Going from Force to Mercury

[puffitu]

Hi all
My 1989 Force 125hp turns out its not rebuildable, both because the cylinder damage is too deep and that financially id be better off just getting something else. my question is-would it be wise to get a mercury so that I don't have to change out too much right off the bat?? Im told that the force and mercs cabling etc are somewhat the same ..
Thanks

 

[flyingscott]

Mercury did not buy force until until the early 90s. so I do not think that is true. So whatever motor you buy get the controls and everything.

 

[jerryjerry05]

The motors made after 91-92 had Mercury transom brackets.
The bolt patterns, shifter, wiring harness, cables, tach are different on your 89,
compared to any other motor.
It's not that hard to make a template to drill new holes.
The messy part, the old holes should be filled with hardwood dowels and fiber glassed in.

 

[puffitu]

I actually found same model and year entire motors a three hour ride from me for pretty cheap. I really don't want to have to buy all new accessories, harnesses and cables and to have to re drill and fill everything if I can just swap in and maybe have to tinker a bit here and there. Sorry to flip flop but im just redoing the math so to speak. Jerry, I know youre a force guy and for what its worth ive learned so much from guys like you on this forum to the point that im really familiar with this force 89 125hp. Would it be wiser to just swap in a different working powerhead instead of abandoning force ? I do appreciate your feedback and also do respect what everyone else suggested but my gut just steers to get another similar engine

 

[redfury]

If you have a different power head available, then yes. Now you have a bucket load of valuable spare parts.

 

[jerryjerry05]

Do a compression test.
Then just swap the powerhead.

 

[The Force power]

I actually found same model and year entire motors a three hour ride from me for pretty cheap. I really don't want to have to buy all new accessories, harnesses and cables and to have to re drill and fill everything if I can just swap in and maybe have to tinker a bit here and there. Sorry to flip flop but im just redoing the math so to speak. Jerry, I know youre a force guy and for what its worth ive learned so much from guys like you on this forum to the point that im really familiar with this force 89 125hp. Would it be wiser to just swap in a different working powerhead instead of abandoning force ? I do appreciate your feedback and also do respect what everyone else suggested but my gut just steers to get another similar engine

That sounds like a nice adventure, I'm going to do a similar task except I'm making out of two power heads one (as a spare)

Good luck and keep us posted, especially; "the watch out part"

 

[puffitu]

I know right, I just picked up a freshwater twin to my Motor yesterday for $500. Never seen salt. Great comp. moving water. All was wrong with it is the skew was broken of it so I’ll swap out with mine. There’s no rust on this thing at all!! I did however have to drive 5 hrs one way to get it in the Florida panhandle. Now I’m trying to figure out how to undo the tilt and trim and no to mess anything up swapping everything. Any pointers as to how to unhook and rebook the hydrolic lines from and to these engines?

 

[puffitu]

Skeg not skew. Damn autocorrect

 

[jerryjerry05]

The parts diagrams should have the diagram for the hyd. lines.
A motor from Fl. that's never been in salt water?
Get a factory manual now that your a Force Guy!!

 

[atengnr]

Puffitu, glad you stayed with Force. With the new parts on your old motor, your familiarity with it, I think this was the right move.

 

[The Force power]

Now I’m trying to figure out how to undo the tilt and trim and no to mess anything up swapping everything. Any pointers as to how to unhook and re-hook the hydraulic lines from and to these engines?

If.. I understand correctly would it not be easier to just disconnect the entire Transom bracket incl. pump-assy.

I removed one of my "part-motor" to install on my "project-motor" and all I had to do was;

Remove the bottom clamp that holds the shaft and tap it down out of the top-portion of the mid-section

 

[The Force power]

The parts diagrams should have the diagram for the hyd. lines.

Get a factory manual now that your a Force Guy!!

I guess we're all "force(d) Guys" lol

 

[puffitu]

I’ve had a manual since day one. Yep Jerryjerry05, there’s not a hint of salt on this engine, and very little rust at all. Once I get the thing mounted I’ll post pictures as it’s still in the back of my pickup.

 

[puffitu]

[No message]

 

[puffitu]

Got the new pre enjoyed block on to my lower today. Now hooking up the wiring etc. The sticker on it says it’s actually a 88 force 125hp. On my supposedly 89-90 force 125hp lower. All seems to be coming together with no issues. Couldn’t use the lower off new motor because I bought it with the skeg broken off so didn’t trust it without taking it apart to investigate if it wasn’t damaged. All being said; all should be interchangeable I’m hoping?right? Can I use my old carbs on this one?

 

[jerryjerry05]

Should be an easy swap.
The only change might be the drive shaft ?
one piece maybe two? Towards the end of 89 they used a 2 piece drive shaft.
Either way the shaft should fit.

 

[puffitu]

Thanks Jerryjerry05
yeah my existing lower, which I’m using is a two piece but the new is a one piece. I got it all together no problem; splines we’re same. Only differences I’m seeing is that the recirculation system is slightly different and the power packs and coils are black versus blue. The new unit I just installed does not have a check valve under either carb as my old unit had.

 

[jerryjerry05]

Black is the newer style.
I never noticed any difference.
The only thing I did notice is the connectors are backwards so you can't mix the black and blue.

 

[puffitu]

I’m going through the old block and striping it of usable parts; should I save the remaining good pistons or toss ?