Gear Shifting - Mercury 10 TwoStroke Operation, Maintenance & Installation Manual

9. Turn ignition key to the START position. If engine is cold, push in on key
to choke engine. If engine fails to start in 10 seconds, return key to ON
position, wait 30 seconds and try again.
10. Check for a steady stream of water flowing out of the water pump
indicator hole.
NOTE: Engines equipped with a thermostat ‑ The amount of water flow can
vary due to the thermostat operation. It may take several minutes for the
engine to warm up enough for water to start spraying out of the indicator hole.
IMPORTANT: If no water is coming out of the water pump indicator hole, stop
engine and check cooling water intake for obstruction. No obstruction may
indicate a water pump failure or blockage in the cooling system. These
conditions will cause the engine to overheat. Have the outboard checked by
your dealer. Operating the engine while overheated will cause serious engine
damage.

Gear Shifting

IMPORTANT: Observe the following:
•
Never shift the outboard into or out of gear unless the engine speed
is at idle. Shifting at higher than engine idle speed could cause
damage to the gearcase.
•
Do not shift the outboard into reverse when the forward motion of
the boat is greater than a no wake speed. Shifting into reverse at
higher boat speeds could cause the engine to stall, and in some
situations, this could cause water to be drawn into the cylinders,
resulting in severe engine damage.
•
Do not shift the outboard into reverse when the engine is not
running. Damage to the shift linkage could occur.
• The outboard has three gear shift positions: forward (F), neutral (N), and
reverse (R).
• Remote control models—always stop at the neutral position to allow the
engine idle speed to stabilize before shifting into another gear.
OPERATION
19804
19805
40
eng