Mid 60's Mercury 350 (35hp)...Grease nipple? What is that port on the outside?

[Mattjphoto]

I bought this boat w/ a Merc 350 attached to it. This is my first spring w/ it so I want to make sure everything is greased that needs to bed since idk when the last time it was done. I pulled it out of the garage today to fire it up. I noticed this nipple that I would assume grease would be applied to. Am I correct? Anything else need to be greased? The 2nd photo is something on the outside of the motor. I have no clue what would plug into it so any thoughts would be great. The last photo is where the wires run to from the outside port.

 

[merc850]

Outside port is for kill switch, grease any fitting you find and lightly grease the Ride Guide steering tube.

 

[Texasmark]

That Ride Guide zerk is right in front of the engine just below the cowl and above the transom, in the middle of the tube. I recall reading somewhere, my manual maybe that you should also back the nut off where the boat steering cable attaches and put some grease there with your finger. Why I don't know. Maybe the zerk doesn't get all the way back there when the steering is turned max CCW or maybe that is to help you get the cable off if you ever have to replace it or remove the prop from the engine.

Don't forget lower unit oil replacement. Suggestion in the manual is every season as I recall and material is Quicksilver/Merc Premium gearcase oil....read the back of the bottle.....no water present and no yellow oil...both indications of LU seal leakage.

 

[Mattjphoto]

That Ride Guide zerk is right in front of the engine just below the cowl and above the transom, in the middle of the tube. I recall reading somewhere, my manual maybe that you should also back the nut off where the boat steering cable attaches and put some grease there with your finger. Why I don't know. Maybe the zerk doesn't get all the way back there when the steering is turned max CCW or maybe that is to help you get the cable off if you ever have to replace it or remove the prop from the engine.

Don't forget lower unit oil replacement. Suggestion in the manual is every season as I recall and material is Quicksilver/Merc Premium gearcase oil....read the back of the bottle.....no water present and no yellow oil...both indications of LU seal leakage.

I hooked up my grease gun to that zirk and had some light brown grease come out the bottom where motor swivels. My ride guide does not have a zerk fitting on it so I just applied some straight to the linkage. I already changed to lower unit so I know that's good.

 

[jimmbo]

Nothing ever plugged into the port. It used to have a big neoprene cover with a metal contact plate to complete the short to ground when pressed

 

[60sboater]

See if it runs (with a water source to cool it)...you can shut it down with the choke and fix the stop switch later.

 

[Mattjphoto]

See if it runs (with a water source to cool it)...you can shut it down with the choke and fix the stop switch later.

I have a kill switch wired to my dash. I took the boat out this morning and it fired up on the 1st pull and ran fine. I did notice if I put the motor into reverse the motor would kick up almost out of the water.

 

[60sboater]

That is due to no tilt pin installed or the mechanism is not locking onto it in reverse.

 

[Mattjphoto]

That is due to no tilt pin installed or the mechanism is not locking onto it in reverse.

I went and looked at the motor and it looks like the hook is moving down but not far enough to engage. On a side note I see there is some oil leaking out. It's not much but any oil getting out is a bad thing ggrrrrr.