35hp vs. 40hp Mercury

T

tinkerr

Cadet
Joined
Mar 25, 2012
Messages
25
I was looking to purchase a new carb. for my 35hp Mercury. After looking the carb. up by application the description for the carb. says for 35/40 hp motor. Further investigation shows the same jetting, same reed valve assembly, piston and crankshafts are the same. Any ideas how mercury got 5 more hp out of the motor? My only thought is perhaps they raised the compression.
 
Chinewalker

Chinewalker

Fleet Admiral
Joined
Aug 19, 2001
Messages
8,902
Re: 35hp vs. 40hp Mercury

Simple - they didn't. Mercury built the 40 into the early 1980s, then changed how they rated the motors from powerhead to propshaft, which effectively downgraded the horsepower a bit as you lose some due to parasitic losses in the drivetrain. So, the 1982 40hp is essentially identical to the 1985 35hp.
 
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