Inline six 1150 distributor wiring help!!

[tracterman2]

Okay here is the deal...everyone is telling me the 1150 is worthless and that I need to use it as an anchor. I am someone that likes to prove people wrong and like to redo older things...there is something about having an engine that you worked on and is older...its just cool...well to the question...this motor is a 70's model 1150...do not know the exact year yet...but will soon...have to post serial numbers. The motor has sat up for two years and ran when was put up...it stayed under a shed...the engine has between 135 and 140 psi compression on all cylinders...I have soaked the pistons with tcw-3 oil and turned it over a few times...well of course all the wiring on it is shot...so I have taken all the wiring off and will begin to rewire as soon as I can get schematics of the wiring. The problem I'm having come with the three wires going into the distributor...they are also shot..all the way to the distributor...the distributor it self is in excellent shape...as is the rotor and cap and plug wires...what can I do with the three wires going into the distributor?? Can they be replaced?? Looks as though I will need to remove the distributor to get to them...once inside can I simply unscrew or unsolder the wires and replace them?? Is this possible?? If so I was wondering about the best way to remove the distributor and get inside of it and what to expect when I get inside it..I haven't gotten a manual yet...I need to get my year model....any help would be extremly appreciated...I'm really anxious to get this motor going but I want to do it right...someone had spliced around BIG TIME on this motor...so I'm replacing all the wiring in it...also the alternator...well I think its called a stator...is that right?? has the same problem with the wiring...I think I will have to replace that because the wires go into it...again thank ya'll for your help, I almost decided to just part this motor out...but I'd LOVE to see it on the back of the 83 ranger I just got...thanks again....I can post pics if need also.

 

[WillyBWright]

Re: Inline six 1150 distributor wiring help!!

You don't want to take that distributor apart, trust me. You can't accomplish what you want that way anyhow. You can get shrink tubing to go around what's left of the wires. But if there's any corrosion to the wires, bail out right now and part the thing out. I highly discourage putting any significant time or money into a Merc with a distributor.

 

[OldMercsRule]

Re: Inline six 1150 distributor wiring help!!

I disagree with Willy. He is an ace boat tech, (with far greater knowledge then I) and I'm only a back yard type, but the old 1150s are great motors, (I have run 'em hard for over twenty years and I prefer the distributer type engines to the stator type which started the 1980 115 or 140).

BTW ya either have a distributor or a stator n' six coils never both. All the 1150s, (up to 1978) were distributer fired n' so was the 1979 115. I have collected a few for parts, and use the parts motors to keep the others running real good. I would not take an old distributer apart if the wires are shot, (and can't be spliced back together), as Willy said. I would look for a good parts motor that has a bad power head, and swap the complete distributer and wiring harness from the parts motor. You will have to time n' syncronize the engine once you are done. Great inline 6 parts motors in the Seattle or Portland Or areas are very cheap in the off season, (don't know where you are posting from, or what is available in your area). My $.02, JR