Welcome to the Service Department
Keeping your boat running its best is our #1 priority!
We speciallize in service and repair of the following engines 1990 and newer:
- Mercury outboards
- Mariner outboards
- MerCruiser engines and stern drives
- Mercury Racing outboards and stern drives
- Mercury SportJet outboards
- MotorGuide electric trolling motors
We offer great pricing on all Seasonal/Preventative Maintenance and any Diagnostics and Repairs. Since our inception, all jobs are quoted with a written estimate and work is only proceeded with upon customer approval. Feel free to give us a call so we can explain the processes that we have followed since our inception.
Service FAQs
How many locations does Performance Marine have?
There is only one true Performance Marine in Glendale, AZ. Performance Marine is a very popular name in the marine industry, but if you are looking for Sue, Randy, or Brent, you are in the right place. Even some shops located near us have a very similar name to ours, but be aware that we only have one location at this time.
How often should I change the water pump impeller on a 1986 200 hp Mercury outboard?
We recommend replacing the impeller on this engine as preventative maintenance every two years. As soon as the impeller is installed it is compressed into an eccentric housing that deforms the veins of the impeller and makes them begin to lose their spring. This means that whether you run the engine everyday or once a year, the veins are still taking a set to the housing. Changing the impeller every two years is a good way to keep from overheating your engine and setting off the dreaded overheat alarm.
Why is my Mercury V-6 carbureted engine so hard to start first thing in the morning, but so easy to start the rest of the day?
At Performance Marine we have found that when a V-6 carb engine is hard to start when cold, it has insufficient fuel to start. The most common problems are as follows.
- The carbs are not full of fuel because the primer bulb is not being pumped hard enough, or the arrow on the primer bulb is not pointing up while being pumped.
- The other common starting problem is not "choking" the engine for long enough. The key first needs to be turned to the "run" or "ignition on" position, not the "crank" position. Then the key needs to be pushed in and held in, while not cranking the engine, for up to 10 seconds. These engines do not have "choke butterflies", rather they are equipped with an enrichener valve. When you hold the key in, you open a fuel valve that drains fuel into the intake of the engine, giving it the fuel it needs for cold start. More "choke" will be required if the engine is cold or if it has been sitting for a long period of time. If you disconnect the fuel line and run the engine out of fuel before storing the engine, it may need to be "choked" multiple times on first start up. Once the engine has been run once, it will be far easier to start because it does not need the over rich condition to fire up. Some engines may only need the key to be "bumped" on restart to start the engine.
What oil should I be using for my Mercury Optimax or Pro XS engine?
Effective October 2010, Mercury OptiMax/DFI or Quicksilver DFI 2-cycle engine oil is the recommended oil for all OptiMax models, including Pro XS. (The previous recommendation stated the use of Mercury Premium Plus 2-cycle outboard oil in Pro XS models and OptiMax oil in non-Pro XS models.) OptiMax/DFI oil is a superior oil when compared to the Premium Plus oil. While both products are high quality 2-cycle engine oils suitable for use in OptiMax engines, the OptiMax/DFI oil contains a higher percentage of additives that reduce carbon deposit formation. Over time, under normal operating conditions, carbon deposits accumulate in the power cylinder (piston, cylinder head, and liners). In most cases the carbon deposits do not create a problem, but carbon deposits that form on the piston--particularly behind the piston rings and piston skirts--can reduce engine life and performance.OptiMax/DFI oil is specially formulated to prevent the carbon deposits from forming. It also does a better job of reducing existing carbon deposits than the Premium Plus oil. Going forward, the operation, maintenance, and warranty manuals for OptiMax outboards will recommend Mercury OptiMax/DFI or Quicksilver DFI 2-cycle engine oil to help maximize engine life and performance.Operation, maintenance, and warranty and service manuals are in the process of being updated. If Mercury OptiMax/DFI or Quicksilver DFI 2-cycle engine oil is not available, we recommend using Mercury or Quicksilver TC-W3 Premium Plus 2-cycle oil. Severe engine damage may result from use of an inferior oil. Performance Marine is proud to offer Mercury OptiMax/DFI in bulk for $22.95/gallon and Mercury Premium + Oil in bulk for $19.95/gallon. Normal bulk rules apply, we will only fill Mercury or Quicksilver gallon, 2 gallon and 2.5 gallon bottles. No fuel cans, milk jugs, off-brand jugs, etc. Please don't ask us to bend Mercury's rule because we won't.
Why is my carbureted MerCruiser so hard to start in the morning?
Most times when a customer has a starting problem with a carbureted MerCruiser engine, it is due to not enough fuel being fed into the engine. This can be caused by two main problems: a carburetor that is not filled with fuel or improper priming of the engine. If the engine has been sitting, the fuel can evaporate out of the carb. and make the engine not start. The carb. may refill by cranking the engine or it may have to be manually primed. On carb. engines with electric fuel pumps, the fuel line from the fuel tank must be removed at the connection to the engine and an outboard primer bulb be installed temporarily to refill the carb. Once the carb. is filled with fuel, the engine needs to be primed. On most engines, all you need to do to prime them is to push the throttle lever to wide open then back to neutral twice before cranking the engine. Typically two pumps on the control lever will give sufficient fuel for start up.
No matter how large or small the job, the factory certified technicians at Performance Marine will listen to your needs and perform the services to best solve your problems the first time.
All the systems you count on while boating can be checked or serviced at Performance Marine.
Aerators
T&H Marine, Mayfair, Johnson, Rule, and Atwood
Bilge Pumps
Atwood, Rule, Mayfair, and Water Puppy
Steering Systems
Sea Star, Teleflex, Uflex, and Mercury
Shift and Throttle Systems
Mercury Gen 2, and Teleflex
Trailer Hubs and Lights
Bearing Buddy, Wesbar, and Anderson
Switches, Lighting, and All Electrical
Sea Dog, Blue Sea, and Wesbar
Batteries and Switches
Trojan, Centennial, and Perko
Fuel Systems
Mercury, Quicksilver, Tempo, and Moeller
New Props and Prop Repair
Mercury: Tempest, Trophy, Fury, Bravo 1, Lazer II, Lab Finished Props, and Mercury Racing
Engine Hours: Download and Print
$52.50
Glendale, AZ
Service Description
Engines that are equipped with an Electronic Control Module that records engine hours can be accessed with the Mercury CDS Laptop. Once the data has been downloaded, a record can be printed. This valuable data can be used for Required Maintenance Intervals or can be given to potential buyers as Run Time Proof.
++Not all ECM's support the Run Time Print option, please call with your engine Serial Number and we can tell you if yours is one of them++