Official 19SPX/21SPX/SPX190/SPX210 Thread

I was reading an article the other day on winterizing your boat. It mentioned that the new fuel systems do not require storage with a full tank of fuel due to the system does not allow moisture in like the systems of yesterday. I have a ‘18 SPX 210 with Merc 150. Do the new systems truly keep moisture from outside air condensing in your tank or just reduce it? Is a fuel water separator necessary?
The new system you're referencing is the EPA vapor collection system, similar to what cars have been using for many decades. So, yes, in theory it greatly reduces the amount of ambient air entering the tank and since your tank is plastic, it will suffer less condensation than an aluminum tank will. Will this "eliminate" problems... I wouldn't take THAT to the bank :) Best practice is still to properly treat the gas with a good additive (which you should really be doing all year) and fill the tank. You can't go wrong doing that and an additive like Startron is pennies a gallon and offers other benefits, too. Is it "needed"? No. But again, it can only help.

I believe the filter that you already have on the engine is a fuel/water separator - although it is quite small. It certainly can't hurt to install a boat-mounted filter - you have plenty of room for it.
 
Best practice is still to properly treat the gas with a good additive (which you should really be doing all year)
This concept is often looked upon as what is necessary today because of the so called crappy ethanol gas we have to buy. Truth is that stabilizing gas for boats has been recommended for at least 70 years.
 
The new system you're referencing is the EPA vapor collection system, similar to what cars have been using for many decades. So, yes, in theory it greatly reduces the amount of ambient air entering the tank and since your tank is plastic, it will suffer less condensation than an aluminum tank will. Will this "eliminate" problems... I wouldn't take THAT to the bank :) Best practice is still to properly treat the gas with a good additive (which you should really be doing all year) and fill the tank. You can't go wrong doing that and an additive like Startron is pennies a gallon and offers other benefits, too. Is it "needed"? No. But again, it can only help.

I believe the filter that you already have on the engine is a fuel/water separator - although it is quite small. It certainly can't hurt to install a boat-mounted filter - you have plenty of room for it.

Thanks for the info! I do use Startron and ethanol free gas. I am a bit paranoid about it due to a previous boat built in 1990 that would collect water like nobodies business. I did not know that the inline filter was also a separator. I thought it was just a filter.
 
I'm pretty sure it is - you might want to double check, though.

Checking the maintenance Manual, it refers to it as being a low pressure fuel filter.
Is a propeller bore sleeve standard on the ‘18 150 4 stroke? Mine never has had one. It is mentioned in the Manual if equipped. I have no idea if mine should have the bore sleeve.
 
I’ve been looking through posts this morning but have been unable to find much information if others have added hydraulic steering to a 2018 190 SPX OB? It’s a shame Sea Ray did not include this as a standard feature on this boat. Any information would be greatly appreciated.
 
I’ve been looking through posts this morning but have been unable to find much information if others have added hydraulic steering to a 2018 190 SPX OB? It’s a shame Sea Ray did not include this as a standard feature on this boat. Any information would be greatly appreciated.
Can you clarify what you're asking? Hydraulic steering IS what that boat has. That's the thing mounted in front of the engine with the two hydraulic lines going to it. It's way more than adequate for a 150HP and is a very dependable system.
 
Can you clarify what you're asking? Hydraulic steering IS what that boat has. That's the thing mounted in front of the engine with the two hydraulic lines going to it. It's way more than adequate for a 150HP and is a very dependable system.
Thanks, guess I'll look into it a bit more in the spring. Purchased end of last year and doesn't seem to be working. I'll have to check the level.
 
Thanks, guess I'll look into it a bit more in the spring. Purchased end of last year and doesn't seem to be working. I'll have to check the level.
It's going to feel a little different than the power steering you have on your 300 - but it shouldn't be hard/stiff. If there's a leak, the first sign is usually a "bumpy" steering feel or even no steering.

Under normal circumstances, there shouldn't be a leak and you shouldn't have to do anything with it for a long time.

It may just be that it's different than what you're used to?
 
How would I tell if my 2018 merc 150 uses the prop bore sleeve? I have slippage/cavitation at plane and if I back off the throttle just a little the prop grabs again and I maintain speed at a lower rpm. Prop is OEM.
Currently my prop does not have one and it was suggested by a shop manager that I had too much gap between the prop and the motor. He did not mention that a prop sleeve was an option. Just learned about this item recently.
 
How would I tell if my 2018 merc 150 uses the prop bore sleeve? I have slippage/cavitation at plane and if I back off the throttle just a little the prop grabs again and I maintain speed at a lower rpm. Prop is OEM.
Currently my prop does not have one and it was suggested by a shop manager that I had too much gap between the prop and the motor. He did not mention that a prop sleeve was an option. Just learned about this item recently.

Take off the prop nut and washer and you should see it. Or find the prop model / ID number and look it up.

Don't know if you have drive trim or not on that motor, but if you have drive trim, could it be possible the motor is trimmed out too much? That happened on every stern-drive I ever owned if trimmed too much. Trim down a little and she grabs again. Finding the sweet spot for trim is by feel, no science involved, to see where / which angle gives best speed / RPM at planing speeds. Too little and it dogs out, too much and it breaks loose and cavitates.
 
