Ignition timing for a 2-stroke engine is determined by the height of the piston before top dead center (TDC). The ignition timing is indicated by the distance from TDC, not the angle of the crankshaft. TDC is the position of a piston when it is at the very top of its stroke. The elusive part is caused by piston dwell, where there are a number of rotational degrees, before and after TDC; making it difficult to measure piston height differences, even with the most precise dial indicator. You should still use a dial indicator, but to address this issue, we measure two points and split the difference to find TDC: Insert the dial indicator into a spark plug adapter. Rotate the engine clockwise until the dial indicator drops to a certain reading. Mark that reading on the flywheel. Rotate the engine counterclockwise until the dial indicator reaches the same reading. Mark that reading on the flywheel. TDC is halfway between the two marks. On a Mercury 2-stroke V6 outboard, we typically use 25 degrees (roughly 150 thousand of an inch) before and after TDC and indicate 25 degrees on the Buckshot Racing Super Timing Wheels (Magnet for the stock OEM and Light Race Flywheel or Decal for the Power Performance Engineering (PPE) Flywheel with Titanium flexplate) to find and compare the most accurate timing across all 6 cylinders. Timing varies from cylinder to cylinder (based on multiple factors), flywheel to flywheel (based on the placement of magnets), and from powerhead to powerhead (based on compression, fuel octane, rich or lean). Please call with any questions. Advancing ignition timing increases high-end power and decreases low-end power. It also helps the spark get past the ignition delay and run at peak power. Retarding ignition timing causes the spark plug to fire later in the compression stroke, reducing power. This is because the cylinder pressure won't reach its max until the piston is already headed back down on the Power Stroke. Overly advanced timing can reduce power and make the engine overheat. It can also cause detonation, which can lead to a hole melted in the piston.

The bleed lines on Mercury V6 2-stroke outboards (150, 175, 200, 225, 245, 260 hp, Pro Max) are to pump fuel and oil from reed cages back into cylinders. The lines are connected 180 degrees apart to bleed off pooled oil in the reed cage area.  Bleed lines are important because fuel and oil can puddle in the bottom of the cages and create a rough idle. When replacing bleed lines, you should:  Replace all of the lines Cut the lines from a 10' or 20' roll Follow the specific routing and lengths listed in the OEM Service Manual Make sure all check valves on the bleed lines are functioning properly Replace the lines one at a time Pay attention to the length of the lines, especially any that cross behind the intake manifold If you decide to remove all the bleed hoses, make sure to leave and or replace the lines that lubricant the top cap bearing and center main bearings. Those are crucial to keep your motor from seizing up. Why keep the lines? These are helpful for idling for long periods of time such as trolling, cruising, or going from fishing hole to hole. Why remove the lines? Racers often remove the lines as they might be running wide-opened throttle for periods of time where there is little chance of fuel pooling. Removing the lines reduces the chance of a vacuum leak which could mean out a motor. We carry bleed lines for outboards in Tygon yellow, blue, and red translucent colors. We prefer the translucence lines and more importantly the lubricating lines to ensure you have clear and unblocked passages.

Lake X is a 1,440-acre lake in central Florida that Mercury Marine founder Carl Kiekhaefer purchased in 1957. The lake is surrounded by 10,000 acres of forest and swamp. Kiekhaefer named the lake "Lake X" because it was close enough to his Orlando headquarters for convenience, but far enough away to keep it secret from competitors. Mercury used Lake X for product development and publicity stunts. For example, in 1957, Mercury ran boats around a 5.8-mile course for 50,000 miles, 24 hours a day. Mercury built seawalls, boat launches, work buildings, and a six-room "motel" at Lake X. The crew slept in trailers and ate in tents. They were under strict orders not to reveal anything about their activities at the lake. Mercury Marine closed and sold Lake X to Kenneth Kirchman in 1984. Kirchman turned the property into a 10,426-acre nature preserve called the Kenneth Kirchman Foundation. The foundation's mission is to educate the public about Florida's ecology and wildlife. Mercury Racing later leased the Lake from the Kirchman Foundation until 2004. It was closed until 2017 when Mercury and the Kirchman foundation made arrangement to reopen the facility to start using Lake X for product testing once again. Most recently tunnel boat drivers who own APEX 200 Competition Outboards were invited for a private test session at the lake.

Do you boat race or off-road vehicle race where you find yourself without a pre-made race course or track in the Race Studio 2 or 3 databases to download? Tracks or circuits created in public spaces or that are set for a one-event race weekend are easy to create yourself if you follow the 19 steps below. First, you must run the course in a test or practice session to collect a baseline of GPS location data. Once you've come in after your first session, follow the steps below to make a new track in the AiM RS3 software. Let us know how it goes. Connect USB to PDM32 Find PDM32 bottom left or double arrows, and double click to connect the device Live Measures should open, click the download tab Select sessions to download Fill out racer, vehicle, race, etc Click ok Select the tracks icon upper left of the screen Select “new” from the tabs in the center of screen Name track, select country, state, circuit type, road surface Click “Load” upper right with the track icon next to it Select the correct file path This PC>C-Drive>Aim_Sports>RaceStudio3>user>data>date>select the largest file> Highlight the “start/finish”, select a start-finish location on the track map, click cursor position Scroll through and select the best-looking track line Click save in the upper right of the screen. Close out of the window For all tracks, select the gear icon for “user tracks” only Click check box In Race Studio 3 analysis, top right of the screen, select and assign the track icon to the recently downloaded data.

Buckshot Racing is the #77 F1 Powerboat Championship tunnel boat and #007 STV Mod VP racing entries. We are also the home of the Buckshot Cleaver, a racing propeller designed for professional high-performance boat racers. Buckshot Cleavers are manufactured in the USA by Hill Marine in Santa Ana, CA. Red SUPER WIRE for Mercury V6 racing was created by Buckshot Racing #77. This is a short video clip coming in from our heat race win at the Lake Havasu Outboard Classic in 2022. We test and/or race many of the parts listed on this website. Contact Mike Hill for more information on a complete line of outboard performance parts and propellers!

Reeds are used in two-stroke outboards to control the fuel-air mixture. A bad reed can denigrate your boat's high performance, or worse, cause you to chase non-existent fuel and ignition problems. As both composite and steel reeds age, they can become chipped, broken, or bent, and may not do their job properly. A broken OEM steel reed can tear up the internals of your motor. If a reed valve is malfunctioning, the fuel/air charge will not be effectively drawn into the crankcase. This can cause your powerhead to have difficulty starting, idle poorly, and/or not run at the top end. Reed valves should be checked regularly in high-performance boating applications for proper sealing and lack of chipped material or cracks and changed for peak performance in racing applications after just a few uses. There is no set time on when to replace reeds when pleasure boating, but the life of the reed depends on how many RPMs you turn and the actual type of reed material. If there is a gap between the reeds and the reed cage or if they are frayed/cracked, then replace them right away. This graphic provides a quick test you can do for a leaky reed without having to rely on looking through an obstructed intake or removing the reed plate.