1973 Merc 165hp Inline 6

[jpormen]

I recently acquired a 1973 Starcraft chieftain for pretty cheap the previous owner said it ran before he pulled the motor, he replaced the transom and put the motor back in, today me and my dad put a new 12v coil on it and got it to fire up for a few seconds, so i know its gonna run but i have a few questions. This is my second boat and my first boat with a sterndrive I/O.

I have two outdrives supposedly one is good and one is bad. Ive seen videos of people have water hooked up to the motors to run it out of the boat, my first question is how do i hook up a hose to the motor to push water through it so i can run it for longer than a couple seconds?

Second question is should there be two motor mount points? He rebuilt the mounts in the bow side of the motor but on the back side towards the transom theres a mount plate but its not mounted to anything ill post pictures and you can see what I'm talking about.

Also if someone has a picture they could post of the throttle/ carb linkage that would be awesome, i tried to find one on google but was not successful.

I will also have some questions about the outdrives but ill tackle that after i figure out how to to get water hooked up to the motor and the mount issue, if its an issue.

 

[jbcurt00]

Looks like you got a decent boat, but, unfortunately, it does look like the previous owner (PO) used pressure treated plywood for the transom.

That NEEDS to come out, ASAP!

Pressure treating chemicals are caustic to aluminum.

IIRC, the transom plate mounts thru the transom, and 'hangs' the rear end of the I/O motor, the front mounted motor mount is really the only actual 'motor mount'.

 

[alldodge]

I recently acquired a 1973 Starcraft chieftain for pretty cheap the previous owner said it ran before he pulled the motor, he replaced the transom and put the motor back in, today me and my dad put a new 12v coil on it and got it to fire up for a few seconds, so i know its gonna run but i have a few questions. This is my second boat and my first boat with a sterndrive I/O.

I have two outdrives supposedly one is good and one is bad. Ive seen videos of people have water hooked up to the motors to run it out of the boat, my first question is how do i hook up a hose to the motor to push water through it so i can run it for longer than a couple seconds?

Second question is should there be two motor mount points? He rebuilt the mounts in the bow side of the motor but on the back side towards the transom theres a mount plate but its not mounted to anything ill post pictures and you can see what I'm talking about.

Also if someone has a picture they could post of the throttle/ carb linkage that would be awesome, i tried to find one on google but was not successful.

I will also have some questions about the outdrives but ill tackle that after i figure out how to to get water hooked up to the motor and the mount issue, if its an issue.

The first thing you need to do is pull the motor and transom plate back out. Then remove the transom wood and front engine mount. Then get some fiberglass chopped strain mat and fiber glass coat all the bare wood. You get some water on there and in no time you will be replacing the transom and front engine mount again.

Run a water hose up to the thermostat housing and you can run the motor with the drive on.

The rear engines mounts on the transom plate, the feet in this pic is for when it is sitting on an engine stand or crate.

 

[jpormen]

im not too worried about that transom ATM, i want to make sure we get it running good then worry about the transom and such after we get it running.

Would you by chance have a picture of where i would attach the hose?

 

[alldodge]

See pic

 

[jpormen]

okay ill see if i can find that, also there a switch on the console labeled "blower" what is a blower? does this need to be on when running the motor?

 

[jpormen]

Where i circled is that where the hose is suppose to connect?

 

[Rick Stephens]

Blower is a ducted fan to remove fuel fumes so you don't blow up.

 

[alldodge]

okay ill see if i can find that, also there a switch on the console labeled "blower" what is a blower? does this need to be on when running the motor?

All inboard and I/O motors and required to have a blower. The blower sucks air out of the engine compartment for hoses down low and below the engine. The reason for it is the gas vapors are heavier then air and settle low in the bilge area, If any are present when the engine is started and there is a spark from any thing (starter, alternator, etc) there will be an explosion which will mess your day up.

Manufacture states to run the blower for 5 minutes before the engine is started, and when idling for long periods.

 

[jpormen]

We started the motor for about two seconds without water just to hear it fire. It seemed to be shaking a good amount. Will installing the outdrive help with the shaking, we may go ahead and put the good outdrive on so we can hook the muffs of to it and run it how its suppose to be ran and find out whats good and bad.

Also i believe my outdrives are the MC-1s, i couldn't find any info on installing the outdrive, any info you may have is greatly appreciated!

 

[Rick Stephens]

Engine should run smooth as silk without the outdrive. The outdrive actually adds out of balance load to the engine and won't reduce shaking. Check that all your plugs are getting spark. I'd run a compression check to know what condition the motor is in. There is no reason you cannot shove a cutoff garden hose into the water port on the bell housing to give the engine cooling water. Works perfectly with the outdrive off when working on the motor.

Rick

 

[alldodge]

Where i circled is that where the hose is suppose to connect?

Yep,per that be the place

 

[jpormen]

any advice to hook the water hose to that, since the water hose is obviously a larger diameter

 

[alldodge]

Hose clamp

 

[jpormen]

good call thanks, is there any way possible to pull the transom without pulling the motor competely?

 

[jbcurt00]

You might be able to pull it forward and leave it in the boat, resting on a wooden frame to keep the weight distributed and up off the hull bottom

 

[GA_Boater]

You might be able to pull it forward and leave it in the boat, resting on a wooden frame to keep the weight distributed and up off the hull bottom

Yep. If the floor is still in or if you have some of the old floor, rest the motor on the flooring with some simple support, some chunks of 2X4 will work fine. It's been done many times when there is no need to tear the motor apart.

 

[jpormen]

i' just don't have access to a large branch to do a pully system or access to a engine hoist. besides being pressure treated, is the front mount built properly or should i build it a different way?