1965 merc 1000 100hp Won't start?

im all new to this, just got this old beast 17' larson 68 with this old 65 merc 1000 100 hp, and an extra 1100, 110hp merc for parts, was running with some popin and was hard to start but now it isn't starting? i do have a manual but not much help!<br />checked spark at plugs all were firing, but now only 2 are, reset points, checked timing, checked coils, new fuel screens, replaced broken and frayed wires, tried spark advance, i've heard alot of talk about the reed valves going bad or sticking in these does this have anything to do with the spark?, would this be an issue? swaping alot of parts from the other merc with no luck?<br />any HELP would be GREATLY apprecieated.<br />THANKS.

Re: 1965 merc 1000 100hp Won't start?

My guess is that your motor is a 3 cylinder. Only 2 cylinders are firing hu? Are you sure your coil pack is still good?<br /> If so, your switch box could be bad. Thats that thing that has wires hooking up to your coils. If that spare motor you have for parts match up, if its still good, swich out the switch box. Make sure they match up though, if it dont, further damage could happen to your motor.

Re: 1965 merc 1000 100hp Won't start?

these old inline 6cyls need a good amount of<br />juice to start. low battery may turn it over for<br />a long time, but not provide enough to start.

Re: 1965 merc 1000 100hp Won't start?

martyt: I have the same motor so I'll try to head you down the fastest path. I wouldn't worry about the reeds for now, unless it spits back out the carbs somewhere. First, get the spark you need--when you need it. If you didn't use the dwell protractor to set the points, go back and do that over. Point gap setting doesn't cut it on the old Merc dual point setups. Clean and dry the rotor, cap, and wires thoroughly. Maybe displace some moisture with a "wire dryer" silicone spray.But, if so, dry the rubber parts as much as possible afterward because silicone attacks rubber. Make sure each coil is delivering good spark. The lead wires only come off at the coil end, but you can take out the lead wires one at a time and substitute another plug wire and plug to ground for testing it. Be sure to give the other coil's output a path to ground. Some starters--like mine-- were/are in such poor shape that there's no juice left for the coils, especially if the battery leads are shot. If the cold spark is weak, try either pulling the motor over with the recoil or bringing a separate 12V source to the starter solenoid. If either of these moves gives you a good hot blue spark, then you'll need to clean up the inside of the starter and oil the bearings and the Bendix. Once all of this is good you need to get the spark out to the plugs at the right time, so the wires and cap need to be good. With good spark, these earlier (1960s) inlines start much easier because the chokes are better.Mine starts cold within 5 sec. or three pulls of the recoil.(That's three pulls, two arms, one foot, and six grunts!) Good Luck and let us know your progress!

Re: 1965 merc 1000 100hp Won't start?

martyt: I forgot something earlier-- a sure bet way to by-pass Merc's prices for sparkplug leads. Theirs have the special screw in tips that are needed since the wires hang from the cap. Let me knew if you need the fix!!

Re: 1965 merc 1000 100hp Won't start?

NEECAPRS:<br />YES i could deffinintly could use the FIX great advise!, makes perfect sense, i know for a fact that the wires aren't the greatest shape some of the screw in tips are missing? and with no ends on them either, the other motor has no wires to swap out just the cap? and coils which i switched they seemed to put out more juice than the others, as for the dwell protractor i do not have! someone told me that there wasn't any trick to setting the points just set them at high cam at 00.20? as for the battery it is 2 months old, the starter seems to turn the engine over really good, when it was starting it was poping and wanting to stall at low rpm i had to squeeze the bulb like it wasn't gettin fuel.<br />Thanks for the reply<br />marty

Re: 1965 merc 1000 100hp Won't start?

martyt; The current wires on mine are Standard Plus spark plug leads made by Standard/Blue Streak Ignition Products. You should be able to find these at a local auto parts store. I picked Cat # 9819 which is for a GM V-8 giving more variety of lengths. Most important, they need to have straight-in grommets at the cap ends. The numbering of cylinders on the cap is a mess--there are three sets of numbers. Best make a diagram of correct numbers before you remove the present wires. If that fails, here's the pattern for yours. Use the molded-in numbers right next to the terminal bosses. Looking staight at the outside (bottom) of the cap, #1 is right even with the left end of the mounting face for the side port coil lead. Then they're numbered 2-6 counting CLOCKWISE in the same view. That direction may seem wrong because the engine turns the opposite way, but, it is correct for the wires. To put the wires into the cap, merely funnel shape slightly the end clips on the wires with needle nose pliers, then push the clip into the terminal with a flathead, 3/8" long 6-32 BRASS screw already inside the clip. As soon as the screw will reach the tapped threads, turn it in with a thin flat blade, then finish tightening it by turning the wire and clip. Holds very well! As for the dwell protractor, I can FAX or mail you a pattern plus the factory manual procedure. Or, you can make your own. The requirements are very simple. Pick either set of points and set the dwell at 90 degrees--yes, 90 is correct. This results in a very small point gap. Set the second set of points to OPEN 60 degrees(+/- 1/2) after the first set opens. When you're looking at the points, the mounting plate is inverted so afterward means turning counterclockwise. Having to sqeeze the bulb means fuel delivery problems, but, when it's firing you're getting somewhere!

Re: 1965 merc 1000 100hp Won't start?

martyt: Sorry, I forgot after all that. Full advance stop on timing is supposed to be set at 32 1/2 degrees or 0.222" piston travel before top center, planned for 89 octane leaded or not. I don't change it for 87 because it doesn't seem to have trouble.(Not enough compression left!!)

