1963 Mercury 650 restoration

[MPrimeaux]

I have been following your progress from the start and I'm impressed with the outcome; love it.

I had a 1962 Arkansas traveler with pulley/cable steering so I have one tiny advice to add, that could be significant.
Check the screws/wood that the pulleys are secured into the boat with; they can come loose (not good at high speed as you loose control of any steering, luckily mine happen when docking)

Thanks for the heads up on the screws and also for the compliment brother. I have checked the fasteners and for them to come loose would actually require bolts to pull through the glass sideways. These pulleys are attached to bolts that run vertically through where the top cap and the hull are seamed. Kinda hard to describe, but you can see in the pics. The bolts are actually put through the flange of the boat from the outside and have a lock nut on bottom. They also use a HUGE "S" hook. I think I'm ok on them pulling out, my concern is the new pulleys I purchased have a "hook" and not a "loop" (you can see what I'm talking about on the new pulleys on the motor bracket). That is one of the reasons that I didn't replace the pulleys that are under the top cap that I can't see easily. I've read where a several people have used these without issue as long as the cable tension is monitored and maintained. The original set up didn't include springs. I added them to for a little insurance to make sure I keep tension on the cable. Thanks a bunch for the input my friend and please don't hesitate to holler at me if you see any other concerns or issues that you think of!

 

[The Force power]

Yeah, I can't see them coming loose either

However I noticed that in the earlier pics. I would not rely on (extra tension) for them to stay in place (under extreme conditions may still unhook)
When the cable is too tight, so will the steering

What if a thinner link was attached to motor-bracket & then pinch the open hook?
I would make this "fail-proof" I would hate to see (after all this work) the boat crashing or worse??

 

[GA_Boater]

A straighter tiller arm would make it easier to steer. You are losing a lot of leverage with the arm pointing down.

Where are the springs? Usually they are on the tiller arm.

Those are the wrong pulleys to connect to the tiller arm. They should have closed ends.

 

[MPrimeaux]

Yeah, I can't see them coming loose either

However I noticed that in the earlier pics. I would not rely on (extra tension) for them to stay in place (under extreme conditions may still unhook)
When the cable is too tight, so will the steering

What if a thinner link was attached to motor-bracket & then pinch the open hook?
I would make this "fail-proof" I would hate to see (after all this work) the boat crashing or worse??

The open hook is just too big to be pinched. It's really stout. I guess I could put the old ones back on.

 

[MPrimeaux]

A straighter tiller arm would make it easier to steer. You are losing a lot of leverage with the arm pointing down.

Where are the springs? Usually they are on the tiller arm.

Those are the wrong pulleys to connect to the tiller arm. They should have closed ends.

I put the springs at the dead end on the hull. As far as the pulleys, they were the only ones I could find GA. Do you have a link to where I could purchase some closed eye ones?

 

[MPrimeaux]

Big update. Got my cable clevises in and installed throttle and steering cables today. Not sure if it would be considered a "1st splash" because I'm nowhere near finished, but I WAS able to put her in the water today. Of course there were issues that I will address in another post, but she DID run, she DID steer fine, she DID float. Shared it with my son and am pretty stoked about the whole experience! First issue was of course it decided to rain as soon as we got to the lake. Waited the rain out until it slacked off a bit and put her in the water anyways!!!

Didn't happen without pics right?
I also posted a video to Youtube if anyone is interested https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5acZyK0jraw... is there a way to post a video straight to this thread???

 

[MPrimeaux]

Alright everyone... So I DID have a couple of issues with the motor when I put it in the water and I was hoping to get some input.
1st - It's pretty hard to start for the first time. When I say the first time, I mean with no fuel in the carbs. The very first time I busted her off after getting the mag and carbs rebuilt, I cranked on the engine for a long time and it didn't start. I sprayed some WD-40 in the carbs to see if it wasn't getting fuel and it cranked right up. After that, it would crank every time almost immediately. I have always pulled my fuel line on outboards and let them run out of fuel before leaving the boat launch to keep the carbs from gumming up. I did this when I cranked it up the last time. This time when I went to start her, same thing. After I FINALLY got her started though, she'll crank as soon as the ignition is bumped every time. Anyone know what's up with that?? Side note.... Yes I was sure to get the primer bulb tight before trying to start.

2nd. It bogs and dies as soon as I open the throttle. It'll start right up, go into gear and idle, but as soon as I give it gas, it'll die..... UNLESS I hit the choke right before/while I'm giving it throttle. Then she'll go on and run fine..... until I put it back into neutral and idle again. After that, same thing. Hit the choke one time, give it gas, and take off. Running too rich???

Also.... I have another thread for the actual boat restoration. I've been kinda posting in both places I copy and paste some and I realize that some of this stuff gets posted twice. Is this bad form or frowned upon?? I was just trying to broaden my target audience with my questions, but if it's not acceptable, please let me know and I'll pay more attention to segregating motor stuff and boat stuff.

 

[GA_Boater]

THAT'S A SPLASH! :thumb:

Next time you're on the water, before taking the boat off the trailer - Adjust the idle screws. In gear at idle, turn the upper carb screw in until the motor starts to stumble, then turn out until it begins the stumble and count the turns. Put it in the middle and then do the same for the lower carb. You may need to do it few times for fine tuning.

