Mercury VERADO 250-HP Engine Stalls, Unreliable

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Author Topic:   Mercury VERADO 250-HP Engine Stalls, Unreliable

SEAPRO posted 10-14-2009 05:15 PM ET (US)
I must say up front that I do not own a Whaler, but wish I did. I do however have a Mercury VERADO 250-HP engine. It is in its third season and has started to stall. I got to this site searching for a clue to the symptom. Monday I was headed toward Stellwagen and running at about 4,500-RPM for 20 miles when the engine just sputtered and cut out. It re-started and ran fine for about two hours of trolling and right into the trip home. It then stalled three more times on the way in. Early in the season, it would sputter and drop about 1,000-RPM, then recover. I brought it in to the dealership and they decided it was fuel related. They filled [the boat's fuel tank] and added a stabilizer that is to compensate for ethanol. Before Monday I had made several trips and burned about a full tank, 125-gallons. When refueling I was adding the same stuff to the tank in a little better than the minimum percent. I am concerned that the engine will be out of warranty next season and I will be stuck with paying for a solution. Has anybody had this diagnosed yet?
jimh posted 10-14-2009 08:24 PM ET (US)
The Mercury VERADO engine uses a component called a fuel supply module, or FSM. The fuel supply module has been known to fail due to problems with fuel quality and fuel with ethanol. There are many reports of owners of a Mercury VERADO engine having problems with the fuel supply module. Mercury appears to have a campaign in progress to replace the FSM in VERADO engines.
Based on your narratives of the running problems with your Mercury VERADO, and on the diagnosis of your Mercury VERADO dealer, it seems quite reasonable that the cause of the running problems is related to fuel. I recommend you have the dealer look carefully at the fuel supply module or FSM. If it has not already been serviced or replaced with an updated model, ask your dealer if your FSM might be the cause of these running problems. Many owners have reported that their VERADO engine's FSM was replaced under warranty at no cost.
glen e posted 10-14-2009 10:34 PM ET (US)
Jim is correct and I would find another dealer. You can't "compensate" for ethanol. Verado fuel floats were redesgined in mid 2007 to attack this problem. Get the float changed at a verado certified dealer at no cost and the problem will cease to exist. There is a lot of discussion about this here and at veradoclub.com. The problem seems to have died down since the 07 change.
R T M posted 10-14-2009 10:47 PM ET (US)
Stick around on this site long enough, and you`ll own a Whaler too.
rich/Binkie

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Author	Topic: Mercury VERADO 250-HP Engine Stalls, Unreliable
SEAPRO	posted 10-14-2009 05:15 PM ET (US) I must say up front that I do not own a Whaler, but wish I did. I do however have a Mercury VERADO 250-HP engine. It is in its third season and has started to stall. I got to this site searching for a clue to the symptom. Monday I was headed toward Stellwagen and running at about 4,500-RPM for 20 miles when the engine just sputtered and cut out. It re-started and ran fine for about two hours of trolling and right into the trip home. It then stalled three more times on the way in. Early in the season, it would sputter and drop about 1,000-RPM, then recover. I brought it in to the dealership and they decided it was fuel related. They filled [the boat's fuel tank] and added a stabilizer that is to compensate for ethanol. Before Monday I had made several trips and burned about a full tank, 125-gallons. When refueling I was adding the same stuff to the tank in a little better than the minimum percent. I am concerned that the engine will be out of warranty next season and I will be stuck with paying for a solution. Has anybody had this diagnosed yet?
jimh	posted 10-14-2009 08:24 PM ET (US) The Mercury VERADO engine uses a component called a fuel supply module, or FSM. The fuel supply module has been known to fail due to problems with fuel quality and fuel with ethanol. There are many reports of owners of a Mercury VERADO engine having problems with the fuel supply module. Mercury appears to have a campaign in progress to replace the FSM in VERADO engines. Based on your narratives of the running problems with your Mercury VERADO, and on the diagnosis of your Mercury VERADO dealer, it seems quite reasonable that the cause of the running problems is related to fuel. I recommend you have the dealer look carefully at the fuel supply module or FSM. If it has not already been serviced or replaced with an updated model, ask your dealer if your FSM might be the cause of these running problems. Many owners have reported that their VERADO engine's FSM was replaced under warranty at no cost.
glen e	posted 10-14-2009 10:34 PM ET (US) Jim is correct and I would find another dealer. You can't "compensate" for ethanol. Verado fuel floats were redesgined in mid 2007 to attack this problem. Get the float changed at a verado certified dealer at no cost and the problem will cease to exist. There is a lot of discussion about this here and at veradoclub.com. The problem seems to have died down since the 07 change.
R T M	posted 10-14-2009 10:47 PM ET (US) Stick around on this site long enough, and you`ll own a Whaler too. rich/Binkie