Twister1 begins to take shape

[bridges]

Following are some pics of a Twister1 that dad is building while I do root canals and crowns all day.

Note the exhaust porting.

This is not the 'special' barn fresh Twister that I posted a while back. This is the first of three Twister1's we will build.

These photos were taken about 2 months ago and the engine is nearly finished now, so I'll be posting some nice pics soon.

[bridges]

Note the radical intake porting and inside of the port covers in the photo below. The twister cover is shown next to a standard 1350 cover.

[bridges]

....,

[Bruster]

This is really interesting. I just sold what appeared to be a very original Twister and the powerhead looked very "consumer" compared to this very "race" version you have pictures of. I am sure the Twister was original, as the old gent I bought it from had it since it was nearly new and had raced the motor for several years. Are you going to run this motor, on a boat, on the lake? I have the same power head, from another "Stacker/Twister and never re-assembled it. I figured it would be all top end and nothing below. I planed on shoving the guts in a N.O.S. 1350 block so it would be usable? :eek: :cool:

[bridges]

Bruce, I believe all the Twister 1's were ported this way. Some late 1350 stackers may have been made this way too.

[bridges]

Notice this is a black block, although Twisters did not have painted blocks. Somebody painted it black at some point. It was a lot easier to keep it black than to put it back silver. It actually looks pretty cool with the contrasting silver supports.

[bridges]

closer

[lloyd]

closer
I was at mercury school fall 71 72 merc's started being painted Black
Lloyd Burns

[lloyd]

I was at mercury school fall 71 72 merc's started being painted Black
Lloyd Burns
I had Twister orderd kit to change to Twister 1 block Looked like Your's
Lloyd

[baldad45]

Were the transfer ports on the twister2 and 2x similar to these ?I believe the pistons on these engines were not ported .Is this a better way to increase fuel charge ?

[raymar]

I have a Twister 2x that is not ported like the Twister 1 on the transfer side;
The exhaust side is also different than the Twister 1. Also no ported pistons are used in any of the T2 or 2X engines I have been in. The major difference in the 6-carb engine is the use of roller bearings on main bearings instead of the reed cages. (top & bottom mains are ball bearings) The top 3 cylinders are exhaust tuned together and the bottom 3 are exhaust tuned together.
Look at it this way: The T2-T2X engines are built like two 3-cylinder engines and the T-1 engines are built like three 2-cylinder engines made together. confused??

[Dave S]

About the tuning, the T2 was made like 2 three clys. I don't know why some have the different port covers unless things have been updated. Bridges did you do the ports on the exhaust side or was that stock with 2 ports?? The T2s had 3 ports and 2 seems like it could catch a ring. :eek:

[Bruster]

About the tuning, the T2 was made like 2 three clys. I don't know why some have the different port covers unless things have been updated. Bridges did you do the ports on the exhaust side or was that stock with 2 ports?? The T2s had 3 ports and 2 seems like it could catch a ring. :eek:

I have the same block as this with the 3/2 ports and unique transfer port covers. They are the real deal. Anyone want to buy it? It's perfect. :D

[Raceman]

I have a Twister 2x that is not ported like the Twister 1 on the transfer side;
The exhaust side is also different than the Twister 1. Also no ported pistons are used in any of the T2 or 2X engines I have been in. The major difference in the 6-carb engine is the use of roller bearings on main bearings instead of the reed cages. (top & bottom mains are ball bearings) The top 3 cylinders are exhaust tuned together and the bottom 3 are exhaust tuned together.
Look at it this way: The T2-T2X engines are built like two 3-cylinder engines and the T-1 engines are built like three 2-cylinder engines made together. confused??

Let's not forget that the crankshaft is different in the T2 & T2X, not only for the extra 3 main bearings (crank is ridged in the middle of the journal on these 3 positions also), but also the firing order. I'm certain that all early Twisters (red stripe) had the firing order of all the other inline 6's, while the T2 & T2X's had the revised firing order. I'm not sure if the Twister 1, had the revised firing order, but have been intending to do some research, especially now since I've gotten the most recent one which appears totally intact. The reason I've questioned the firing order on the T1's in the first place is the fact that I have a brand new, never opened until I bought it, complete Twister 1 upgrade kit, which basically was sold to Twister owners to upgrade to Twister 1 specs, and it had a T2 crank sealed in the box with it, complete with the ridges for 6 mains, which obviously would've required machine work to use. Packaging error at Merc, or intentional requiring customer machining??????????????????? I've never talked to anyone who knows with absolute certainty.

