serial numbers

[lildigger]

I traded a boat for another, it came with a 150 mercury the old style Black Max the numbers I found were A 138616 what year is this motor? Thx.

 

[GA_Boater]

Welcome board, lildigger

That would be a 1986 model.

 

[Fun Times]

This serial number 0A138616 is coming up as an 1985 MERCURY 2.0L 150 ELPT Model number 1150625...Parts catalog part number 90-818855 which reads MERCURY : 150 H.P. XR-2 MARATHON MAGNUM (V-6) (1978-1985 COMBINED BOOK) http://www.iboats.com/MERCURY-V-150-...iew_id.1703977

 

[jimmbo]

Mercury's Model Identification Numbering system has absolutely no rhyme or reason to it. Maybe it allowed them to label old stock as next years model

 

[Fun Times]

Mercury's Model Identification Numbering system has absolutely no rhyme or reason to it. Maybe it allowed them to label old stock as next years model

?, Are you referring to the model number such as 1150625 or the serial number 0A138616?

 

[jimmbo]

For the years I owned Mercurys, there was only a Serial Number. The year was determined only by the serial #

 

[Fun Times]

For the years I owned Mercurys, there was only a Serial Number. The year was determined only by the serial #

Yes the serial number is the main source to help find a year either in a chart or in a computer search box as long as the computer search is for roughly 1980+ and mostly a U S number to with some exceptions...Try running the model number 1150625 online and see if you see a year posted.

The few things I know about the model number once retrieved, (1150625) depending on engine HP size, the highlighted would be the engine HP...This case 150hp. And usually the last number underlined is a designation of a year...This case 1985.

The other numbers I'm not to sure of and some such as this example of a 40 HP ends with something such as a D 1040D129D Not sure what the D or ending letter is but the last 9 designates it a an 1989 model year.

The other thing regarding the complete Model Number is it's actually a part number to the item in general from Merc.

Though no real year will be found like on older outboard engines because the following model number is for a Mercruiser Bravo stern drive and built after 1998.5, an example # 5C31200LP is the Bravo drive part number found within this chart to order a new complete drive, http://www.crowleymarine.com/mercury-outboard/parts/1943_40.cfm?mdl=G2IPMG

The full model number is pretty much the same thing for outboard engines as well. Outboard model designation years were supposed to have stopped being used in late 2006.

 

[lildigger]

Thx a lot GA _ Boater Thx

 

[GA_Boater]

Thx a lot GA _ Boater Thx

And Fun Times. He uses a different tool to decode years and I defer to his method. I got you close and he nailed it.

 

[jimmbo]

It gets difficult when someone has an older engine, like an inline six, say from the 1960s or 70s and the doesn't know the horsepower.