Using Large Hub Prop on Small Hub Lower Unit...Pros/Cons

Zac Penn

Seaman
Joined
Jun 2, 2015
Messages
62
I have a 1974 Mercury 1500 Inline 6 and it has a 4" diameter housing on the lower unit. The original 13.25 x 19 4-blade prop has too much pitch for my heavy 20' Proline center console (3000 lbs when full of fuel and loaded with friends) and it will not get on plane very easily. I have been advised to move to a 14 x 17 3-blade prop but I am having the hardest time finding one with a smaller hub that will slide inside the lower unit housing. I have been able to find props that will slide over the lower unit housing but I am concerned that this will force a bunch of water into the prop hub which could add resistance to the exhaust gasses.

What do you guys think?
 

Silvertip

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Sep 22, 2003
Messages
28,771
That's why small gear cases use small hub props and vice versa. Have you looked right here on iBoats for props???
 

emckelvy

Commander
Joined
Jan 16, 2004
Messages
2,506
Hate to say it, but that's probably the wrong motor for that heavy boat. Merc 1500's like light-loading and fast hulls. They are not ported for low-end torque.

You'll need to make the engine wind-out to get it to push that much weight. More important than just guessing what pitch will work, you need to know what the Wide-Open-Throttle rpm is, when just the driver is in the boat. Then you can figure out where to go on prop size. A 1500 Merc Inline needs to be running at least 5500 rpm WOT to be propped correctly. Most of them will be quite happy to rev to 6000, BTW!

IMHO a 17" pitch probably won't be low enough. I believe there is a 16" pitch available in an aftermarket prop, this might be better than a 15" pitch but you never know.

You won't be able to find a 14" diameter prop for an inline, they don't make 'em unless it's custom-made and custom-fit; the gearcase won't typically accommodate that large of diameter. Inlines do not "like" large-dia props anyway; you'll want a smaller dia (like 13" or 13-1/4", for example) for better acceleration.

BTW that link to prop selection does indicate at the top of the page that the props listed are for Merc outboards, so I can only assume that they'd fit. You'd just have to carefully check application charts to be sure.

Another trick that can get a heavy hull on plane is to drill ventilation holes in the prop. The exhaust flowing over the prop upon takeoff provides a controlled "ventilation" of the prop and lets the engine speed up faster into its rated rpm. Beware, though, you don't want to go any larger than 5/16" or the prop will ventilate so much that it'll never hook up. 1/4" holes or even 3/16" are better to start out with.

Note that a lot of aftermarket hi-performance props come with holes or slots, so this is a proven technique. See the diagram posted below.

Anyway, figure out your WOT rpm and we'll be able to more better help you determine the correct prop pitch for your motor/boat combination.......ed

Prop Ventilation Holes Info_OMC.jpg
 

Dukedog

Captain
Joined
Oct 6, 2009
Messages
3,439
Using Large Hub Prop on Small Hub Lower Unit...Pros/Cons

absolutely not!.... don't know where ya located but ya might call around to local and/or non-local reputable prop shops... if they are any good they will have a solution for new prop and/or "tune up" on yours.. there are tons of props available for tha inline gearcase.. whats suggested above is a good idea but lotta trial and error...jmo
can get ya a coupla phone numbers if ya want.....

jan.. you'll know a quality shop if they ask for motor height, offset or setback!
 
Last edited:

Zac Penn

Seaman
Joined
Jun 2, 2015
Messages
62
Thanks for all the help. I wanted to go with a 14 x 17 due to the info I found on this Mercury Prop Chart for the 1500...
http://www.maxrules.com/oldmercs/Propellers/Props/26.pdf

I did find a local guy with a 13.25 x 17 3-blade aluminum prop for $40. He measured the hub and it fits so hopefully I will be in luck. I think I am going to try the prop venting based on that diagram on the original 13.25 x 19 4-blade prop and see how it works out before i try it on the new 13.25 x 17 prop. I will keep both on the boat and swap them out based on the kind of loading I have that day. If the venting works out on the 19p and I can get up to the 5500 RPM then I will use it on go fast days when I am only lightly loaded.
 

Dukedog

Captain
Joined
Oct 6, 2009
Messages
3,439
take ya time and be patience...jus 'member "props are like wimmens".. they can look/be tha same and even come outta tha same box but still be night n day difference when ya put 'em ta work!.... good luck and hope it works out for ya...
 

Zac Penn

Seaman
Joined
Jun 2, 2015
Messages
62
Well I did the 7/32" vent holes exactly where that guide suggested (but I had to do 4 vents because the original prop was a 4-blade) and it did make a difference getting out of the hole. I only had my buddy with me and a half tank of fuel, but it get get up on plane faster than the last time we went out. But once again we were 200 lbs lighter on fuel. Stupid, cheap me bought one of those induction tachometers...
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ACDP6YU?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00
because my original tach was not working, and it worked okay at idle, but once you got on it the readings were all over the place so who knows what my rpm's really were. I guess I need to get a new tach so I can really see what is going on. Any suggestions on a cheap replacement for this motor or even what kind of tach I need to get seeing as how the motor is so old?

We ran out of time on the water so we couldn't test the 17 pitch prop so that will be for another day.
 

emckelvy

Commander
Joined
Jan 16, 2004
Messages
2,506
Here's a NOS tach for under $20, 'bout as cheap as they get!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/271882058329

Make sure you have the tach sensor wire (tan or brown) in the engine wiring harness connected to either one of the yellow-wire terminals on the rectifier. This tach should take input from the 12-pole alternator, the seller says there's a switch for different-cyl outboards, but if you look carefully there's a place for the switch but it ain't there.

Attached is a wiring diag that should help with tach hookup, but basically that tach has a Positive (+12V) connection, "S" for tach sensing (off the rectifier), and ground wire.

If the tan wire for tach sensing is connected to the switchbox (as shown in this diagram), be sure to move it to one of the rectifier's stator (yellow) terminals. Some older models used a special Merc tach which sensed off the switchbox pulses, but a 12-pole-sensing tach won't run off that input. There's enough length in the wire, typically to re-route to the rectifier. If not, extend the wire by splicing-in a new piece. Use an inline solderless crimp connector, solder the joint after crimping for best connection, and cover with heat-shring sleeving.

BTW a 4-blade prop is very smooth and good for a lot of thrust, but you're carrying a lot extra surface area with that extra blade. Inlines prefer smaller props that'll spin up faster. Note that the ventilation holes will help you get on plane faster, but they won't affect the top end rpm. A 3-bladed prop will definitely spin up faster. If the 17-pitch prop is a 3-blade, you may be surprised at the difference.

HTH..........ed
Merc 1350 1500 wiring diag.jpg
 
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