[camccardell]

I have a 72 mercury 800 thunferbolt motor.

The motor was having truoble starting and no readings on the tach, so I started poking around. I found that all the sheating on the wires comming from the stator was gone and just bare copper was exposed.

Well after taking the cowl off and the flywheel and the timing belt, I got the stator off.

I was going to put it all back together, but I have a problem.

I have disassembled the flywheel. I can re-assemble it, but it goes back together many ways. I mean the hub in the middle will go on 8 diffirent ways.

The flywheel also has no stickers on it, just 3 dots that I could find. So I guess the first thing would be to get the engine to TDC on #1, but I am still at a loss on what to do about the flywheel.
I am also not sure on how to time it. The manual only says from 69-71, and nothing about 72 motors.

I am pulling my hair out, and am lost.
Any help would be appreciated.
also, does the keyway in the crank have anything to do with the arrow on the distirbutor?

Thanks
Chris

[emckelvy]

Hi, Chris, bring the #1 piston to the top (i.e. spark-plug-end) of the cyl as you mentioned.

At that point, there's only one way the flywheel can go on and have the timing marks align.

Point the arrow cast into the distributor pulley to the centerline of the crankshaft.

The 3 dots on the flywheel should align up with the arrow on the distributor pulley and at this point the holes in the flywheel should be in alignment with the bolt holes on the flywheel center hub.

Be sure to use red Loctite on the center hub bolts and torque to about 25 ft-lb.

BTW it looks like the timing decal on your 800 should be on the upper cowling support (the one that goes around the flywheel). Later models had the a timing scale and decal on the flywheel. If your decal is gone, you might be able to find a used part on eBay with an intact decal; or perhaps a dlr with old-stock decal, as the part is NLA from Merc.

The part # for the decal is 37-60204.

http://www.dougrussell.com/partscata...1,19 ,1,7,8,2

HTH & G'luck.........ed