2000 Mercury 175 EFI .... Air Filter..???

[icuOklaCity]

I have 2000 Mercury 175 EFI that in on my 2000 Ranger I recently bought. After reading though the original Mercury Owners manual it says there is a air filter on the inside of Air intake on top cowling.... 

So while doing routine service on the motor, I notice there is no air filter or no where that looks like a filter would mount. I took the air intake section off of the top of cowling and nothing....

So can someone tell me if there should be a air filter on this year and model engine..  If so where and how does it mount .. 

[D.W. Verts]

Nope, not that I remember. The cowling and its insulation itself is the air filter.

Dale

[Mike Cork]

I'm not aware of one either. Always thought it was a bad idea not to have and air filter but they didn't.

[Princeton_Man]

I'm not aware of one either. Always thought it was a bad idea not to have and air filter but they didn't.

Me too. I've never had an outboard with an air filter. I suppose manufacturers think operating on the water minimizes risk.

[apenland01]

The Mercury Black Max has a removable piece of foam in the upper cowling that needs to be removed every year and washed in Dawn to remove all the oily exhaust residue and dirt....

[D.W. Verts]

The Mercury Black Max has a removable piece of foam in the upper cowling that needs to be removed every year and washed in Dawn to remove all the oily exhaust residue and dirt....

I guess that I should have said when I said "cowling". IF it's still there, cleaning it with soap and water is not a bad idea. I've never seen anyone that did, however. Many of them have degraded, been destroyed by mice, etc.

Dale