Mercury Through The Years...

[FUJIMO]

[2us70]

Mercury's most enduring engine platform and my sentimental favorite. Did most of my racing in front of those motors.

...although styled differently than what your used to......it looks like 1997 was the last year. pretty sure anyways...

[Mark75H]

...although styled differently than what your used to......it looks like 1997 was the last year. pretty sure anyways...

If you go back to the earliest 40ci 4 cylinder, its the KF9 - if you insist on starting the line with the 44ci Mk58 - either way I bet its the longest running most produced outboard ever

[bernie]

"Long about that '96/'97 timeframe I was sent a proto 4 cyinder 4 cycle "500" to rig and show at dealer meetings. At the Whaler show at Sonesta, I had it on a 13' Whaler, being the smallest in thier in water fleet, it was the first boat in line when dealers came onto the docks. Just before they arrived I fired it up and just left it idleing - dealers would come walking by, and do a double take - only way you could tell it was running was the tell tale stream hitting the water, you could not hear it.

[Robby321]

"Long about that '96/'97 timeframe I was sent a proto 4 cyinder 4 cycle "500" to rig and show at dealer meetings. At the Whaler show at Sonesta, I had it on a 13' Whaler, being the smallest in thier in water fleet, it was the first boat in line when dealers came onto the docks. Just before they arrived I fired it up and just left it idleing - dealers would come walking by, and do a double take - only way you could tell it was running was the tell tale stream hitting the water, you could not hear it.

"only way you could tell it was running was the tell tale stream hitting the water, you could not hear it."
Damn right! Been around boats since 3, now 70. About 15 years ago my neighbor bought a new Suzuki 175 (think) for his CC. I went down to the launch dock and checked it out. In the water, and I notice the tell tale stream., but hear NO NOISE? Said (yep serious as dumbfounded) "this got a electric water pump?" "Nope ITS RUNNING!" Looked the and saw exhaust bubbles! Told him it needs zoomies and megaphones!

[2us70]

The last couple of 44ci Mercury 500s I raced were just about indestructible. By the early 70s pretty much all the weak spots in the motors had been weeded out. The only problem the motors of that vintage had was loose timing belts. I understand that the next generation eliminated that issue. I was running those motors at 6000 rpm and more even in marathons with never a hiccup. My last season running one in SD it would push my McCall v-bottom an honest 62 mph on a calibrated Keller speedo. Those motors would run all season with very little attention as long as you didn't loose a water pump and get it hot or flip the boat and sink it.

[FUJIMO]

[FUJIMO]

...how do you think keller calibrated a keller speedo? (they are a diaphram air pressure gauge) ...anyone know?

[FUJIMO]

...2us70, your sd boat was doing 62. how fast were the se boats going back then?

[Robby321]

Put a Merc 500 on a 13 Ally after blowing up the 70 racing against the Rude Stingers. Went to a play boat, 2 seater and got a honest 50 MPH out it. GREAT little motors! Still rigging it here..

The way I rolled in the 70's!

[Lake X Kid]

50 horsepower range, seems to be the maximum differential, on a production engine sharing the same block.

The 153 cubic inch V6, has Merc models 150 horsepower to 200 horsepower engines.
And with the same stroke.
Did they de-tune the model 150?

Did the inline 6 Mercs 1000 and the 1500, share the same block too?

[Dave Strong]

50 horsepower range, seems to be the maximum differential, on a production engine sharing the same block.

The 153 cubic inch V6, has Merc models 150 horsepower to 200 horsepower engines.
And with the same stroke.
Did they de-tune the model 150?

Did the inline 6 Mercs 1000 and the 1500, share the same block too?

The 150 XR6 and 150 EFI were 2.5, the carb 150 was still a 2.0L. All so called 150hp, betting the 2.5 had better performance but more cost.

Dave

Dave

[2us70]

Middle 70s.

...2us70, your sd boat was doing 62. how fast were the se boats going back then?

[2us70]

I don't know the procedure but in 1973 my Keller got all wonkey and wouldn't read over 68mph. Caused me a great deal of confusion at Nationals that year. I sent back to Keller and they repaired and recalibrated it. It worked fine the rest of the time I used it. Those Keller speedos were the best we had in those days before GPS.

...how do you think keller calibrated a keller speedo? (they are a diaphram air pressure gauge) ...anyone know?

[GENE LANHAM]

Mercury's most enduring engine platform and my sentimental favorite. Did most of my racing in front of those motors.