1987 Mercury 90 hp

mgsolakis

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Oct 19, 2005
Messages
75
Hey, I'm wondering if anyone who has experience with the Mercury 90 hp made between 87-93 can give me an idea of the quality of this engine. It's a 3 cyl engine. I'm kinda comparing this with the classic inline 6 cyl engine pre 1987. What is a better engine? Is the 87' any good?

Thanks
 

JB

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
Joined
Mar 25, 2001
Messages
45,907
Re: 1987 Mercury 90 hp

JBjr had a '99 3 cyl 90hp Merc that couldn't decide when to switch from 2 to 3 cylinders.:facepalm:
 

achris

More fish than mountain goat
Joined
May 19, 2004
Messages
27,468
Re: 1987 Mercury 90 hp

Hey, I'm wondering if anyone who has experience with the Mercury 90 hp made between 87-93 can give me an idea of the quality of this engine. It's a 3 cyl engine. I'm kinda comparing this with the classic inline 6 cyl engine pre 1987. What is a better engine? Is the 87' any good?

Thanks

The 3 cylinder 90 is a great engine. The only thing everybody who owns one says it they have a crappy idle, quite rough and sounds like it's missing, but that's how they are.... The old in-line 6 had an inherent problem of design with the inner exhaust water jacket cover. It always leaked over time, and is a right royal PITA to re-seal. The 3 cyl is a 'looper' engine, hence the crappy idle, but is far better on fuel than any of the in-line 6s ever were... If you're about to buy one, I would do all the exhaust and head cover gaskets and the top and bottom crank seals as a matter of course when I buy it. But I'd be doing that on ANY outboard I bought that is more than about 5 years old....

Like all machines, maintain it, look after it and it will perform well for you.

JBjr had a '99 3 cyl 90hp Merc that couldn't decide when to switch from 2 to 3 cylinders.:facepalm:

That's a problem that needed to be fixed... ;)

HTH,

Chris........
 

Faztbullet

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Mar 2, 2008
Messages
15,589
Re: 1987 Mercury 90 hp

The 87-93 are the small bore 71ci motors and idle is not the smoothest, the 94-05 are the big bore 84.6 ci motors and idle is improved and both are good motors for small hulls and toons
 
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