KE-7 point gap

[antslake]

Any? 1947 KE-7 point gap.
Manual is on the way, but looking to fool around with it tomorrow.

[staylor]

....'49 KE-7, Lightning Deluxe, Bendix/Scintilla Mag, point gap is .018. For used points, I'd suggest setting with an .017 feeler as a "go", and a .018 as a "no go". Some would set one pointset to an exact .018 and use an index tape and a flashlight rigged with 2 wires as an indicator light to set the second pointset 180 degrees from the first by juggling the gap. I never found this to show any improvement I could see or feel. If the points look like the lunar surface from wear, then file them lightly with a breakerpoint file and clean them with a cardboard businesscard pulled lightly thru the open gap. For reference, if your front ID plate is missing, the motor is rated at 10 hp at 4000 rpm. The KG-7 Hurricanes were rated 10+ with no rpm listed- wink, wink says Mr.K.
Doug

[staylor]

For reference, all little Mercs from the 1940 K1 to the 1955 Rocket Deluxe used the .018 point gap, with either the Bendix or the Phelon Mags- I found a cross reference list. This includes the 1947-1949 KE-7 Models.
Doug

[antslake]

....'49 KE-7, Lightning Deluxe, Bendix/Scintilla Mag, point gap is .018. For used points, I'd suggest setting with an .017 feeler as a "go", and a .018 as a "no go". Some would set one pointset to an exact .018 and use an index tape and a flashlight rigged with 2 wires as an indicator light to set the second pointset 180 degrees from the first by juggling the gap. I never found this to show any improvement I could see or feel. If the points look like the lunar surface from wear, then file them lightly with a breakerpoint file and clean them with a cardboard businesscard pulled lightly thru the open gap. For reference, if your front ID plate is missing, the motor is rated at 10 hp at 4000 rpm. The KG-7 Hurricanes were rated 10+ with no rpm listed- wink, wink says Mr.K.
Doug

Thank you very much.

Not sure what you mean by setting second pointset 180 degrees from the first. In the top of the flywheel there are two holes, and you can set both pointsets at the same time?

The front plate is there. The points and condensers are brand new, just not set right. I am having an intermittent problem as the rpm's drop towards idle, in the one cylinders cuts in an out. The points were at .010, and .012. I changed them to .015. Later today, I will put them at .018 and see what happens.

Also, there are two mixing screws on the carb, which one is the idle misture screw? the one in the front, or the one on the side?

Thanks again :)

[antslake]

Hey, thanks again, engine is running pretty dam good right now. Scary fast on a little 12 aluminum rowboat.

Got the mixture screws figured out also.

[staylor]

..to index the points you have to pull the flywheel and set one pointset as close to exact as you can. Then you remove the wire to the points and rig your test light so it goes out when the points just begin to open and turns on when they close. You need to set up an index or degree wheel which you index to a point on the engine block when the light on the pointset just goes out while slowly turning the crank. Then you put your light on the second point set and turn the crank exactly one hundred and 80 degrees- and adjust the second pointset gap so it turns off the light exactly 180 degrees from the first point set. After all this is said, if she runs good now at the .018 setting, leave it alone for about 10 hours run time and then recheck the point gap. If you still have trouble dropping a cylinder at idle check the spring connector inside the plug boot to make sure it's firmly connected to the plug wire. You also might try a second set of plugs. The Lightnings liked the J-8J plug if the stock J7-J was loading up. If she's got a leaky top or bottom seal on the crank then you also will drop a cylinder at idle. A leaky top seal spews a thin film of oil out under the braker plate. Hope it's not a top seal because on the older mercs they're a real PIA to change. I've still got a pristine KG4 in my basement, low hours with the lead factory assembly seals still in place. I run it for a bit every 5 years or so. Have fun with your Lightning it's a great little motor!
Doug

[antslake]

Awesome, I totally get it now. I think I saw a degree wheel for my motor somewhere on the internet, that I can just print out. It has 2 marks on it 180 degrees apart.

I will have to get the tool to remove the flywheel first before I try fine tuning the points this way.

I set the points at 0.018, and I had to mess around with needle settings for some time, but I got it to idle beautiful. Also who knows what else was wrong with the motor, or how long it was sitting. The carb could have been gunked up, but for sure setting the points help the one cylinder dropping out.

