1971 Merc 1350 Controls

[asr2001]

Hi,

I am looking to replace the controls for my 71 Merc 1350. I am looking for the original controls that besides having the fast idle lever also has the button for the electric choke. Can anyone reccommend or know where to locate controls that will have the choke button. Seems all i can find are replacements that do not have this option. i am totally new to outboards so any help would be great

thanks
Adam

 

[Scaaty]

Re: 1971 Merc 1350 Controls

They pop up on ebay quite often. Plan on a good $250-350 for a good working unit. Watch (ask first) for corroded crumbly insulation on the switch wires in the box. Whats wrong with the one ya got?

 

[asr2001]

Re: 1971 Merc 1350 Controls

Thanks you for the suggestion. My Mechanic stated that I may want to start and look for a new one. Seems that he thought that it might be part of the situation where as i am having issues with reverse but he was unsure so he stated I may want to locate one. Also like you had stated the wires inside are no longer what i would say upto par, So we have repaired and replaced some and it seems to have done the trick.

I was hoping to find one in case what i was trying did not pan out. I also have a second older Merc that I can not locate the controld for and was thinking of placing it on a second hull so Either way it would not have hurt.

 

[Scaaty]

Re: 1971 Merc 1350 Controls

Keep an eye on ebay then. I think the red or blue decal boxes will work. Good luck!

 

[OldMercsRule]

Re: 1971 Merc 1350 Controls

Keep an eye on ebay then. I think the red or blue decal boxes will work. Good luck!

Control boxes on any inline 4 and inline 6 cylinder motors from 1967 on through 1979 would fit your motor perfectly. The earlier boxes, (prior to 1967), were for point fired units and did not have a tachometer port, (although they would work fine and you could wire the tachometer directly). You need to carefully check the condition of the harness where it plugs into the starbord side of the engine, and the battery cables to make sure they are still in good condition. I have a number of them, as I have collected parts motors to keep my fleet running. The mid 1970s integrated the power trim with the unit (if you have power trim), the earlier models had seperate trim controls. Hope that helps. JR

 

[ricksrster]

Re: 1971 Merc 1350 Controls

You can replace the cams in your box and the wiring harness.

 

[diaric]

Re: 1971 Merc 1350 Controls

i had throttle problems on mine and changed the internal cam, works great now, but it cost $50 can for it here

 

[asr2001]

Re: 1971 Merc 1350 Controls

Thanks to all for the assistance. My engine does not have the power trim or tilt ( Dont i wish) The only things on the controller are a throttle adjustment lever and a button that controls the electric choke

 

[asr2001]

Re: 1971 Merc 1350 Controls

Control boxes on any inline 4 and inline 6 cylinder motors from 1967 on through 1979 would fit your motor perfectly. The earlier boxes, (prior to 1967), were for point fired units and did not have a tachometer port, (although they would work fine and you could wire the tachometer directly). You need to carefully check the condidtion of the harness where it plugs into the starbord side of the engine, and the battery cables to make sure they are still in good condition. I have a number of them, as I have collected parts motors to keep my fleet running. The mid 1970s integrated the power trim with the unit (if you have power trim), the earlier models had seperate trim controls. Hope that helps. JR

What about the button for the electric choke, i can just go without it if the new controls do not have one? I know that they all have the throttle lever? Oh yes I do not have a tach either..I guess this was a bare bones 71 1350 thunderbolt ignition model lol
thanks

 

[diaric]

Re: 1971 Merc 1350 Controls

most have the choke, some don't have a button. you push in the key to choke on some. they should have choke labelled on them

 

[OldMercsRule]

Re: 1971 Merc 1350 Controls

What about the button for the electric choke, i can just go without it if the new controls do not have one? I know that they all have the throttle lever? Oh yes I do not have a tach either..I guess this was a bare bones 71 1350 thunderbolt ignition model lol
thanks

All the control boxes I have have a choke button and tachometer ports, earlier then 1967 the only difference is the tachometer port but they still have the choke button. I would get a tachometer for your engine. Keeping an eye on the RPMS and water comming out of the telltale is how I get long lives out of my motors!!

 

[asr2001]

Re: 1971 Merc 1350 Controls

All the control boxes I have have a choke button and tachometer ports, earlier then 1967 the only difference is the tachometer port but they still have the choke button. I would get a tachometer for your engine. Keeping an eye on the RPMS and water comming out of the telltale is how I get long lives out of my motors!!

