My 115 inline now running, what now??

[stant1man]

Ok the motor is running now after solving my first problem with my switchbox(Thanks to achris, phatmanmike & others). Thread is here -<br /><br /> http://www.iboats.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=29;t=013424 <br /><br />I have ordered a new impeller kit with housing and gaskets to make sure that its cooling properly, i was not happy with the pee stream, just didn't seem strong enough and I recon its a worthwhile insurance just to change the impeller anyway. I had a chat with the chap at the Mercury dealer who believe it or not would always sell me a second hand part before ordering a new component to save me money. A noble gentleman I think. I was going to buy fuel pump repair kits but the mercury man says, if it aint broke, dont fix it...i'll take his advice on this one i think.<br /><br />I now have the following problems that I must address-<br /><br />1- I need to replace the impeller, I have a Solec Manual that I will follow, is there anything that i should do or need to know about while im carrying out this task.<br /><br />2- There is a lot of water leaking from around my plug holes, whats the best way to fix this?<br /><br />3- The skeg has a few chunks out of it? Can this be fixed? Is it expensive?<br /><br />4- The engine will not idle at all while the throttle is closed however if i raise the revs slightly she runs beautifully.<br /><br />5- Im going to replace the timing belt, do I need to remove the flywheel to do it?<br /><br />I would love to replace the plug leads with proper fitting merc ones as the leads we have had to make do with are from the motor factors and quite frankly...dont fit as well as the originals. Can anyone supply them for me or recommend a place to get them?<br /><br />I purchased some gear lube and the pump to go with it.<br /><br />Its all progress!!<br /><br />Woo Hoo<br /><br />Stan, the crazy Scotsman....!

 

[achris]

Re: My 115 inline now running, what now??

1) Make sure the housing hasn't had any overheats. Look for slight melting of the housing and shifting of the stainless steel cup inside it.<br /><br />2) Water from around the plug holes. The best way is to remove the powerhead and replace the head cover and gasket. No cylinder head on these engines, it's cast as part of the block. Just a cover for the water jacket. The easiest way the fix it would be to very carefully and patiently (Stan not good on that ) clean around the plug holes and then seal the gaps with something like Devcon.<br /><br />3) As long as the chunks aren't too big, don't worry about them. If you want to get them fixed, when you take the leg off to do the water pump, take it to a welder and have him build it up again. Shouldn't cost too much.<br /><br />4) Raise the revs slightly. What sort of engine revs do you need to make it run good?<br /><br />5) If the timing belt isn't damaged, don't touch it. If you really want to replace it you will have to remove the flywheel. You need either a special merc tool or a puller you have drilled yourself (and you have to be very accurate).<br /><br />6) I don't think plug leads are available anymore.<br /><br />7) The 'pee stream' (telltale) isn't usually strong on these engines. Does the hose that goes to the telltale outlet run from the top of the engine block, the centre of the head cover or the exhaust cover?<br /><br />Go Stan!!<br /><br />Chris.............

 

[emckelvy]

Re: My 115 inline now running, what now??

These guys have plug wires:<br /><br /> http://www.oldmercs.com/ignsys.html

 

[Barnacle_Bill]

Re: My 115 inline now running, what now??

Like Chris says, if he skeg just has small chunks out of it don't worry about it. If you just want to make it pretty. a welder can do it. My prop man replaced a skeg for me for less than $100.00. Or you can wait and later on add a stainless skeg guard. They run around $100.00

 

[stant1man]

Re: My 115 inline now running, what now??

