Mercury Classic 50 serial number not found at Mercury website

[BrianVT]

Hi. Newb here. Thanks for having me.
I have a Classic 50. I believe it's a 1986.
I went to Mercury website to confirm and the serial # says "not found".
Same result when I search at the parts sites.
The serial # on the mount and freeze plug both say A959445.
What the heck?

 

[racerone]

Made in Belgium ??-----Europe your location ?

 

[BrianVT]

Sorry. USA.
Not far from Canada though, if that helps any.

 

[racerone]

Correct I would say it is a 1986 also.----At a dealer you would have no trouble getting help.-----Mercury technicians generally do not work at Amazon.

 

[BrianVT]

I don’t use Amazon either. For anything.
I went to the Mercury website.
“Not found”.

 

[BrianVT]

Correct I would say it is a 1986 also.----At a dealer you would have no trouble getting help.-----Mercury technicians generally do not work at Amazon.

I wouldn’t think I’d need to drive to a dealer that has a Mercury technician to run a serial # to find out what engine I’m working on.
Thanks for your help.

 

[racerone]

??----Are you looking for your information for a 50 HP motor or for the 45 HP rating of this motor that is called a " classic 50 "

 

[Fun Times]

0A959445 = MERCURY 1986 45-HP (ELO) Model Number 1045716 45/50 HP Parts guide, https://www.mercruiserparts.com/50-4-cyl--5531630-up

 

[roscoe]

45

45 Classic

4-cyl

0A914859 thru

0B110788

1986

USA

 

[BrianVT]

Thank you. (last 2 posts)
Is it common that the Mercury (and other) websites wouldn’t recognize a serial #? Seems really odd to me.

 

[racerone]

Times have changed.---Fifty years ago ( BC ) folks supported and trusted the local dealer.---You had to call or visit.------Today folks appear to demand instant help without any effort or expense.-------OH---( BC ) = before computers.

 

[BrianVT]

I just bought my 1st boat and I’ve been maintaining and fixing my own engines for 40+ years. The seller didn’t include a manual with the boat. We have computers as a tool now for gathering information. I came here for that (after running into a dead end on my own). And I have provided much info. for others over the years on machines that I’m familiar with. And some good folks here provided that for me. And I hope I can help someone with my knowledge of the Classic 50 as I use and maintain it.

 

[BrianVT]

So how did you guys connect the info. you provided to my serial #?
By adding a “0” in front of the “A”?

 

[GA_Boater]

I copied and pasted the serial number you provided and got the same as the two previous posts, #8 and #9.

Over the years, Mercury changed the serial number scheme. The number you posted , A959445, is too short. It needs a leading zero to match the newest serial number scheme. The Mercruiserparts.com link posted by Fun Times forces the needed leading zero.

 

[BrianVT]

Good info. Thanks again.