Re: rookie boater needs help
Definitely mid 70's vintage.
I've never seen one without the holes in the side of the lower unit.
Interesting.
Perhaps LJ can provide with a photo of the side of the lower unit?
....
Yes, interesting. I apologise in advance because this doesn't really address OP's question, but is interesting to me as a bit of arcane minutae
You are speaking of Merc 110/ 9.8 HP of that era (OP's 1972) when you say you've seen conventional side intakes? I'm familiar with three "types" of Merc 110, ranging in age from mid 60s to my current '74 (gold, red and blue stripes) all have the water pickup underneath the anticav plate and can't be used on the hose with normal ear muff type clamps.
Just out of curiousity, I pulled out my Merc. OEM shop manual. It covers all engines '66 - '74 and shows that type of water intake for all Merc 39-200 (3.9 - 20 hp) in those years. It does show conventional side intakes for every other 2 - 6 cylinder engine larger than 20 hp in those years though.
Maybe they started putting vents one the sides of the l/u of the 110's and other small engines soon thereafter (e.g. '75 or later)? Looking at my little Merc OEM "owner's" manual: It covers a different range of years than the shop manual - 1973 - 1976 and covers only the small ones Merc 40, 45, 75, 110 and 200. It definitely implies there's side intakes for at least some of those models. The main illustration guide uses a 200/20hp and it shows side vents. But again, according to my shop manual, none of these engines have side intakes in '74. Some of the other illustrations - i.e. for prop removal, etc. - definitely do not show side intakes. Go figure.
Like I said, just a matter of interest to me and I'm not intending to be argumentative at all. The only thing OP needs to figure out is if his 110 has side intakes (which I would bet good money it doesn't). If it does, he can use ear muffs to run it on the hose. If it doesn't, he needs to use a tub or garbage can.