Re: 1965 merc 1000 100hp Won't start?

NEECAPRS: could you e-mail me the pattern and procedure, that would be a great help!..my E-MAIL address is: ltobias@columbus.rr.com<br />hopefuly i can make sense of this overwhelming wealth of info you have provided me.....<br />Ok as for today i have done the following, recharged battery, cleaned the rotor, cap, wires, reset points?? or atleast tried , cleaned plugs, tried a different starter,oh yea by the way both of the old coils tested out at 6.85 seemed very low to me the others are like 10.65, 11.?? still no spark? begining to think it is in the points

Re: 1965 merc 1000 100hp Won't start?

ok GOT SPARK!, runs now, fires right up now everytime, seems there is 1 problem, seems to only hitting on 3 cyls not 6 getting around 2000 rpm i know this motor has more than that,it trys to pick up the other cyls really hard. going to try dist cap and rotor next. now im getting somewhere

Re: 1965 merc 1000 100hp Won't start?

martyt: If you're really only getting 3 to run, try to figure out which coil's spark is getting lost and work backward. Are all three carbs flowing? Want to keep the oil coming!!

Re: 1965 merc 1000 100hp Won't start?

well swaped coils back to the ones that were originaly in there when i got it, fired up fine elec choke was working and was hitting on all 6, the warmer it got the harder it was to start as well as the electric choke wouldn't operate, started to run worse, thinking it's in the coils now? all three carbs are flowing.

Re: 1965 merc 1000 100hp Won't start?

martyt: Is the battery running down? Early charging circuits not as good as new ones; Rectifiers were fragile. Your can put an ammeter into the line from the rectifier easily and see if any charging is happening. Sounds like you're getting there. Hurry now, I'm praying for another good ski season!!!

Re: 1965 merc 1000 100hp Won't start?

ok since it's firing now do i need the protatctor to set the points properly <br />does each set of points fire 3 plugs each <br />Battery seems to be holding a good charge, there are new cables going to and from battery. <br />thanx for all the help <br /><br />martyt

Re: 1965 merc 1000 100hp Won't start?

martyt: Yes, still should set points based on dwell with the protractor. Each point set runs three plugs. The protractor is so simple, here's all it is Take a piece of cardboard like a tablet back and draw the 8 1/2" circle that will fit on it and cut it out. At same center draw a 1 3/4" circle. Draw a radial to 12 o'clock and label it "first set close". Draw another radial to 9 o'clock and label it "first set open". Draw another radial to 7 o'clock and label it "second set open". Optional is draw a final radial to ten o'clock and label it "Reference second set close". Cut out the 1 3/4" circle leaving it slightly smaller so the protractor fits snugly over the boss at top of the distributor housing. Make a simple pointer using a long pointed wire like a drapery hook and press it into the spring pin that engages the secondary (spark) rotor. Set up a battery powered continuity circuit across the point sets. Set the first then second set for 90 degree dwell and open 60 degrees later, respectively. Be patient. It would have been nice if these had had adjustment screws instead of the slots to pry them with a screwdriver.

Re: 1965 merc 1000 100hp Won't start?

is that 90 degrees open for both, and 60 degrees closed for both? man this is confusing, it is probably easier than it sounds but i'm still lost i'm thinking this is where the solution is now. not to swift on this dwell and degree stuff haven't messed with any, sorry to be a pest, and thanx

Re: 1965 merc 1000 100hp Won't start?

martyt: I probably said it in a hard to understand way(and with absolutely no law school training!). Set one set, either one, to a 90 degree dwell--that's 90 degrees closed. This is trial and error. Pry points open to make it shorter; pry closed to make longer. And, you have to keep adjusting the protractor because both ends change. Try to get within about +/- 2 degrees. When you're finished, tighten the hold-down screw. Turn the shaft so the points are just starting to open(counterclockwise looking at the points and mounting cavity). Turn the protractor so the pointer lines up exactly with the "first set open"(9 o'clock) line. Now you need to make sure the protractor doesn't turn on the distributor hub. If it's not tight enough to be sure, then cut a slot in the cardboard to allow a 1/4-20 anchor screw into one of the 4 tapped holes on the top face. Move the continuity setup over to the other set of points and set them to open 60 degrees(+/- 1) later on the 7 o'clock line. Tighten the second set then finish the wiring. Regards, NEECA

Re: 1965 merc 1000 100hp Won't start?

ok took it out yesterday, hitting on all 6 now, seems to be carb related as we were hitting up the rpms my friend was choking the carbs 1 at a time the bottom carb when choked lifted the boat out of the water big time for a brief second, the other 2 carbs when choked bogged down, checked fuel flow all were flowing fine except the bottom just a trickle? going to check fuel pumps and clean carbs today and try again, each time i take it out it seems to just get better and better

Re: 1965 merc 1000 100hp Won't start?

well well it was the bottom carb full of gunk! tore it apart and clenaed, then i had a chraging prob? hmmm go figure swaped rectifiers Badda Boom Badda Bing!<br />took her out to the lake fired right up, if it had wings it would fly <br />purring like a kitten, everything in sync now, push's well over 6000 rpm, this motor has more than i ever expected! <br />Thanks for all the Help NEECAPRS until the next time......<br /><br />MARTYT

Re: 1965 merc 1000 100hp Won't start?

well done! shoudn't run over 5500rpms on her.<br />safe boating,<br />M.Y.