I have an ancient Merc 500 engine with a boat I got on Craigslist that I finally got to try out the other day. I charged the battery with a smart charger for a week, and all I got was clicking when I tried to start it. Since I was waiting for the boat ramp to clear after this, I kept turning the key to start and all I got was more clicking. I tried gently tapping the side of the starter with a screwdriver handle while someone turned the key to start, but no luck. Then I tried the rope on the flywheel, and the 45 year old rope shattered into powder.
After the couple pulling their boat out finished screaming at each other and pulled away, I tried clicking the key to start one more time and the starter actually engaged! I had already primed the fuel bulb and set the warmup/high idle lever. Choke button is missing.
It cranked for about 15 seconds, and then started. No clicking, and it cranked at a pretty decent speed. At idle I noticed water running from the upper unit, a trickle like you would get from a fridge water dispenser, not sure if that's normal or not. It wasn't running from the back, just around the sides.
So I drove it around the lake a few times (Staying as close to shore as the law allows) and gave it full throttle a few times. It seemed to go as fast as a 50 HP motor should go, with the boat almost onto its pad but not quite.
After it warmed up, it didn't want to go as fast - still fast enough to throw a wake, but not enough to lift the boat. I let it idle for about 15 minutes, and it had all of the power back again.
Eventually I stopped playing with it and when I put it back at idle speed, it shuddered a few times and stopped, and no amount of fiddling with the key would make the starter engage again. So I paddled it back to the boat ramp and called it a day.
So any ideas on what I need to do to this thing to make it run somewhat normally?
I'm thinking at a minimum it needs new plugs and a starter
After the couple pulling their boat out finished screaming at each other and pulled away, I tried clicking the key to start one more time and the starter actually engaged! I had already primed the fuel bulb and set the warmup/high idle lever. Choke button is missing.
It cranked for about 15 seconds, and then started. No clicking, and it cranked at a pretty decent speed. At idle I noticed water running from the upper unit, a trickle like you would get from a fridge water dispenser, not sure if that's normal or not. It wasn't running from the back, just around the sides.
So I drove it around the lake a few times (Staying as close to shore as the law allows) and gave it full throttle a few times. It seemed to go as fast as a 50 HP motor should go, with the boat almost onto its pad but not quite.
After it warmed up, it didn't want to go as fast - still fast enough to throw a wake, but not enough to lift the boat. I let it idle for about 15 minutes, and it had all of the power back again.
Eventually I stopped playing with it and when I put it back at idle speed, it shuddered a few times and stopped, and no amount of fiddling with the key would make the starter engage again. So I paddled it back to the boat ramp and called it a day.
So any ideas on what I need to do to this thing to make it run somewhat normally?
I'm thinking at a minimum it needs new plugs and a starter