Can I swap factory tilt/trim from Mercury version 85hp to US Marine version 85?

[The Force power]

in 89 they changed water pump styles.
Not positive but they might swap(not parts,whole pumps)
They introduced the Hell Drive and needed a stub shaft to connect to the L drive.
I believe in 90 when they started on the 90/120/150 they standardized the gear ratio. They all had the same ratio at one point. Markings on the case should tell what's in there.

 

[jerryjerry05]

After seeing the pics: Both motors are US. Marine
The drive with the short shaft is from the 90's
not positive what year but doing some research can figure it out???

 

[62Scout]

I know lots of people dislike people asking questions, then never updating results...well, took another year, but I finally got back to this project.
Turned out swapping those T&T units was a LOT simpler than I expected. Didn't even have to touch the bit pivot bolt, just pulled the all parts in between the two large "horseshoe" shaped mounting brackets. All the holes were already present on the motor getting the T&T unit, and I only had to run a thread chaser to break out the paint on the threaded holes.

Pretty sure I could have done it with the motor still hung on the transom if I really had to, but I have a large crane mounted to my service truck, and why make things hard when you don't have to?

All in all, took about 30 minutes to swap it all over, and works great...in the driveway at least. Still working through some carb issues (pretty sure it was just old gas), but fingers crossed this thing will be in the water this weekend for the first time in a LONG time.

 

[jerryjerry05]

A year?? Wow!! Thanks for the update.
Have you done a compression test?
Do a Starting Fluid test. Start motor, spray SF around the intake side of the motor. If the spray makes any difference in the way it runs then it's sucking air somewhere????

 

[62Scout]

Sadly, a year is actually pretty short for me on some of my "quick" projects. My rock crawler has been laid up longer than that. It was case of life being like 100 hours of work to be done in a 24 hour day while working around a 20 hour a day job, having other higher priority things breaking every other hour, with a wicked case of ADHD bringing home 100 more projects in the mean time

The gas in the tank was probably 2-3 years old by now. Even if it's not the problem, I figured it would be a good idea to change it out anyways. I pumped it all out shortly after that test run, and will going to get it refilled today or tomorrow, and will be making a better test tank to be able to run it longer than I could in the very leaky just barely big enough Walmart plastic storage tub...

 

[jerryjerry05]

Wow!! I'm not the only one who has projects coming out my butt!!
2 weedeaters, 2 blowers, 2 chainsaws and 2 Ryobi chainsaws , 16ft. Bass Tracker(runs great, for sale), 2004 Honda CRV(needs ac comp. and CV Joint and MORE!!!

 

[62Scout]

I WISH mine were that simple! Years of unchecked ADHD have culminated in massive overload....and this project list has been scaled back considerably...

Just on the current to-do list -

- the boat...almost there, once I get these motor issues sorted out...of course, finding time to get on the water will be the next hurdle....
- Replace water damaged drywall after roof leak in one bedroom, and convert to utility/laundry room to get washer/dryer out of garage.
- Complete gut and rebuild on a class B RV...water damage inside turned out to be a wee bit larger than I initially thought.
- Rebuild/replace motor in Samurai rock crawler due to 0psi idle oil pressure. Really just want to go V8 at this point.
- Rebuild motor in '73 Pontiac Ventura...low compression in two cylinders, not head gasket failure.
- '59 International 2 ton truck 4x4 swap....using period correct undocumented parts...and finish the crane install.

Then there's about 100 other "little" things in the project stack, like restoring some vintage car radios and old ham gear, getting antennas remounted after the roof replacement, and other such things.

 

[jerryjerry05]

Ok, You win!!