Just wondering - a friend is giving me his old merc 650, so far i know the following need work: tilt assy, timing, water jacket (there is water emerging around the plugs, causing one or two cyl to drop out every now and then), the tilt tube is quite corroded making it really difficult to tilt the motor up, and lastly when it is out of the water the reverse gear engages quite easily, although when in the water it just seems to slip without engaging. Any ideas? I am assuming that the timing is out as it just dies when it is put into gear and there is any load on the motor. Its on a HainesHunter V133, a 13' GRP and seems to go alright, although it only seems to die when we try to get a skiier up 
- it just splutters to a stop when you open up the throttle. If you open the throttle up slower it seems to get up alright, but it makes for a hard start for the skiier!
- it just splutters to a stop when you open up the throttle. If you open the throttle up slower it seems to get up alright, but it makes for a hard start for the skiier!