Thanks as always for the promp reply guys, im ordering leads from that site Ed and ill speak to my prop man and see if he can have my skeg fixed...Thanks guys! <br /><br />Couple of new issues discovered today-<br /><br />1. When i pump up the primer bulb the middle carb has lots of fuel dripping out?? Is this normal?<br /><br />2. I have now discovered a leak coming from another gasket at the bottom right hand side of the powerhead(if your in the boat looking back)so this too is a gasket that will need sealed.<br /><br />This being a 1972 engine, i suspect that if I attempt to remove the bolts securing the water jacket, they "will" break and i'll be pulling my hair out for hours with the old drill and tap.(no fun)I did purchase a sealant used for cracked blocks etc called J.B.Weld. You leave it for 24hrs and it seals like steal and doesn't expand to much or crack when exposed to extreme pressures or temperatures. <br /><br />I set about trying to clean around the plug holes but im afraid that with the lower shroud in the way my access was very limited Is there any way to remove this without removing the powerhead? If not i dont mind just removing the head as i suspect that the carbs will need a rebuild while im at it(what do you guys think???)<br /><br />When i mention raising the revs for the engine to run beatifully i mean by less than 500rpm and it would seem that when doing this it is only the distributer that is initially twisting, i see no movement in the carbs.<br /><br />As for my impeller, the kit I have purchased includes a new housing and gaskets. Do i still need to worry about these signs of overheating you mention Chris? When i run the engine for a while, it feels not to hot to touch but certainly too warm to be holding your hand on there for more than 5 seconds.<br /><br />I would like to approach the various problems in the following order-<br /><br />A - Fix the water leaks(whether this means removing the head or not)<br /><br />B - Replace the impeller, housing and gaskets<br /><br />C - Ensure that there is no potential fault in the carbs and replace the broken choke flap(which i found in the cowel and will bond back on)<br /><br />D - Have the skeg repaired(Minimum priority, whats it made of anyway?)<br /><br />P.S. My reason for wanting to replace the timing belt was because the engine has sat idle for(possibly)nearly 2 years. The belt looks kinda chapped and I dont fancy rowing home.(The merc man will lend me his flywheel puller if i need it)

 

[mellowyellow]

Re: My 115 inline now running, what now??

keep L/U and shifter in forward when re-installing.<br />have a mate roll the flywheel back and forth a tad<br />to get the shift splines to line up while upward<br />pressure is applied.<br />apply quality spline grease beforehand.<br /><br />the 115hp is the perfect match in this era IMHO.<br />same powerhead went from 90 to 140hp, 115 being<br />perfect!

 

[phatmanmike]

Re: My 115 inline now running, what now??

you do not need to remove the power head to replace the cylinder head cover gasket. i did the job on my merc 1150, 1976, and saw no need to remove power head. i DID have to loosen th bolts on the lower cowl pan and move outa the way. but that gasket is easy and cheep, under 10 dollars here(not shure about pounds<br /><br />i dont remember from the other post as to weather or not youve rebuilt and cleaned the carbs, or even did a decarb on the motor. both of these things will help your idle a bunch. my motor wont idle with the throttle closed all the way either, i think its cause it retards the timming too much, wich of course is easily adjustable.<br /><br />my pee stream on mine is pretty weak. but its there. they dont usually have strong tell tales. usually only 2-3 psi at idle.<br /><br />these big merc do no have thermostats, but you still have to wait for the cylinder block to "fill up" with water before it starts to pee.<br /><br />and get a tach!<br /><br />m ikey<br />have fun<br /><br /><br />ps. what size prop did you end up with, i know you were lookin for a new one.

 

[stant1man]

Re: My 115 inline now running, what now??

Hey Mike, hows it hangin dawg, thanks for all the help, i know I keep saying thanks, but you guys deserve a little recognition! Do you not think that the bolts will snap in the powerhead? Im a little worried about that, if I did manage to get that cover off, and fix it, then that would be a dream come true but achris mentions that I may need a new cover also, will that not crank the repair price up a fair bit. How can you move the lower cowel pan anywhere, I have loosened it but can only move it about an inch either way.<br /><br />I have not rebuilt the carbs or done a decarb but as i mention above there is fuel dripping from the centre carb when i prime the bulb, i dont think this is right?? Is there not a float valve or something that should stop this from happening...potential fault I would rather the fuel went into the engine, bloomin expensive enough to run <br /><br />You mention a tach mike, i have not wired it in yet...will do soon though, im waiting on my new throttle arriving so as soon as that comes then i'll get all that stuff wired in. I bought this one... http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=2486641904&ssPageName=STRK:MEAFB:IT My Commander broke so i thought this was a bargain! <br /><br />Oh, and i ended up with a 21pitch laser 2 that came originaly vented Im still unsure as to whether or not it fits as ive not had the L/U out of my "running bucket" to see if it matches my gearcase...I fear the worst though <br /><br />Heck the prop i really want is the 4 Blade Mercury Trophy Plus in a 17-19 pitch, it would be great for skiing i recon so if it doesn't fit or if i have propped too high then i'll sell it and get a trophy!<br /><br />Cheers<br /><br />Stan............