When starting raise the idle warm up lever. After a while and you're used to the motor, you will know how much to raise the lever. The lever helps when stating a cold motor. Make sure you push it down before shifting out of neutral.

It's best to keep the boat and motor separate - Less confusing for us old guys. :smile:

To put a video directly in the post, copy the YouTube link, click the Insert Video button and paste the link.

 

[MPrimeaux]

THAT'S A SPLASH! :thumb:

Next time you're on the water, before taking the boat off the trailer - Adjust the idle screws. In gear at idle, turn the upper carb screw in until the motor starts to stumble, then turn out until it begins the stumble and count the turns. Put it in the middle and then do the same for the lower carb. You may need to do it few times for fine tuning.

When starting raise the idle warm up lever. After a while and you're used to the motor, you will know how much to raise the lever. The lever helps when stating a cold motor. Make sure you push it down before shifting out of neutral.

It's best to keep the boat and motor separate - Less confusing for us old guys. :smile:

To put a video directly in the post, copy the YouTube link, click the Insert Video button and paste the link.

Roger that GA. I'll pay attention and keep them separate in the future my friend. I will also do as you've instructed and adjust the carbs. It idles way to high right now and I was hoping that adjusting the carbs is all was needed to correct the bogging on take off issue. Thanks for the instruction on attaching video and for everything else brother. I'm sure I'll have more questions to come, but I think I'm about done working on the boat until next hitch. Got family coming in for the holidays and I go back to work on the 30th. Thanks again and a very Merry Christmas to you and yours!

 

[The Force power]

The open hook is just too big to be pinched. It's really stout. I guess I could put the old ones back on.

What about welding on an extension-loop

 

[MPrimeaux]

What about welding on an extension-loop

That would no doubt work, but I hate to jack up my brand new pulleys.... although I guess it's better to jack those up instead of my boat. I've got some time before I put it together permanently. I may keep searching for pulleys that have closed eyes. At the very least, after all of the glass work and paint, I will definitely flip the pulley over to put the hook on top and the opening on the bottom. Noticed that after I got everything tensioned. If any of you happen to run across some pulleys with a closed eye, please let me know. I just haven't seen any for whatever reason.

 

[The Force power]

Wrap a water soaked rag around the metal close to the plastic wheel & quickly tac weld-on an deterrent

 

[MPrimeaux]

Wrap a water soaked rag around the metal close to the plastic wheel & quickly tac weld-on an deterrent

It may come to that if I can't find closed eye pulleys when I'm going back together with it after glass work.

 

[MPrimeaux]

Hello everyone. I think I have a problem that I was hoping to get some input on. It sounds like bearing noise to me. Can anyone confirm/dismiss this noise. I'm sorry for the sound quality, the only thing I have to record it is my phone. Ear buds makes it a lot easier to hear, but I think I got a decent recording of it.

 

[MPrimeaux]

uggghhh.... well, pulled the top cowl off this morning and started it. I though maybe something was just hitting the cowl or starter or something. Not so lucky. It definitely sounds like a bearing... sounds like maybe the upper main to me but hard to tell. I checked the rod bearings on holes 1 & 2 and pulled the inspection plate for those two holes (that's all I could really get to without pulling the power head) and I didn't feel any slack. Looks like I'm going to have to scatter the engine. That'll set me back a good bit (money and time), but at least the parts seem to be available.

"Get a supercool old Merc.... it'll be great!"
Crap........:frusty:

 

[The Force power]

link brings me to youtube but no engine sound

 

[MPrimeaux]

Hey Force. I was worried that it would be hard to pick the sound out of a video if you didn't know exactly what I was hearing. Let's see if I can explain in words. You can hear the engine running, but in the back ground its an intermitted sound that actually resembles the sound when the starter engages the flywheel or for a non-engine related example.... kinda like a stack of plates clanging together?? It's not constant or steady and it has no rhythm. I think what I'm hearing is a ball bearing that has a bad spot in it maybe. If I had to guess from listening up close, I would say it was coming from the upper main just under the flywheel, but it's hard to tell with the engine running.

 

[MPrimeaux]

Here are the videos side by side for comparison. The first one is from when I got it all put back together, the second from after I ran it on the lake the other day. The noise I'm talking about is only heard in the second one.

 

[The Force power]

Ouch!!

But id does not seems to drop in rmp's
Any play in the top main bearing? not just side to side but up/down
Maybe drop the LU to isolate the noise or use a stethoscope to pin point the location.
if you don't have one; a long screwdriver works also(place handle against ear & be CAREFUL around moving parts)

 

[MPrimeaux]

Yeah Force... once you hear it, it's bad. I really don't want to run it any more. I know that it hasn't been going on for long and I'm hoping the bad bearing is the only damage. It still runs great and I'd like to keep it that way. I've tried listening with a screwdriver, but with the engine running, it's just too loud. Like I said, it sounds like it's coming from the top of the engine. I didn't check for up/down play in the flywheel, but I think I do feel a touch of side to side. I figure if I'm going to pull the power head, I might as well open it up to check everything while there are still some parts available. Thought I was going to be able to avoid it, but doesn't look like I got that lucky. I've been looking online for parts and I think I've found most everything I may need. I have read and seen that it IS possible to re-install crank without the mercury ring compressors and I'm having trouble finding those for a reasonable price. Do you have any idea about the roller bearings? Can I get those out and back in without the mercury tool?