50 hp merc 2 stroke thermostat?

avanti16

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Jul 25, 2011
Messages
35
Hello everyone, first post but have been lurking for about 2 months. i just purchased my first boat, a 1972 Avanti 16 foot tri-hull. Im restoring it and making it a nice fishing boat for lakes and some ocean days. It has a 1981 mercury 50 hp 2 stroke outboard. I got the engine running but no stream of water out the tell-tale. I only ran it for about 10 seconds, it had water coming out of the prop. I ordered a new impeller kit so hopefully that fixes that problem. I also ordered a thermostat, but cant seem to find its location :confused: .. Im very mechanically inclined with cars/motorcycles, but this is my first outboard. does it have a thermostat? I ordered all the parts from right here on i-boats and the thermostat fit my serial number. any help/pictures will be appreciated. This site has already helped me a great deal with this boat, alot of knowledgable people here. Thanks in advance! :)

EDIT: Another question. Will water come from the tell-tale immediately upon starting the engine? or will it take some time? sorry for the newb questions lol

im taking pics as i go along, so theyll be up eventually.

- Joe
 

Chris1956

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Mar 25, 2004
Messages
28,105
Re: 50 hp merc 2 stroke thermostat?

Joe, very few (if any) Merc Inline motors of that age had thermostats. Water will exit the telltale within a few seconds of startup. You will see water pulled into the intakes, when she starts.
 
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