Wondering if I can add power trim to my 82 mercury

Bribass · Wednesday at 2:23 PM

Hello everyone
I have a bass tracker with a 82 mercury 40hp 2 stroke. It have the manual trim and I was wondering if they made power trim for this engine. I know of the CMC tilt and trims but I was trying to figure out if there was a regular trim that I could put on it? I also was wondering what I could do to make it start easier? It is a great running motor but I can be a pain to start most of the time. Also it leaks water around the top spark plug, it’s just a little bit and doesn’t seem to be a big issue but why is it doing that? And is there anything else I should know/ do to it?

redneck joe · Wednesday at 3:14 PM

Welcome to the forum.

Where is the water actually leaking from.

I beleive you can add tbt, I have an 82 50 I'll check manual to see if it covers a 40. If so, you are looking at about a grand on ebay. I'd just pin it where it works best most of the time.

Starting, pull the plugs and see what they look like. Do you pump ball before starting?

Bribass · Wednesday at 4:11 PM

Thanks
I was thinking I could find a used trim and get a rebuild kit. I do pump the ball when starting, it’s kind of finicky it likes throttle. And the water I believe is leaking from the top spark plug. I read and saw that maybe could be a head gasket?

Bribass · Wednesday at 4:12 PM

Bribass said:
Thanks
I was thinking I could find a used trim and get a rebuild kit. I do pump the ball when starting, it’s kind of finicky it likes throttle. And the water I believe is leaking from the top spark plug. I read and saw that maybe could be a head gasket?

Also thanks

racerone · Wednesday at 4:28 PM

Replace the water jacket gasket.----There is no cylinder head on that motor.-----What is your starting procedure?-----What are the actual compression values?----Have you installed a new water pump impeller ?---

dwco5051 · Wednesday at 4:35 PM

If my memory serves me right that there is no head gasket or removable head on those old Mercs. That leak is from the cylinder block cover which is basically a water jacket. If just a few drops now and then I would leave it alone as removing the cover to replace the cover gasket on a motor that old may end up being more of a job than expected due to snapped cover bolts. Look up cylinder block cover gaskets on an 82 40hp to see if I am right. I know the middle 70' models were that way.
Edit: Since I am still sitting at my computer I did look it up, Part Number 85490 block cover gasket.

jimmbo · Wednesday at 4:56 PM

I don't think there was a Power Trim System for the 2 cylinder 40hp. The Steering Yoke was different from the 50hp

Bribass · Wednesday at 4:59 PM

dwco5051 said:
If my memory serves me right that there is no head gasket or removable head on those old Mercs. That leak is from the cylinder block cover which is basically a water jacket. If just a few drops now and then I would leave it alone as removing the cover to replace the cover gasket on a motor that old may end up being more of a job than expected due to snapped cover bolts. Look up cylinder block cover gaskets on an 82 40hp to see if I am right. I know the middle 70' models were that way.
Edit: Since I am still sitting at my computer I did look it up, Part Number 85490 block cover gasket.

Thanks

Bribass · Wednesday at 5:00 PM

racerone said:
Replace the water jacket gasket.----There is no cylinder head on that motor.-----What is your starting procedure?-----What are the actual compression values?----Have you installed a new water pump impeller ?---

Thanks. My starting procedure is kind of by feel. But I would say I prom it rank it over a couple times do the throttle in the half or full position and choke it eventually. Sorry I don’t have a great answer

Bribass · Wednesday at 7:31 PM

jimmbo said:
I don't think there was a Power Trim System for the 2 cylinder 40hp. The Steering Yoke was different from the 50hp

Is there any way to tell if I can or can’t based on the motor and some mounts? Or not really? I’m not really sure how they go. The bottom would just connect to the mounts where you can adjust the pins and the top to the motor some how. Or need different mounting? I guess is there a good way to know based off of the motor?

Bribass · Wednesday at 7:36 PM

Bribass said:
I was thinking I could get something like this and the bottom would mount where you can adjust the pins.

racerone · Thursday at 1:30 AM

An aftermarket system is one way to go.

Texasmark · 2026-01-10T06:48:00-0700

Bribass said:
Thanks
I was thinking I could find a used trim and get a rebuild kit. I do pump the ball when starting, it’s kind of finicky it likes throttle. And the water I believe is leaking from the top spark plug. I read and saw that maybe could be a head gasket?

Most Mercuries in the pre-V6 lineup have integral heads that are part of the engine casting. What you have is a flat plate over the rear of the block that is only a water jacket cover to retain water in the block.....a quick look at the side of the plate will show only 1 gasket installed....engines with removable heads have a 2 gasket combination: Block to head, head to water jacket. Replacing the water jacket gasket is a very easy task. Biggest problem would be with corroded screws that don't want to be removed.

jimmbo · 2026-01-10T10:35:51-0700

When you have the Water Jacket Cover off, check it for Warpage. If it is, a new Gasket will also leak in short order.

In regards to the Power Trim... Here is a pic showing the 35hp(rerated 40 back in 84) and the 50hp. The 50 uses a different Yoke and Transom Brackets that do have provision for Power Trim. The 35/40 doesn't . As Racer mentioned mentioned an Aftermarket is one way to go. I will say it is the only way to go

Wondering if I can add power trim to my 82 mercury

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