Picked up 3 V6 Mercs today... For parts?

[LakeFever]

Considering the age and how we run these things it’s a good plan to build a clone fresh spare power head and keep it at the ready. I say clone so the tuning remains the same and going from dead to up and running is a one day affair. My plan is to build the clone this winter. The other four who knows what I’ll do lol probably build one ported to the hilt made for race gas just for fun

[skialot2]

I took apart this last motor that had sank. It came apart very easily. Every bolt came out easy. All 4 long powerhead studs unscrewed from the powerhead instead of the nuts coming off. No salt buildup at all. The crank and bearings are all junk. The pistons pushed out of the cylinders pretty easy. All the cylinder bores look good. I can save the block. Next time I get a motor with a bad cylinder but a good crank and rods, I will switch the internals.

This motor came with the elusive ratcheting gears with the anode and not exhaust vents. If it's the original lower unit, according to the parts catalog it is a big bearing. Too bad it's a 2.0 ratio, not a 1.87.

[skialot2]

I rigged up the Optimax with a remote oil tank. Used some compressed air to fill the onboard oil tank until it overflowed. Then I turned the key on. Then shifted it back and forth from neutral to forward 3 or 4 times to make the oil pump prime and go into break in mode. Turned the key on and off 3 times to cycle the fuel pump. Cranked it over and it started for 1 second and stalled. Turned the key again and it started, revved up for a second, then idled perfectly. Sounds strong when you rev it up. Runs good.

[skialot2]

Took the lower unit off the running 150 to put a new water pump in it. I noticed the nuts from the lower mount bolts have disintegrated. I went to check the top bolts and couldn't find any. Somebody covered the entire tiller with Bondo.

I pried under it and it basically all came off in 2 pieces

Some if it about a 1/2 inch thick.

The tiller is rusty. and the bolt heads are not perfect, but not really bad either. The snap ring is still good on the bottom.

[LakeFever]

When you think you’ve seen it all

[skialot2]

Well, I couldn't help myself. I bought another parts motor. $120. It is missing the heads, and the powerhead is locked I was told it was a 150. That is what the side covers he gave me say. Nope. It's an early chrome bore 200. And it says 250HP on the spline. Maybe it has some Hi performance stuff done to it. It's got head studs. It's got a single piston trim clamp It also has a 1 piece adaptor plate and a cut poppet cover. A land and sea exhaust (frozen/cracked) Has a whale tail hydrofoil thingy And a what looks like a bobs nose cone that needs a wee bit of bodywork. Looks like it had a torque fin, but its gone. I pulled the lower unit. It's a 1.87. It is not a preload pin. It feels ok except there seems to be a problem with the reverse detent. It falls back to neutral without even turning the shafts. But if you hold it in gear, it feels good, and you get a good solid ratchet. Forward works fine. The tops of the pistons look OK. At least on the parts of the cylinders I can see, the chrome in the cylinders still looks pretty good. I don't see many scuff marks at all. Nothing that catches my fingernail. I am going to try to take it apart and see if I can save the block. I can wiggle the pistons slightly, so they should come out easily.

[OnPad]

Nice patina on that one!

[tlwjkw]

vertical or horizontal front?.. can't really tell in tha pic....

[skialot2]

vertical or horizontal front?.. can't really tell in tha pic....

Horizontal reeds. The numbers under the throttle arm show a production date of 12/16/86. So, it's a 1987. Both block halves are marked 468 so they are matching. I also see a U on the back half. Whatever that means.

1987 motors serial numbers should start with a B. So, this is not the original powerhead. Clamp has serial number 5611262

[skialot2]

It also came with this front cover. Anyone have an idea what motor it's from

[tlwjkw]

It also came with this front cover. Anyone have an idea what motor it's from

no tellin'... decals don't mean nothin' anymore!..

all still chrome?

[Aaronhl]

Cmon guy u gotta stop buying the engines I want off Marketplace !!

[skialot2]

Well I took the powerhead off this corroded ass saltwater motor. Only one long stud was a little stuck. Got it loose with 2 minutes of heat. No damage to the block or plate. Took the powerhead apart. Unbelievably, all the bolts came out without breaking. 4 pistons basically fell out of the cylinders after I pulled the rod caps. The 5th one I had to push a little. I think I found out why the heads were off. Not a sleeve, just looks like it in the pic. It's not magnetic. None of the cylinders are magnetic. The last piston was stuck. Sprayed it with WD-40 and had to tap it with a block to get it out. Nothing really wrong with the piston except water damage. Looks like the water also caused corrosion under the chrome. looks like bubbles in the chrome. Hard to see in the picture but there is a bunch of bubble spots and some pitted spots where the chrome has flaked off. Needs at least 2 maybe 3 sleeves. Block is not worth saving. Crank is shot too.

[skialot2]

I chipped off all the loose filler on this nose coned lower unit. Basically, all of it came off. The cone itself is on solid. I tried to get it off. No chance of getting it off without destroying it. 5 minutes with a wire wheel on a drill and all that salty corrosion is pretty much gone. Except for the chip in the skeg there is nothing wrong with the case. I think I am going to put a water pump on it and install it the way it is. Then, if it works good, go for a ride, get it hot a few times. Then try to get it open to fix the reverse detent. They seem to open up easier if they have been used recently.

[skialot2]

Well, I compared the way this nosecone lower unit shifts with others I have, and, except for the preload pin lower that came with the XR4, they all shift the same way. The preload pin unit wont shift to reverse at all. That motor continues to disappoint. But there is nothing wrong with this lower unit, so I put it on my motor. Took a hammer and a block of wood and tried to knock off the nosecone. Nope, solid as a rock. Put the boat in. Went for a ride. Drove around for 20 minutes. Works great. Stopped and sat for 15 minutes. Went for another ride. After 2 minutes, lost water pressure. 3 or 4 seconds later overheat alarm went off. Backed off throttle to idle and clicked off key at around 40 mph. Nosecone gone. Stupid me. Had to get towed in. The first guy that drove by stopped and towed me 20 minutes back to the ramp. He didn't want to take any money, but I made him take $50

So now I have this lower unit that has been drilled and filled. I could get a new nosecone and weld it on. Or because I am really not going fast enough for a nose cone, I could use a transom mounted water pickup. I happen to have a Bobs in stock. Maybe I will even pick up a couple MPH and break 70.