1974Mercury 1150 Thunderbolt won't start! HELP!.. Please?

[Emberblade]

I just bought a Glastron Carlson CVX-16 with a 1150 on it. I trailered it home, hooked up the hose to it with muffs and it kicked over easily. I ran it for a good half hour, then shut it off. The next day, it started again, same as before. I was thrilled that such an old engine would be running so well. For the next week, It rained sheets. The motor was uncovered, but it was all together, so I figured it was okay. I let it dry before trying it again, but no good. It wouldn't start. It kicked, but no spark. I replaced the plugs with manufacturer recommended NGK centerfires, did a compression test - with 120 all around- but it refused to even spit. The carbs get gas, and after some cranking are flooding out the front. I'm going to check them out later, but for now, there is gas getting into the cylinders and onto the sparkplugs. I tried to trace some wiring, but my Seloc manual didn't give me many troubleshooting options that didn't involve complete disassembly. I'm not ready to take it all apart just yet.

What else should I check? I'm thinking replacing the distributor would be a good move. It had a little water in it and was slightly green with corrosion.

the manual has a picture of the "safety switch" on the switchbox, which I assume is the mercury tilt switch, up for being corrected though. I've read that bypassing this would make it work, but wanted to make sure it is what i think it is before i short something out.

Finally, are there any fuses to replace? Is there anything I can do to the switchboard?

Thanks

 

[Emberblade]

Re: 1974Mercury 1150 Thunderbolt won't start! HELP!.. Please?

I checked and I have spark, I suppose that rules out any electrical problems. My carbs seem clean and they were done over by a mechanic 2 seasons ago. It might be the reeds around the crankshaft, or maybe the flywheel is spinning freely of the crankshaft? Is that even possible? SOMEBODY PLEASE GIVE SOME ADVICE. T_T

 

[CV16]

Re: 1974Mercury 1150 Thunderbolt won't start! HELP!.. Please?

A new dist cap isn't a low buck thing these days, but if there was water in it and it's turning green in there, it's probably what you need. The wires screw off the cap, don't try to just pull them out!!!

 

[Chris1956]

Re: 1974Mercury 1150 Thunderbolt won't start! HELP!.. Please?

OK, if you have spark, choke the crap out of her. Spray some fuel into carb throats, hold choke button down, cold start lever all the way up and crank her. After she starts let her run 20 minutes or so to dry her out.

 

[Emberblade]

Re: 1974Mercury 1150 Thunderbolt won't start! HELP!.. Please?

It won't start, but it smokes out the exhuast occasionally.

 

[Moody Blue]

Re: 1974Mercury 1150 Thunderbolt won't start! HELP!.. Please?

Check the timing belt at the top of the distributor. It may have broken?

Does it fire at all with the key held in the start position?

Plugs are wet with gas or dry?

 

[Emberblade]

Re: 1974Mercury 1150 Thunderbolt won't start! HELP!.. Please?

Distributor timing belt is not broken, and it sputters and dies after a second of trying to start it. the plugs are wet, but I think the gas might be bad.

 

[Emberblade]

Re: 1974Mercury 1150 Thunderbolt won't start! HELP!.. Please?

Sorry to resurrect an older thread, but i figured it would be better to finish this one than to create another with the same topic and leave this unfinished.

Anyway, The tank was drained and I put brand new gas into the boat and it still won't run. It will give a kick once and a while, but never starts. I have no clue where to even look at this point. What are some spots to check that haven't been suggested already?

 

[Maxz695]

Re: 1974Mercury 1150 Thunderbolt won't start! HELP!.. Please?

Don,t know much about this motor but does it have points if so check them for corrosion and wear. Also clean the rotor with some light sand paper

 

[Emberblade]

Re: 1974Mercury 1150 Thunderbolt won't start! HELP!.. Please?

The points are where exactly :redface: Are they in the Distributor cap? And the rotor is in good condition. The sparkplugs all fire, I did the test by putting one against the frame and trying to start the motor.

I think that there is a problem in fuel delivery. Just don't know where to look.

 

[Maxz695]

Re: 1974Mercury 1150 Thunderbolt won't start! HELP!.. Please?

If your engine even has points they would be located in the distributor pull the rotor and any cap under it and it should reveal the points to you. If your getting spark on all cylinders then you can almost rule out any points problem. Have you tried getting it to start buy spraying gas into the carb? It is possible you have sheered the keyway on the crankshaft and the flywheel hub is spun out of time. One more thing is you may have the plug wires on the wrong cylinders

 

[Emberblade]

Re: 1974Mercury 1150 Thunderbolt won't start! HELP!.. Please?

