merc 115/150 interchangability

[Captain Nino]

Hello everyone!

I have a '75 merc 1150. I recently met a man who has an old 150 for sale from about the same year. (The 150 has a cracked block but I am interested in the parts.) The two engines look identical. They both have a distributor.
The guy selling the engine claims that they are IDENTICAL to the 115, except the port timing is different. Is this true?
Second, I am wondering about the lower unit. Didn't they make different gear ratios for these. How do I find the gear ratio for either of these outboards?
Thanx.

 

[daveswaves]

Re: merc 115/150 interchangability

Hello everyone!

I have a '75 merc 1150. I recently met a man who has an old 150 for sale from about the same year. (The 150 has a cracked block but I am interested in the parts.) The two engines look identical. They both have a distributor.
The guy selling the engine claims that they are IDENTICAL to the 115, except the port timing is different. Is this true?
Second, I am wondering about the lower unit. Didn't they make different gear ratios for these. How do I find the gear ratio for either of these outboards?
Thanx.

The man with the 150 for sale is correct, to a point.The port timing is different, the reeds are different and the carbs are different. Both lower ends will be the same, the distributor is the same and all the electrical bits are the same, switch box etc. If the price is right it is worth picking up a distributor as a spare, they are getting scarce. The carbs will be too rich for your 1150 and no you wont get more HP by putting them on. The carbs will sell on ebay, I know I would bid.