Mercury 30ELHPT FourStroke Outboard Motor

The used Mercury 30ELHPT FourStroke pairs a 30 hp inline-3 with tiller steering and power trim and tilt, letting the operator adjust engine angle from a switch on the handle instead of muscling it by hand. It runs a 20-inch shaft and is finished in Phantom Black.

Power trim versus a gas-assist tiller

Against the gas-assist tiller version of this same motor, power trim here lets you fine-tune angle on the water to chase top speed or a drier ride, for the cost of drawing a little more current. Electric start with a manual pull backup carries over regardless.

Engine and electrical details

Three cylinders add up to 526 cc on this block, with a 172 lb dry weight and a full-throttle ceiling of 5250-6250 rpm. A 15-amp alternator handles the electrical side, and the engine warns of trouble through its over-rev, overheating, sensor-fault, and low oil pressure alarms.

Can this be steered from a console instead? No, steering on this version is tiller-mounted only.

What fuel tank comes included? A 6.6-gallon remote tank.

If you are moving up from a gas-assist tiller to this power-trim version, expect the switch and wiring at the handle to be the only real difference in day-to-day handling on the water.

Logged hours and maintenance records on this used engine deserve a look before you order. Total protection reaches 5 years: the usual 3-year Mercury term, extended 2 years via Product Protection Gold.