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After all the issues we had with our older 1994 Suzuki 25hp I want to make sure it never happens with this Mercury we have now. What can I do to my 2004 Mercury 40hp 2 stroke to keep it running a while? Change gear oil? What else?

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New spark plugs, use "Carbon Guard" in fuel, remove fuel from tank and "Fog" engine when stored for long period's of time. Change thermostat, change out water pump, grease tilt tube, and pivot point's on motor (4 grease fittings) w/ grease gun and marine grease.

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I would order the Service Manual for the engine from your dealer and then follow the recommended service intervals. On one engine I had there was a zerk fitting that needed grease every 100 hours. Even the dealer did not know about that one but it was in the service manual.

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About the tilt tube, this is a problem on my boat. When we bought the motor it couldnt pivot/rotate on this tube. We burnt up an hydraulic ram trim/tilt unit from it already. I loosened the bolts that holds the tilt tube in place and now that whole tube moves with the engine when you use the trim/tilt. How can I loosen that up? Do I need to pull the engine off the bracket? The grease fittings are clogged/not working.

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It sound's as if the "Bushing's" have dried grease in them, the tilt tube will need to be removed, cleaned, greased, or replaced. It can be a challenge to a "Novice" (like me) but, "I" did do it, so it can be done, If you are not "sure", a shop/Marine mechanic can do it. An aftermarket "Steersman" nut should be installed on the tilt tube to lubricate it better, and prevent water from entering the "Tilt Tube" when the steering arm pull's back inside of it ($20 marine store). The outboard shop never tell's you about this item, nor do they sell it (at least the shop near my house does'nt). Grease the motor 2x as often as you think you need to, you'll NEVER have a problem greasing too often, and grease is "CHEAP", Outboard shop's hit "HARD" $$$$, and hold up your boat from YOU enjoying it during the short season.

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Whats the best way to get that thing out of there? Just take the engine off the bracket and pray it comes out?

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The way I did it was to remove the steering cable (if you can, it might be frozen in there) from the tilt tube. Tilt the engine all the way "up" keeping it straight, brace the skeg/ lower unit well so the engine can't fall backward's or turn while you work on it (most of the engine wt. is now over the transom, not pulling backwards). Remove one or both of the tilt tube nut's and slide the tilt tube out (count the threads exposed on each side of the engine on the tilt tube so you know exactly where it should go back to, taking a cell phone pic before you start help's too), if the engine drops a bit you'll have to wiggle it back in line with the bracket holes w/ a lg. screw driver when you install the new tilt tube (you may be able to just clean the old one up, fill it with a handful of marine grease and put it back in and go). If the plastic bushings are worn/damaged, they may need to be replaced, in which case you would tilt the motor back slightly and SLOWLY with the tube removed to pull out the bushings and washers when the motor tilt's away fron the "Transome bracket" holes. This can be tough as you must wiggle the lg. screw driver under the motor between the motor and transom to line up the holes by using the screw driver and tilt switch when you put it all back in, if the washer/shims (fit between the engine bracket and tilt tube holes) come out you'll need to straighten and slide them back in... Again, a lot of wiggling the tilt switch, and lining up the holes. Slide the greased tilt tube back in, put the steering arm back in, and install the "Steersman nut". My steering tube was so "Locked" into the tilt tube, that I had to cut it off in the tilt tube, remove the tilt tube, and have a "Hydraulic Ram" at work push it out, the pressure went up so high on the ram, that I thought the tilt tube would bend or explode, the steering arm came out reluctantly and with LOUD bangs. The "Ram" operator (who own's a boat) laughed and said "And you were gonna get this out with a torch, a lump hammer, and penetrating oil ? Yea right !"