I always check the tell tale for the stregnth of the stream as well as the temp, However on the control box i do not see anywhere to hook up a tach. I do have on teh front end a plug with 3 wires that go to it. the plug goes into the box and the wires at the other end are clipped and terminated ( Taped off) Obviously i was given this boat and am on a learning curve so thank you for all the time. i was told that this is a neutral Cutoff or something like that. If need be i will be more than happy to post a pic here of the control box and the item i am trying to describe. seems it is a set of 3 wires i believe white, grey and brown and it is a round plug that has pins....

Any help would be great and all the help that everyone has given me here is invaluable....THANKS TO ALL

 

[OldMercsRule]

Re: 1971 Merc 1350 Controls

The control boxes newer then 1967 all have tach ports on the front of the control box, (I believe). I believe they are three wire ports. If you post a pic of your control box I will show you where the port is or tell you that you have a control box older then 1967. JR

 

[asr2001]

Re: 1971 Merc 1350 Controls

The control boxes newer then 1967 all have tach ports on the front of the control box, (I believe). I believe they are three wire ports. If you post a pic of your control box I will show you where the port is or tell you that you have a control box older then 1967. JR

Maybe that is where those three wires are suppose to go and they were just cut down and terminated due to there not being a tach on the dash,
Attention...Lol I just found the original wiring diagram for my motor and controls and sure enuff the wire that they have clipped and going to nothing on the front of the control box is the connection for the tach, It shows it in the Diagram and I was correct on the colors White, Brown and Black....Amazing what you can find here even if by accident like I just did. Now that i know what it is for can i just buy any tach and plug it in the control box or do i need to get a special one, I assume i can just make a whole in the dash to mount it...Also what RPM's should this engine be running at? The motor is running great right now and i want to keep it this way for a long time to come....Now i just have to get the reverse right and i am ready to set sail....Thanks again everyone
Ps Is this motor a long or short shaft? I do not know the difference...

 

[OldMercsRule]

Re: 1971 Merc 1350 Controls

Maybe that is where those three wires are suppose to go and they were just cut down and terminated due to there not being a tach on the dash,
Attention...Lol I just found the original wiring diagram for my motor and controls and sure enuff the wire that they have clipped and going to nothing on the front of the control box is the connection for the tach, It shows it in the Diagram and I was correct on the colors White, Brown and Black....Amazing what you can find here even if by accident like I just did. Now that i know what it is for can i just buy any tach and plug it in the control box or do i need to get a special one, I assume i can just make a whole in the dash to mount it...

I think most marine tachs would work, but the 'big guns' here would know more then me.

Also what RPM's should this engine be running at?

My Seloc shows WOT to be 4800 to 5300 for the 1350. That said, Clams and other gurus here coach us to set up the boat to run at 5500 at WOT and cruise at 4000 plus or minus for maximum engine life. The key is: do not lug 'em on a heavy boat where the motor is always under great labor. Most inlines in good shape can take a short term run to 6000, but if ya have any weakness plan to spit rods or some such if ya do that hot roddin' all the time.

The motor is running great right now and i want to keep it this way for a long time to come....Now i just have to get the reverse right and i am ready to set sail....Thanks again everyone
Ps Is this motor a long or short shaft? I do not know the difference...

Measure from the bottom of the motor bracket where it clamps on the transom to the anti cavitation plate, (the wide spot above the prop). 15" is a short shaft and 20" is a long shaft, 25" is an extra long shaft, (which is rare in the older girls if available at all back then). Hope that helps. JR

 

[asr2001]

Re: 1971 Merc 1350 Controls

Thanks OldMercs....

Guess what i will do is install a tach first. after it is installed i will run it WOT just to see where the RPm's are at and go from there ( careful to make sure we dont go over 5500). i am not sure how to set up a engine to run at certaind RPM,s but i am going to do my homework, However i would assume that i should install the Tach and see where it stands from WOT to half and then make any adjustments from there is that correct? What i will do is notate what she is at full and half throttle and then post the results and we can go from there. Would this be the logical thing to do?

By the way this engine is on a 16' tri Hull and i never have run it at WOT yet as there is no need to, she rund plenty fast enuff to get this boat to move at just between a third and a half throttle. personally she is overkill for the boat she is on and i am looking for a bit bigger and Vhull style boat to place her on as i feel she deserves a better home..

