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72 Mercruiser 120

F

fishfool

Member
I just purchased a 72 Starcraft 18' SS with a 120 Mercruiser. The boat and engine are in great shape only been used one week a year since new. The engine has great compression 135,155,155,150 runs nice. I am doing a tune up, carb rebuild and a new fuel tank.
Questions
1 The coil looks real beat up but seemed to work okay on the test hop, but the wire that goes from the negative post to the points on the distributer was totally corroded, it was sort of a cloth covered wire, can I just replace this with a regular piece of 14 gauge wire? I can't find a ballast resistor any where, but if there is one it should be ahead of the coil correct?
2 My trim works, and it is full of oil, but it some times sounds like the pump is cavataiting and is slow to come up or down but does?

Thanks for any help
Glen
 
yes to replacing the wire. The question of the ballast, they used a resister wire instead back then and indeed i have one on my 86'.

The question on the trim i would drain and run fresh oil thru the system, and then bleed it. In essence flushing the system but with fresh oil. Also there maybe air in the system now.

Those rams do come apart, but being so old i wouldn't take it apart. That is your decision.

Want a tip from a old fart: Clean all electrical connection, with the battery disconnected, don't forget the grounds, take the slav off the base and clean it real good, don't forget the main barrel plug, and the fuses, they get corroded on each end.

Good luck, keep us posted.
 
the older trim systems like yours run 20 wieght oil. not power steering/transmission fluid like newer systems.
 
Thanks for the responses guys, I can't find 20 weight oil any where, can I subsitute another , say 10/30?
Is there instructions in the manual for bleeding the trim system?

I understand the tip and thanks it's a good idea but what are these and where are they? " take the slav off the base and clean it real good, don't forget the main barrel plug,"

Thanks again Glen
 
Our local Wal-Mart carries 5W-20 in a range of brands/prices. I spent a couple more $$ to buy the name brand. Dont know if that makes a difference. I removed the plate from my pump resevoir and cleaned the insides due to build up. Put the 5W/20 in and after getting the air out it works great. My 2cw.
Regards,
TxGalz Dah
 
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