Breakerless Ignition Upgrade for old Merc I-6

[Doug Redinger]

I recently acquired an old boat and motor and was wondering if anyone has tried to upgrade an ignition. The motor is a 1963 Merc 850 rated at 85 h.p. It is the 90 c.i. version. I went through the ignition and attempted to set the dwell angle with a dwell plate I found on this forum. The ignition is the one with 2 coils and 2 sets of points each of which fires 3 cylinders. After messing around with the dwell for hours I realized how beneficial a breakerless ignition would be for this old motor. Does anyone out there have any experience or advice regarding this possible upgrade. Are there any kits available to perform this upgrade. Thanks in advance to any and all responders.

 

[Laddies]

Re: Breakerless Ignition Upgrade for old Merc I-6

Doug, I am afraid that a conversion to beakerless ign. would be quite costly even if you could find a 950 or 1100 to use as a doner engine, isn't there a dealer close by that would set them for you--Bob

 

[Doug Redinger]

Re: Breakerless Ignition Upgrade for old Merc I-6

I think I got the dwell set reasonably close to spec. I realize that the most important element of setting the dwell is getting the proper 60 degree stagger between the 2 sets of points breaking. The motor started right up when I was done but I have'nt had a chance to test it on the water yet. I was just hoping that I never have to do it again. Breakerless would be so nice, and I know they are always coming out with new kits to upgrade all kinds of old points type ignitions.

 

[Laddies]

Re: Breakerless Ignition Upgrade for old Merc I-6

Great news they are great old engines, as you learn to take care of it you will find it must be done by the book, there were not any short cuts just the proper way in the right order, thats why the rude people hated them, you just could not throw them together any old way like the old rudes. (with the rudes it didn't matter much)--Bob