 

[Scaaty]

Re: 1971 Merc 1350 Controls

Don't just get any Tach (couple on ebay just went cheap..$30 delivered)
You need an Outboard 2 cycle Tach that has a 12 Pole setting (6 phase). Black to the ground, white to ING, brown to Signal/Send..
PS. The white hot wire goes through the choke button, so if it don't work, you might not get power to the tach

 

[OldMercsRule]

Re: 1971 Merc 1350 Controls

Thanks OldMercs....

Guess what i will do is install a tach first. after it is installed i will run it WOT just to see where the RPm's are at and go from there ( careful to make sure we dont go over 5500).

5500 RPMs is a rough number. If yer motor is sound it will go to 6000 and be just fine (for a short time, [a couple of minutes] on the water pushing a boat). Make sure your anti cav plate, (that ya measured to see if ya had a short shaft or not), is level with, (or up to 1" above), the bottom of the boat, (lowest point). I would be comfortable if WOT were 5400 as that is close enough fer "government work", and I might live with 5300 as well. Ya jus' don't ever wanna lug an old (or freshly rebuilt, for that matter) Merc inline6. The props to get that done are probably a 19P but 17 or 21 depending on how heavy and how much drag yer boat has. I personally think a tach is nearly as important as watchin' the telltale, as the RPMs tell ya lots about how yer motor is running relative to the last time ya fired her up. Loss of RPMs does mean ya take a very hard n' close look at the old girl before just runnin' her any farther.

i am not sure how to set up a engine to run at certaind RPM,s but i am going to do my homework, However i would assume that i should install the Tach and see where it stands from WOT to half and then make any adjustments from there is that correct?

Yes ya change props to get the right RPMs.

What i will do is notate what she is at full and half throttle and then post the results and we can go from there. Would this be the logical thing to do?

WOT, (full throttle) is what matters when correctly propping yer boat. Once ya have the right prop, (which I bet you allready have on her), ya can find the "sweet spot" for minimum fuel cornsumption, max engine life.

By the way this engine is on a 16' tri Hull and i never have run it at WOT yet as there is no need to, she rund plenty fast enuff to get this boat to move at just between a third and a half throttle. personally she is overkill for the boat she is on and i am looking for a bit bigger and Vhull style boat to place her on as i feel she deserves a better home..

I ran a 1968 1250 short shaft from 1986 to 2005, (with a break for a couple of years where I ran a 1967 650 on the boat and put the 1250 on a 14 foot Carlson rocket fer loads o' fun). The old boat was sooooo overpowered with the 1250 I rarely had the nerve to hold it at WOT, but my son did, (have the nerve to dare fate) and the old girl took out #3 cylinder in 2005 at the end of the season (in cold water, which likely didn't help matters). I now have a 1969 1000 short shaft on that boat that still has not made it to the water this season, but probably will be much more correctly matched when she arrives at the lake. If you can find a PT unit when ya buy a spare motor for parts that would serve you very well too. Saw a 90 HP on craigs list in Seattle this mornin' fer $200, but I have plenty of spares at this point. You will need a "silver block" fer a spare, (yer option, but will make it easier to run yer motor more economically), a 1967 1100 or 1000 or 950 to 1972 1150 or 1350 with PT and a solid lower unit n' blown power head with good wires n' gas lines, maybe another good corntrol box, etc. if you can find one and have the space to store one should do very nicely. It sure works for me!! Good luck

 

[asr2001]

Re: 1971 Merc 1350 Controls

Don't just get any Tach (couple on ebay just went cheap..$30 delivered)
You need an Outboard 2 cycle Tach that has a 12 Pole setting (6 phase). Black to the ground, white to ING, brown to Signal/Send..
PS. The white hot wire goes through the choke button, so if it don't work, you might not get power to the tach

Scaaty,

Thanks for the advice, Found an Original tach with the wiring harness and connector so i am going to plug it up and see how it goes. Thanks for letting me know what pole setting that I need, i have been looking at Tachs before i found this and that was one of my concernsI know what you mean by Black to ground, Brown to signal/send but what is White to ING? GHowever i do know that the choke button and the wiring in the box is all good

A

 

[asr2001]

Re: 1971 Merc 1350 Controls

WOT, (full throttle) is what matters when correctly propping yer boat. Once ya have the right prop, (which I bet you allready have on her), ya can find the "sweet spot" for minimum fuel cornsumption, max engine life

The Prop on her right now says 13*15 and she is a triple blade...looks like the original, can that be????