'71 Merc 800 - how to get at / remove lower carb?

[Moody Blue]

Getting this ready for winter and wanted to pull the carbs for a rebuild over the winter. After taking off most of the front of the motor (starter, coil, switchbox, starter solenoid, rectifier) I got the upper carb off and the upper nut of the lower carb. Can't see any way of getting at the lower nut without taking the powerhead off. No room to swing a wrench and can't get a socket over the nut because its so close to the carb body. Seems like ALOT of work to take the SOB carb off.

Was at the point of cutting my 1/2" wrench in half to make a stubby and try that but ran out of daylight .

Any suggestions most welcome and appreciated.

 

[Chris1956]

Re: '71 Merc 800 - how to get at / remove lower carb?

Moody, That motor shows a standard sidebowl carb. It will have two nuts side by side (horizontal) on that motor. I would try a thin wall 3/8" drive socket set, or better yet a 1/4" drive socket set. I think you will need a 1/2" socket fot that nut. Did you remove the carb cover (1/4" speed wrench works well)?

 

[Moody Blue]

Re: '71 Merc 800 - how to get at / remove lower carb?

I win .

Tried the stubby wrench with no luck. Just no room to swing it. Ended up using a crowsfoot socket with a ratchet. Could only turn the nut about 15* at a time but its off. What a crazy place to get to. Don't think even a very thin walled socket would have fit. The lower nut is partially obscured by part of the carb body.

Chris, yep that's the carb type. Good call on the 1/2" nuts, I would not have remembered those kinds of details. The nuts are slightly diagonal. Not sure what you mean by carb cover. There is a rigid plastic meshed cover over the opening in front of the choke plate, is that what you mean? I did remove everything from the carbs to get to this point.

 

[Chris1956]

Re: '71 Merc 800 - how to get at / remove lower carb?

No the carb cover is the cover over the carb bowl. The fuel line makes it a bit tricky to get at the left nut, if the cover is still on.

 

[Chris1956]

Re: '71 Merc 800 - how to get at / remove lower carb?

BTW - The inline Mercs take just a few tools to disassemble. 1/4 socket for the carb covers, 7/16 for the top cowl rubber suports and cable fasteners, 1/2 for most of the other light duty fasteners. 9/16 for the powerhead and LU mounting nuts. I don't remember a fastener larger than 9/16, except the prop nut and PTT bolts.