How would I tell if my 2018 merc 150 uses the prop bore sleeve? I have slippage/cavitation at plane and if I back off the throttle just a little the prop grabs again and I maintain speed at a lower rpm. Prop is OEM.
Currently my prop does not have one and it was suggested by a shop manager that I had too much gap between the prop and the motor. He did not mention that a prop sleeve was an option. Just learned about this item recently.
Not having a prop sleeve causing your problem sounds like shop manager bs. Regardless, I believe the 2018 would have had one.

Did you buy the boat new or used? If used, maybe the PO lost it. Also, what is the mounting position? It should be 3 up for a 190. Don't know what for a 210. If a PO raised the motor, that could be the issue.

Our 190 is awesome on a straight run. The only way I can get it to ventilate is with an extreme turn at near wot.
 
Thanks for the info. Hence I didn't get whatever a "simrad" is! LOL! No worries there.

"I just tested the boat yesterday with the SE 400 hydrofoil and the boat planes faster and bow rise is much lower. I also put on a quicksilver nemesis 4 blade prop this morning and will let you know how it is"

should I just START off with that different prop?
Hey Matt, digging up an old thread, how did the Nemesis Prop work out for you? I just ordered the 14x19 nemesis to replace my black max and wondering how it performed for you. Are you running a stern drive or OB?
 
Not having a prop sleeve causing your problem sounds like shop manager bs. Regardless, I believe the 2018 would have had one.

Did you buy the boat new or used? If used, maybe the PO lost it. Also, what is the mounting position? It should be 3 up for a 190. Don't know what for a 210. If a PO raised the motor, that could be the issue.

Our 190 is awesome on a straight run. The only way I can get it to ventilate is with an extreme turn at near wot.

I purchased new. I do not recall ever seeing a prop sleeve on it. I had the motor lowered to the correct hole, one down from the top hole. I did discover that if I trim the motor up just a little from all the way down that it helped out on eliminating cavitation on the hole shot.
When I have planned out and running about 25-30, the prop is slipping. I can back of the throttle just a small bit and the prop grabs and rpm's drop. The best way to describe it is like a Manuel transmission and you slip the clutch in a little at speed than release the clutch and get full bite if that makes sense. I have played with the trim when it does this but throttle works better.
 
My 150 is in the 3rd hole up and from what I have learned that's where it should be. But mine is the 190, not a 210. Maybe contact SR to see what they recommend.

Trimming up on hole shot is counter-intuitive. Something else is going on here.

My first thought was that maybe your black rubber Flo-torq sleeve is damaged and the prop is slipping under load. But that should be easy to check.

I googled info about the white plastic bore sleeve and cavitation did indeed come up. Maybe that wasn't a bad suggestion after all. It won't hurt to put one on, and that would be my first move.
 
Ventilation does happen without the plastic sleeve. It was figured out a little while after production of the engine (and similar engine/case designs). Without it, some of the exhaust gases can sneak out around the prop instead of through it causing the ventilation.

Edit: "Sneaks out" is probably the wrong term to use since what's really happening is a low pressure zone is being created by the water flowing over the gap between the casing and prop and pulling the gases out... which is why different speeds/trim angles may cause this more/less due to way the water flows. Or, at least, that's my interpretation of it!

As a side note... cavitation is an entirely different thing - although those terms often get mixed up.
 
My 150 is in the 3rd hole up and from what I have learned that's where it should be. But mine is the 190, not a 210. Maybe contact SR to see what they recommend.

Trimming up on hole shot is counter-intuitive. Something else is going on here.

My first thought was that maybe your black rubber Flo-torq sleeve is damaged and the prop is slipping under load. But that should be easy to check.

I googled info about the white plastic bore sleeve and cavitation did indeed come up. Maybe that wasn't a bad suggestion after all. It won't hurt to put one on, and that would be my first move.

I did replace the Flo-Torgue sleeve and that did not change anything. I looked up the model number on Boats.net and came up with #27 Sleeve bore that is not on the shaft. I will put on one and see if that solves the problem.
Thanks to everyone for their input!
 

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I did replace the Flo-Torgue sleeve and that did not change anything. I looked up the model number on Boats.net and came up with #27 Sleeve bore that is not on the shaft. I will put on one and see if that solves the problem.
Thanks to everyone for their input!
The prop hub (flo-torque) would never cause your issue. When it goes bad... it's bad. No in between. The part we've been talking about is the bore sleeve.
 
i went thru same bore sleve issue, I went to mercury web site, and made contact with them, emailed engine model # and they confirmed I needed one, and which one i needed.
 
i went thru same bore sleve issue, I went to mercury web site, and made contact with them, emailed engine model # and they confirmed I needed one, and which one i needed.

Seems like this is a secret that few service people know about.
What was the part number Mercury gave you? The one I purchased is 8M0054695.
I have not had a chance to install it and test it yet.
Thanks
 

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