 

[Chris1956]

Re: My 115 inline now running, what now??

Stan, If you want to fix those leaks, you will want to pull the powerhead. It will give you much more room to work. I think those bolts have a good chance of breaking. When I disassembled mine I used heat and a hand impact driver and lots of patience. I broke 6 bolts on the inner water jacket cover, and two of these came out later with the vise grips, the rest I had to drill and tap. I think an air-operated impact driver would work better.

 

[stant1man]

Re: My 115 inline now running, what now??

I have never removed a powerhead before though Chris Im very confident that I could do the job succesfully with help from you guys. If i remove it will there be more gaskets to replace?<br /><br />The engine is on the boat, is the powerhead heavy or could 2 men lift it off? Just how difficult is it to remove?<br /><br />Whats the powerhead removal lowdown?<br /><br /><br />Stan.........

 

[achris]

Re: My 115 inline now running, what now??

Hi Stan,<br /><br />1) Fuel from carbs on priming. Normal. Once the engine is running it won't leak anymore.<br /><br />2) Idle speed. 2 stroke outboards don't have the same setup as a car engine. The carbs stay closed while the timing is advanced from the 'idle' position until the 'primary pickup' (about 1 degree BTDC). Then the carbs start opening as the timing still advances until maximum advance (21 BTDC). On some engines the carbs continue to open, on others the carbs reach fully open as the timing reaches maximum.<br /><br />3) New head cover. I mentioned that because most of the time it's corroded or warped (bit like me really ) and for the cost it's not worth mucking around.<br /><br />4) Powerhead removal. Use a chain block. Yes two men can lift it, be it has to be done as a straight up lift. The bolts into the driveshaft housing are quite long. And yes, a couple of $5 gaskets. If you want the blurb on it I'll e-mail it to you.<br /><br />5) Usually the water pump kit does not include the pump housing, so you have to check that it's ok. Once you have it apart take some closeup photos of the cup inside the housing and post them here. Us mercsperts can look at 'em for ya. <br /><br />Anything else? How are you for socks and jocks?<br /><br />Chris................<br /><br />P.S. You'll probably need wiring colour crossover chart when you get your new controls. Again I'll e-mail it to you.

 

[phatmanmike]

Re: My 115 inline now running, what now??

that new control box looks nice, real nice.... i bought this one for mine... http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/e...&item=2484249469&rd=1&sspagename=STRK:MEWN:IT <br /><br />anyways, all this info you have gotten here is real good stuff, dont loose it. all the work you need to do is pretty straight forward and simple. as i said before you CAN do it without removeing the powerhead, but if you can get it off, it makes it all that much easier for you. the powerheads weight is 100 pounds. i guess that would be 45.4 kilos <br /><br />as for the waterpump kit, i just bought one and it DOES come with the housing. you have to specify, as they have 3 versions available. 1 is just the impellar, 2nd is just the impellar and gaskets, and 3rd is everything. get #3! and save the spare gaskets for later, just in case.<br /><br />i would look into a set of carb rebuild kits. no, you dont need the 60 dollar sets. mine were 9 dollars each and included the gaskets,o rings , and all the needle/ seat parts. they however did NOT include the floats, which were 9 dollars more, each. mine work great as it is.<br /><br />once this minimal work is through, you will have one of the biggest, baddest outboard motors ever made! bar none!!!!!<br /><br />good luck and let us know whats up !!!<br /><br />m ikey

 

[achris]

Re: My 115 inline now running, what now??

Ok. In the US they can buy a waterpump kit with the housing in it. Not in Oz yet. <br /><br />

once this minimal work is through, you will have one of the biggest, baddest outboard motors ever made! bar none!!!!!

