1965 SeaSwirl with Mercury 650 65HP

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I have quite a few questions, as I don't know a single thing about boats other than how to drive one.

I recently purchased this 1965 SeaSwirl Tri-Hull 16ft boat for $1600 with a trailer and a Mercury 650 65HP Motor.

I charged the battery, and I hooked it back up. I turned the key all the way over to see if the motor would even turn over, it didn't. I turned it a quarter turn and checked to see if the lights came on, they didn't. So, I tried the horn, didn't work. But, the CB Turned on and worked.... which doesn't work unless the key is turned quarter turn.

There is a lever that is up against the side of the boat (on the ignition, next to the throttle) It goes up, but I'm not sure what it does.

There is also a button that is right next to the ignition, only it's on the boat and it is hooked up to a pump looking thing, that buzzes when I push the button (only with the key half turned). Not sure what that does.

Do I have to have the gas cans full and hooked up for the motor to turn over?
Do I have to mix the gas with 2 cycle oil, 50:1?
Seeing as how some things work and some things don't, I'm charging the battery (again) and going to see if that helps, what else could there be?

How do I change the oil and sparkplug on this particular motor, I believe there is a couple screws on the bottom of it, to change the oil on the bottom end.

Do I just need the propeller submerged or would the whole motor need to be submerged, to test it and get it running? I have a garbage can that is full of water (55 gallons) and the motor is too big (the fins don't fit in the can) but the propeller fits submerged, and if positioned right doesn't rub or hit anything if it were to spin...?

I will have more questions when these are answered. I want to go Boating on Saturday, because it's my birthday so if I can get this thing running by then I would -GREATLY appreciate the help!


Thanks in advance, to those who reply,

Brett

 

[jbjennings]

Re: 1965 SeaSwirl with Mercury 650 65HP

Your merc 650:
1. yes you have two drain plugs in the lower unit to change your lower unit oil.
2. the motor won't start unless your shifter is in neutral--try moving the shifter a little with the key on to see if that's the problem. The shifter/ throttle are the main lever on your controls. the smaller lever is the "fast idle" lever and is only used when warming the engine up in neutral and it must be down in order to shift properly. There should be a black button on your controls---that is the choke button. You usually have to hold it in and turn the key at the same time when you first start it in the morning, once it cranks you can let off the choke button usually.
3. Yes, your fuel mixture is 50:1
4. Yes, to test your motor you must have it in a trashcan about 3 or 4 inches below the exhaust port in the midsection, or, it's easier to buy a pair of "muffs" to hook up to your waterhose. You don't have to have the tanks and fuel line attached for it to turn over. don't start it unless you have it on muffs or submerged about 2 feet in the water. Just submerging the prop won't be deep enough.
5. If it hasn't been run in awhile, you probably need to take all the electrical connections off the starter and such and clean them really well.
JBJ