[Dave S]

Raceman thats a strange thing to have that crank in a t1 update. But you are lucky as a dog to have a NEW T2 crank. I would think thats a hard to get item. :D Maybe it was a update for a T1 - 6c ????

[baldad45]

So from this I'm seeing a block for the t2 -t2x that is basicly the same as a 1350-1400 with a 7 bearing crank and 6 carb crankcase. Only difference being port timing and firing order .Were the intake ports basic direct charge configuration ?Were the ports larger? Next time I'm at my cabin I'll take one of the transfer port covers off my T2 to see for myself.This engine looks like a t2 on the lower leg ,the carbs are T2 but the serial #on the block is 455-7812 which I think is 1976.When I purchased it I was told the block was T2X. I have the parts list for 1974 T2x ,July18, the transfer port cover#65371 is a different # than the covers on mine .The block and crankcase part# is 852-6067a2 . Is anyone interested in this parts list? I can scan it and post it ,is there a copyright problem with this?It is 22 pages with no pictures. just a parts list.Glen.

[Mark75H]

Part numbers and the numbers cast on them are not the same. Casting numbers are just reference numbers. Sometimes several different parts were made from the same casting by different machine work .... sometimes the casting reference number just didn't have any relation to final part number

Mercury doesn't seem to have an issue with parts lists being reproduced, posted or sold ... please post it:) BUT post it in the gallery (or somewhere off site where there isn't a size limit), the size limit in the forum will make them pretty hard to read

[Raceman]

Raceman thats a strange thing to have that crank in a t1 update. But you are lucky as a dog to have a NEW T2 crank. I would think thats a hard to get item. :D Maybe it was a update for a T1 - 6c ????

Dave, it has the 3 carb front half of the block, as well as the 3 Twister 1 reed blocks. The kit had every piece in it to assemble a powerhead EXCEPT connecting rods, which I've never figured out either. It even has the new style exhaust log with the water dump in the bottom as opposed to the top as the red striped Twister had, and top and bottom cowls. I've never been able to make any sense out of the crankshaft unless it was just a packaging error.

[Raceman]

So from this I'm seeing a block for the t2 -t2x that is basicly the same as a 1350-1400 with a 7 bearing crank and 6 carb crankcase. Only difference being port timing and firing order .Were the intake ports basic direct charge configuration ?Were the ports larger? Next time I'm at my cabin I'll take one of the transfer port covers off my T2 to see for myself.This engine looks like a t2 on the lower leg ,the carbs are T2 but the serial #on the block is 455-7812 which I think is 1976.When I purchased it I was told the block was T2X. I have the parts list for 1974 T2x ,July18, the transfer port cover#65371 is a different # than the covers on mine .The block and crankcase part# is 852-6067a2 . Is anyone interested in this parts list? I can scan it and post it ,is there a copyright problem with this?It is 22 pages with no pictures. just a parts list.Glen.

Actually the 1400 block is closer to the 1500 than the 1350. Of course the 1400 doesn't have the power ported pistons and corresponding cyl wall slot like ALL 1500's had, BUT............. it does have the new bolt pattern on the bottom of the powerhead like the 74 foward inline 6's with the change in exhaust shape at the bottom of the powerhead. The Twister (red) and Twister 1 had the early bolt pattern like the 70/71 1150/1350, while the T2/T2X got the new style. Also, there was a change in the exhaust ports of the 1500 blocks in 74 which left the 73 model 1500 by itself. Some old racers think that the 73 blocks were somehow superior exhaust port wise to the newer stuff, but that wasn't the case in my personal experience and I've always considered it an old wives tale. Buying a std 75 model J powerhead (same as 76 and newer XS) made a measurable difference in top end speed on my boat over the 73 model powerhead it replaced with no other changes.

