Merc V6 History

[Merc Fanatic]

Look Merc fanatic, I owe you an apology, I was being facetious and flippant, I had no right to do that----it's what I do, spout off, put foot in mouth before thinking.
In my defence, I am quite mature, in fact if I'm honest I'm downright old, but I do have a modicum of knowledge on Boat Racing History, especially European, when I can remember !

Jackie, I didn't mind your comment. I've read many of your posts over the years on here too, and quite frankly I like reading anything to do with what I call the good old days of boat racing. Exciting times that I wish would return. The racing today is good, but it doesn't compare in my opinion.

[bernie]

Here's Old Blue on a stand at Key West this past weekend - do not know whose photo it is.

[jackiewilson]

Here's Old Blue on a stand at Key West this past weekend - do not know whose photo it is.

Bernie, that was my boy Marks stand------Wilso Custom Marine is his company!

[rckid74]

Bernie, that was my boy Marks stand------Wilso Custom Marine is his company!

Thanks Bernie. It's good to see the old girl again. My eyes got a little watery.

[jackiewilson]

Thanks Bernie. It's good to see the old girl again. My eyes got a little watery.

Aw c'mon-----an old fart with watery eyes-----ya just made my day------next you'll be saying your hearings shot------welcome to the club.!

[rckid74]

Aw c'mon-----an old fart with watery eyes-----ya just made my day------next you'll be saying your hearings shot------welcome to the club.!

Right on -- Jackie. I got a hearing aid 6 months ago. Like Rotary John, probably from being around engines all my life.

[Dd24skater]

rckid74, can you shed any light on the powerhead in front .....The rear is easy....tell me more about the V-8.......did it ever run?

[FMP]

What are we looking at here, a L6 and a V8 in a what looks like a mirror reflection?

[rckid74]

rckid74, can you shed any light on the powerhead in front .....The rear is easy....tell me more about the V-8.......did it ever run?

Don't know anything about a V8 at Mercury. We never made one that I know of during my tenure there. But then, I haven't walked those halls for the last 18 years. My guess is that it's a one-off made by someone outside Merc.

[olboatman]

What are we looking at here, a L6 and a V8 in a what looks like a mirror reflection?

I thought it was a V12 in the rear!!! Gary

[FMP]

The one at the back has the starter on the port side, and the block angle too looks like another bank is out of site. Yet the leads are heading port side . Maybe it's Canadian.

[jackiewilson]

A V8 with two flywheels-------I think Michael is doing a touch off piss taking here with a mirror.
Mind you --he was a good friend of Dieter Koenig and George Craage and they could cobble anything together.

[FMP]

Take another look, two separate powerheads .

[jackiewilson]

Put two lumps together----eg, a pair of four cylinder early eighty Mercs, or any R&D fours stand back and Voila you got a V8!
Stand any old agricultural V8 Auto lump on its tail-----add a few bits and fake whatever you want.
Werner was always a great Joker-------Turned up with a girl friend in Dubai who was the most amazing belly dancer, was underwater in Dublin for near ten minutes , scared the crap out of everyone ------he didn't miss a beat!

[eluder87]

Thanks so much rckid74 for the design history of this awesome engine!!! I just read this whole thread and loved it. Before buying my checkmate that has a 1987 150 Mariner, I had never had any experience with mercury engines. My only previous experience with outboard engines was a mid 70s chrysler 75hp that I thought was a POS (apologies to any chrysler fans out there). Most of the people I knew that had limited experience with outboards were all johnson/evenrude fans and frowned on my recent purchase. This engine ran like a scalded ape! I still have this boat and the engine still has 120 psi on all the cylinders. I love the electronics being on the stb side of the engine with the fuel lines on the port side. This way I can work on the electronics only or the fuel only depending on which side I work on. I do think the mercury plate looks cool between the cylinders but I have to say I like the 6 coil ignition system. Working on this engine I have always felt that who ever designed this put a lot of thought into it. To here the original engineer describe the design process was awesome! I'm not sure if you made the spring design on the oil injection pump but I was happy to learn that when my linkage had fallen off (due to improper re-assembly) the spring forces the oil injection pump into the max oil position so that you can't burn up your engine if running full throttle and the linkage comes off. I only learned that the linkage had come off after noticing my oil consumption was above normal.

Thanks again for sharing your story and applaud you on a great design!!!

Thanks,
Jim