Are Tracker Motors rebadged Mercury motors?

250Gimp · May 10, 2010

I am hoping to find out if a 2004 Tracker 115 hp engine by mercury marine is a rebadged Mercury, or if it is totally different?

If not mercury, how are the engines in general? I have a Force right now, and have had great luck with it, but it is time for a bigger boat. I have found a Tahoe Q3 with a tracker engine that would fit the bill for me and my family.

I have done some searches here and on google, and found differing opinions.

I would apreciate any help or opinions you guys have!

Cheers

250Gimp · May 11, 2010

Re: Are Tracker Motors rebadged Mercury motors?

Anyone at all???

I would love to know what I am getting into if I am going to make an offer on this boat!!

section8 · May 11, 2010

Re: Are Tracker Motors rebadged Mercury motors?

force motors has a bad reputation so if you liked that youll probly like anything.i liked mine ... til it died. used boats scare me. buying someoe elses problems is a crapshoot. if its good its good but look hard.

Wingedwheel · May 11, 2010

Re: Are Tracker Motors rebadged Mercury motors?

Tracker motors are made by Mercury from everything I have seen.

Aluma · May 11, 2010

Re: Are Tracker Motors rebadged Mercury motors?

250Gimp said:
Anyone at all???

I would love to know what I am getting into if I am going to make an offer on this boat!!

When I started working for Mercury Marine back in the mid-1990s, I asked what's the difference between Mercury and Mariner engines. The answer was "the Mercs are black and the Mariners are silver/gray". At that time, the Trackers were identical to the merc/mariners too. It was all in the paint and decals.

Force was a different engine made on a different manufacturing line.

RRitt · May 11, 2010

Re: Are Tracker Motors rebadged Mercury motors?

section8 said:
force motors has a bad reputation so if you liked that youll probly like anything.i liked mine ... til it died. used boats scare me. buying someoe elses problems is a crapshoot. if its good its good but look hard.

force was a good motor until mercury took over. Mercury never quite grasped the relationship between simplicity and reliability and compeletely fubar'd the engine. By the mid 90's they had turned the once reliable Chrysler into an overweight self-destruct mechanism. Don't blame Force. This one rests squarely on mercury engineering.

Jacket4life · May 11, 2010

Re: Are Tracker Motors rebadged Mercury motors?

I know for a fact that the early Force motors were simply rebadged Chryslers. I wouldn't own another (had an 85 125 HP) because of the difficulty in getting parts, NOT because the motor was a piece. In fact, it ran quite well.

IDK what Merc did with it later, I thought they just killed it when they ran out of Chrysler engines...

JB · May 11, 2010

Re: Are Tracker Motors rebadged Mercury motors?

Tracker has sold rebadged Evinrudes, Force and Merc, so it could be any one of them.

250Gimp · May 12, 2010

Re: Are Tracker Motors rebadged Mercury motors?

Thanks for the info everyone.

Being a 2004 engine, I doubt it is a Force motor, as I understand they retired that block in '99 or 2000.

I'm not sure when BRP took over Evinrude, but I doubt it is a 'rude.

I would be comfortable if it is a Merc or Mariner.

Cheers

ezmobee · May 12, 2010

Re: Are Tracker Motors rebadged Mercury motors?

Force never had a 115 so it's probably a Merc.

250Gimp · May 12, 2010

Re: Are Tracker Motors rebadged Mercury motors?

Thanks ezmobee!!

ezmobee · May 12, 2010

Re: Are Tracker Motors rebadged Mercury motors?

Actually i just reread and noticed the "2004". There aren't any motors from '04 that you'd want to avoid. Force went away around '98.

sschefer · May 12, 2010

Re: Are Tracker Motors rebadged Mercury motors?

It's a Merc.. The cowling decals and any other cosmetics are usually listed in the Merc Parts catalog under Misc.

FYI the difference between BlackMax and Mariner is the beard, same guy just dressed a little different.

Opti-Max is non gender specific and politically correct. Pro Max is self explanatory. I heard rumours that the 2011's were going to be super max's and the logo would be a big red "S". Just kidding...

250Gimp · May 12, 2010

Re: Are Tracker Motors rebadged Mercury motors?

Thanks again Embozee & sschefer!
I am feeling a lot more comfortable making an offer on this one.

Cheers

roscoe · May 13, 2010

Re: Are Tracker Motors rebadged Mercury motors?

The id plate on the motor will tell you the manufacturer and the date of manufacture. As will the serial and model numbers in most cases.

sankanother1 · May 13, 2010

Re: Are Tracker Motors rebadged Mercury motors?

Not to completely change the subject just for your infi the mariner around 84-86 was a Yamaha

sschefer · May 13, 2010

Re: Are Tracker Motors rebadged Mercury motors?

sankanother1 said:
Not to completely change the subject just for your infi the mariner around 84-86 was a Yamaha

Yamaha has been onboard with the Merc design team for many years. There were Mariners that were built in Belgum but Merc say's none of them were built by Yamaha exclusively. Tohatsu has been making the small motors for many years. The Belgum Mariners had metric hardware and for this reason many thought they were Yami's and in fact seemed very similar but they were Merc.

Are Tracker Motors rebadged Mercury motors?

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