ABSOLUTELY!!! If you were a little closer I'd fly over and give you a hand. These old 6s are my favourite engines.<br /><br />Chris..............<br /><br />Edit: Mike, just looked at that control you bought. 20 bucks!! You thief!!!

 

[phatmanmike]

Re: My 115 inline now running, what now??

i gotta admit, a bloke in UK is getting help from a mate in OZ and a dude in US.... <br /><br />its a small , small world, aint it<br /><br />oh, chris... once i got the control box, i sold the cable for 20 dollars and i sold MY OLD box for 45, so not only did i get it for free, but i profited a cool 25 bucks!!!!

 

[achris]

Re: My 115 inline now running, what now??

Dude in the US,<br /><br />You wouldn't have a mate by the name of William Kidd would you. <br /><br />And I think you need a calculator. Buy control and cables for $20, sell cables for $20, sell orginal box for $45. Total profit $45. Can I have the $20 you lost?

 

[stant1man]

Re: My 115 inline now running, what now??

Ok, im sure i'll be removing the powerhead so that I can fix those leaks good and proper, I do not have access to a chain block so it will have to be a good ole wrestle to get it off. I read that sometimes the head can be siezed to the lower unit...is this likely?<br /><br />Im going to rebuild the carbs with new needles, floats etc just to be on the safe side.<br /><br />I am fortunate enough that the kit I have purchased contains a new housing, so housing should not be an issue, they sold the full kit including housing for £4 more than an impeller on its own.<br /><br />I'll price up a new head cover while im in the dealer if its cheap then i'll get it. I'll probably paint my powerhead while its off also because it is still the original alloy and most of you guys have lovely shiney engines to show off.<br /><br />You certainly did well with that controller mic... My new controler arrived this morning and had a plug on it??? hmm, im tempted to chop it to see the colour of the wires inside..<br /><br />Cheers guys!<br /><br />Stan...........

 

[phatmanmike]

Re: My 115 inline now running, what now??

And I think you need a calculator. Buy control and cables for $20, sell cables for $20, sell orginal box for $45. Total profit $45. Can I have the $20 you lost?

er...um..yeah...thats what i meant. ive been doing lots of polyester resin work lately, those fumes are a getting to me. yeah , thats it

 

[stant1man]

Re: My 115 inline now running, what now??

Too late, done the chopping got it fitted and it works pretty good, a little concerned with the condidtion of my control cables though, i'll search about to see if i can find some new ones. I would also like to fit a temp sender to the block as I have an idle gauge on the dash that wont then be getting used. <br /><br />What about this kill wire, can i connect it to the same terminal as my mercury switch to utilise this function?<br /><br />Chris, you mentioned one time that the brown wire on the the switchbox for the tach was not a good place for it to be. Im sure you said the best place was on the yellow/red wires coming from the stator...or am i talking nonsense?<br /><br />I think i'll take some pics and post them so you can see my progress, exactly how do i post them though?

 

[stant1man]

Re: My 115 inline now running, what now??

Ironic isn't it,no sooner is the engine running and I want to pull it apart <br /><br />I suppose its all for a good cause..... (stan attempts to convince himself)

 

[Chris1956]

Re: My 115 inline now running, what now??

Stan, Those inline sixes usually ran water pressure gauges rather then temperature gauges. I tried a temp gauge once, but it always read minimum, since the motor was running properly (cold). They overheat pretty quickly when the waterpump fails though!<br /><br />PS on pulling the powerhead. First you will need to strip down the motor. Remove cowling supports, starter, distributor, plugs, carbs etc. Then I tie a very short rope from a lag bolt on the garage door's header to the flywheel, and jack up the trailer tongue. Cable or chain would be better(no stretch) When you lift the trailer tongue, you lower the motor. You need to raise the powerhead about 9" to clear the bottom cowling. You can then lower the powerhead to the floor and lift the entire powerhead by yourself, and toss it on the bench.<br /><br />It is good to have some help when putting it back on, since alignment of the powerhead is tight. My wife usually gives me a small hand (5 min) to get it on!