[raymar]

Dave S,
The Twister 1 engines I have all have the 2-port exhausts; I have done no modifications to any of my Twister engines. My T-2x has 3 exhaust ports and the porting bears no resemblance to the T-1 engines.

[Dave S]

For the info on the exhaust ports. Raceman ya still lucky. :D

[baldad45]

Finally got around to posting this parts list:) ,page 16 was ****** up and then double posted.Tried to edit :confused: ? Also pages are last to 1st ,next time I'll get it right.:rolleyes: Anyone want the 1250 Super BP parts manual its 38 pages. Glen

[baldad45]

Its in the gallery under engines:rolleyes: . Glen

[xskid]

what h.p. were the twisters? t-1 , t-2- t-2x ???

[xskid]

glen i would like a copy of the super 1250 b.p. parts manual. could you send it to me? i will pay whatever. email me at shuttlebug@webtv.net

[Raceman]

what h.p. were the twisters? t-1 , t-2- t-2x ???

I don't think anybody knows. I've seen estimates all over the scale, but none of the Merc literature I've ever seen lists official numbers.

[Mark75H]

In press info Merc said the 1250 BP stackers were 155 hp. When the Twisters came out press info said there was no power penalty for the noise reduction and there was a minor increase in accelleration with the Twister over the stackers. When the T-2X came out there was a press release that said they were over 200 hp, but a few years later independent dyno testing was done on customer T-2X's that put the power closer to 190 hp. This was done for handicapping a class to include V-4's, T-2's and T-2X's

My current explanation is that the 200+hp press release referred to T2X factory race team motors (200 + 1/2 is over 200:) ). I do not recall ever seeing a hp figure quoted for T-1's or T-2's from Merc. I think the -1's may have claimed another mid range (accelleration) improvement without top end increase. In the same handicapping scheme the T-2's were dyno'ed out to something less than the X's .... maybe 175 or 180.

[willabee]

Horsepower......

Agreed, no released figures, but I recall the engineering guys that had the dynos stating about 175 for the 1350 stackers, approximately the same for the Twister with better bottom end. The Twister I was in the 180's and Dr. Morgan told me that the C6's were in the mid 190's and that the two we had played with for the Morgan City race tested out at just over 200.

I should add that these figures were for the engines that we assembled at Racing, not the production runs that were made on the Twisters.

[Mark75H]

Its in the gallery under engines:rolleyes: . Glen Glen, could you repost page 16, it is messed up:(

[Raceman]

I had 2 friends (brothers) that had identical Magnum Missles when I met em. One had a stock shortshaft 1500 (NOT A J powerhead) The other one had a Twister 1. The 1500 would pull the Twister on take off and the Twister would run him down on top. They both had Keller Speedos and said there was 1 to 2 MPH difference on a good day. That particular Twister was rigged with an inline 6 shiftable gearcase also, so they were very similar in setup.

[baldad45]

Its actually been reposted twice after page 22 or in other words the 1st two pages are page 16 .Couldn't figure out how to delete and ended up with 2 extra pages.

[LakeRacer99]

Hey Baldad...can you email me acopy of the 1250 SuperBP manual? I would like it for this...

Thanks,
Jason
fastboat3@aol.com

[Mark75H]

Here's a link to some images of Ray Lumpkin's Twister. It is being restored and he has it apart going back together. He needs to have a new set of spark plug wires made for it ... can some one measure the lengths out for him so he can get a new set made?

Ray's Twister exhaust side (http://www.********************/forums/showpost.php?p=17243&postcount=12)

[Raceman]

I'll try to get mine measured in the next couple of days and post em.

[htower]

Raceman.
Its funny you mentioned a shifting lower on a twister. I just recently bought a twister1 which had a 1500xs gearcase mounted on it. I also came with the speedmaster and high speed trim . I'd like to try it out both ways. The mtz seats 4 and i think the big gearcase would certainly do the trick getting on plane. htower

[Raceman]

I bought a T2 several years ago on a fairly heavy/big V Bottom ski boat. It had a shiftable gearcase also. That thing had to have been a pig. The last time I ran my 15 Ally with a T2 on it I'd put an inline case on it. It made a HUGE difference gettin' it on top.