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Older mercury outboard

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Ron Elliott

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Hey everybody, haven't been on here in ages.
Not sure if this is the place for this but...
I have an older mercury longshaft 1500 (think its around 1979) that needs the power head rebuilt at least. No rod through the block visible at least, turns over.
No compression on cylinder 1 30 LBS on #3 and varying on remaining cylinders, I can't get my tester into #6 without removing lower housing but had significant amount with finger over hole.
I'm curious at to the estimated cost of honing or boring block and rebuilding this magnificent motor.
What I might spend on this might still be cheaper than buying a similar newer HP motor let a lone a 4 stroke?
 
Your location ?-----Pistons are about $100 each.------Machine work would be about $400 /$500-----bearings and gaskets. add up too.-------Take it apart and inspect everything first.-----Also hard to find a shop that would tackle this for you.
 
Ron, can you do most of the work yourself, or with an experienced helper? Parts inspection is critical to place a value on whether or not it would be worth it. Will it need boring, or just honing? Used parts may be available from some shops around me here in Minnesota.
 
HI Timguy, well I'm in Ontario Canada, was thinkin of havin it shipped to a shop someplace. I could probably do some work myself but don't have an experienced helper close by. I'm quite sure the innards aren't in too bad a shape however that bein said one never knows until they take it apart.
I've got a similar vintage Johnson 85 that runs as well just overheated once on me when at crusin speed. Once it cooled down I toddled around the bay here locally at half throttle never acted up once so...
I had put a new impeller on the lower end of this one but as you may know ist's quite finicky to get those water tubes correctly connected when single handedly tryin to put lower end up together so might not have got a good connection. It doesn't have the luxury of power trim that the merc does.
Guess it'd be good fer parts fer somebody then.
 
Woah, your so far east your maybe fluent in French. I have 2 remote camps near Dryden Ontario. Will be rebuilding a 1986 115 Merc this spring.
 
Save your money as you will need a trigger also since 1 and 3. What you will spend on this you can get a later model that runs.
 
Maybe the poster wants a " tower of power " on the back of the boat.------They are a great running motor when properly rebuilt !------Ron , how soon would you want that work done ??
 
That was a 1981 115Hp with older decals. Had the power ports, .015 high dome pistons, 150XS carbs, 150XS exhaust tuner, 10/10 reed blocks machined, ported to J block spec, lighten flywheel, about 100hrs machine/fit/assemble work. All work done on Mazak 4 axis mill except boring, which was Kwikway Fw model. Turned a 24P bigear chopper 6200RPM. Was fun for a while but the looper motors out more power..
 
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We are all a little insane.....some more than others. I go fishing for thrills out in the middle of nowhere, some go skydiving in thunderstorms with a snowboard. Pappy builds big Mercs to hang on a surfboard. Just get out there and make some waves, eh?
 
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