Is it worth it?

[mattsmall1972]

Just wondering... my father has a 1975 Ranger Bass boat (boat is junk) with a '75 Mercury 1150 outboard on it. The motor ran good last time it was taken out - probably 12 years ago. It's been sitting outside for that time. I have no idea of the internal condition, but would it even be a possibility that this engine could be resurrected? What would you check? I know that the engine was rebuilt in the late 80s and ran great after that. I have a Cobia runabout I/O that I would love to convert to outboard as a project boat, and this would be the engine. Thanks for your time.

 

[monk-monk]

Re: Is it worth it?

It could be worth a little time just to check things! First, check the internal wiring harness for deteriated wire insulation, old mercs are known for the wire jacket to harden and crumble, the wiring is the first thing to check, if it has cracked insulation it will "short out" and burn up all the other ignition components! When you know the wiring is ok, then you need to do a compression test...that will tell the story of if its worth it or not...if you know what you are doing, you could actually just wire up the starter motor and solenoid, leave everything else disconnected, and do the compression test...

 

[thefairlaneman]

Re: Is it worth it?

Yes after checking the wires next is a comp.test. Remove the plugs first and pour a little marvel mystery oil into each cylinder and let soak for 24 hours to free up any stuck rings from sitting that long BEFORE you turn the engine over. If it checks ok with even comp next would be replacement of the impellar and more than likely carb kits. Of course the old fuel lines should be replaced too.