I put the motor on the back of my rowboat, and ran a tank of gas through it. By the second have of the tank, she was running beautiful, and would come down to about 1-2mph, before starting to die out. I could move the throttle almost all the way to where it says slow. Full speed was scary, and I am not sure I have the high speed needle set completely right yet. With me and my 2 kids, about 400pounds, on a 12ft aluminum rowboat, felt like we were approaching 30mph with the stock prop.

I plan on building a class A runabout for this motor, just for fun. I always loved the way those things looked. Wish I had a quicksilver lower for it.

BTW, the tank of gas lasted about an hour or so, what a blast, and it sure did turn a lot of heads. You should have seen the look on that guy in the bass boat cruising by, and we kept up with him.

Thanks for all your help.

[staylor]

...is very exciting on these motors. Open her up to full speed and slowly turn jet in to lean until the motor just barely starts to lose rpm- then open the jet about 1/2 turn for oil at 1 quart to 4 gallons or one quart to 6 gallons. If you are running 50:1 mix then the motor may only need to go 3/8 turn open. Even though some say it's OK to run at 50 to 1, I always run my old Mercs at 1 quart to 6 gallons. Speed wise, a basic A/B utility with a KG7 and stock lower unit and prop would run about 38-40 mph with a 150 lb driver. The KE7 would run about 2 mph slower. To add a quicky lower unit is not normally done on the KE7, in fact I'm not sure if you can do this without swapping driveshafts. If you did manage to do all this, you'd pick up 7 mph but you will not be able to have any fun with a passenger- it's hard to plane much weight with the tiny prop on the quicky. Also, given that an original running "green top" merc is gaining value to collectors, I think you'd be best off leaving it stock. The 3 things collectors prize most on this motor are having the original lower cowl covers, having the original nameplate in readable form, and having the original inspection wire thru the engine block halves( at same level as carb and about 3 inches behind it) with a round lead seal locking the wires with a stamp on the lead. Lots of data on these and other old motors can be found thru the AOMCI and their journal, "The Antique Outboarder". Back issues are on-line, seach for Skip Hagerman's Antique Outboarder Archive.
Doug

[antslake]

Thanks Doug. I figured that was the way to adjust the high speed needle, just that on the rowboat I have it on, it is literally too scary to remove a hand from either the tillar, or the throttle long enough to adjust it, and I am a pretty brave person. I have it close, and as I get used to driving this handful, I will adjust it further. We are definatly going between 25-30mph, and the boat wieghs about 75-100lbs.

My 9year old son was riding in the front the other day (btw, I haven't got the thing on plane with just me in it, because the nose stands straight up in the air when I attempt to do so) and we hit a small wave, and upon landing, he broke the front seat. At no time were we in any danger, and we wear our life jackets, and I am taking it slowly learning the handling of the boat. Sure is fun, and we get a ton of thumbs up from everyone we pass.

[staylor]

...this was fairly common back in the 50s and 60s. Find an old cable drive steering wheel, bolt it thru a piece of 2x8, and cut this to fit the width of the rowboat. There should be a slot just behind the tiller handle on the KE7that allows you to slide a piece of 1/4 in x 1 in aluminum or steel for a steering bar. About a 2 and 1/2 ft piece is about right. Add pulleys to your 2x8 at the outer edges, add 2 more pulleys at the tip of the steering bar, with the cable anchored along the side of the boat about 1 ft in front of the transom. At one anchor, add an old spring type steering tensioner spring. The only time I ran a green Merc without steering was a quick test to set the high speed jets on a Mark 7 on an A utility. Somehow I managed to hit a log, which pulled the tiller of of my hand and I barrel rolled. End of Mark 7 block and prop cut marks in my helmet and life jacket. If I hadn't had these on I'd have been dead at age 14.
Doug

[antslake]

I was thinking about doing that, as I really do not feel comfortable driving at speed just holding the tillar, plus there is no way to cut the throttle should my hand come off the tillar.
It's not that 30mph is so fast, just that what I am doing it in that is scary.
I would like to add a deadman throttle as well.

But probably what I will do, maybe this winter, is just build a class B runabout, so I can have 2 seats. It won't be as fast as a class A, but I am just having fun with it, as there are no places to really race around here. I would have to drive over 3 hours, or more, to go race.