Even while holding the entire assembly steady with the flywheel.....