The plugwires are numbered, so I know they're on the right way. Would shearing a keyway be a catastrophic failure, meaning would I notice? Or would it be something that would just happen without me noticing? It didn't do anything strange, it just wouldn't fire one day.

 

[Maxz695]

Re: 1974Mercury 1150 Thunderbolt won't start! HELP!.. Please?

Only a big shock to the flywheel could cause the key way on the flywheel hub to sheer other than it rusting away, You have spark and fuel now with good compression so the engine should start. Timing seems to be the object holding you back. Unless the flywheel was removed and put back on wrong or somehow moved from it,s proper position then it should be starting. You may have to put a timing light to the flywheel to make sure #1 is firing a the proper time and recheck the firing order to be sure.

 

[Maxz695]

Re: 1974Mercury 1150 Thunderbolt won't start! HELP!.. Please?

After thinking on it a bit (Sometimes not good) If you have a cog type belt and it,s even slightly worn it is possible for a tooth or to to sheer off of it this would definitely send your timing way out of whack. you would still get great spark just at the wrong time to fire. Give a good look at the belt for missing teeth. I also may have just jumped a tooth as well. Check #1 plug at TDC and see that the flywheel is at the right spot and the rotor is at the #1 correct position with the #1 cap position

 

[Emberblade]

Re: 1974Mercury 1150 Thunderbolt won't start! HELP!.. Please?

My timing light just gave up on me, so I'll have to go to sears tomorrow and get another. I'll post back after I've checked the timing. Thank you so much!

 

[Gomer50]

Re: 1974Mercury 1150 Thunderbolt won't start! HELP!.. Please?

1974 1150 has the thunderbolt type II ignition CD ignition (pointless) distributor/trigger.It either works or it doesnt.Set your nr.1 cylinder to TDC,take a look at the position of the flywheel markings (should be pointing TDC marking on top cowling).take the spark plug out keep it hooked up to the wire and ground the plug,rock the flywheel back and fourth with the ignition on you will see a spark.Another good way to see if she will start is to remove the plugs and give the cylinders all a good dowsing of mixed fuel with a spray bottle or whatever.Put the plugs back in and fire her up.Some engines have a slight different setup but all are basic the same within the early 70's...

 

[Maxz695]

Re: 1974Mercury 1150 Thunderbolt won't start! HELP!.. Please?

Like Gomer50 said set the #1 piston to TDC using a phillips screw driver to find the top of the travel of the # 1 piton and see if the flywheel is lined up to the proper 0 position mark. Also remove the distributor cap and see if the rotor is lining up correctly with the #1 tower on the cap. If no the timing is not correct and there is a problem with the drive for the distributor. More than likely the belt

 

[Emberblade]

Re: 1974Mercury 1150 Thunderbolt won't start! HELP!.. Please?

The timing was okay, and while I feel like I'll have to replace the belt soon, it isn't what's causing my immediate problem. Is there some kind of switch that sends power to the distributor, because it only will sputter after I release the key from the start position. If I turn it for a second and release it, it will give a kick, then die. Is there anything electrical to check? I remember reading something about a trigger?

The flywheel is definitely attached to the crankshaft.
I'm definitely getting gas in the cylinders.
It will spark intermittently. Strange, maybe it isn't charging enough to spark with enough force?
The battery has charge.
The cylinders have compression.
The way I see it, something electrical is the problem now.

 

[Chris1956]

Re: 1974Mercury 1150 Thunderbolt won't start! HELP!.. Please?

Matt, Gomer has experience with that motor. Others do not.

There is a test for the ign wiring and switchbox on the CDIElectronics.com website. I recommend you run it. It will probably show the trigger inside the distributor is faulty, but since it is a $200 part, I would not guess.

The rotor is non-removeable. It will break (another $200 part) if you try to remove it. That flywheel and crankshaft have a W machined into them, rather than a woodruff key. I have never seen one of these fail to align flywheel properly. I have also never seen the timing belt jump timing. Set the top piston to TDC and check to see if the cast pointer under the distributor pulley is pointing at the punch mark on the flywheel, and the timing poionter (or timing mark on cowl support) points to TDC on the flywheel decal. The timing should be 4-6* BTDC when the carbs are just about to open. Max timing is 21* BTDC.

Those motors really need a rich mixture to start. It is very hard to flood them, if not impossible.

 

[Emberblade]

Re: 1974Mercury 1150 Thunderbolt won't start! HELP!.. Please?

Alright, I'll run those tests and post back. Thanks a lot.