Request Assistance with Mercury Serial Number - OC172638

[Glenn Ian Baker]

Hello. I recently purchased a 1989 Astro 16 and it has a 25 hp Mercury outboard motor. I'm not able to get much in the way of information from the previous owner or relevant google searches. If anyone is willing to look up the serial number or point to someone who can I would be extremely grateful.

Goal - Identify Year / Obtain Manual / Restore a neglected boat / boat motor.

Serial Number

OC172638
Mercury Outboards
Mercury Marine
Div. of Brunswick Corp
Fond Du Lac. Wis
54935 USA

 

[Glenn Ian Baker]

View attachment 11867

Hello. I recently purchased a 1989 Astro 16 and it has a 25 hp Mercury outboard motor. I'm not able to get much in the way of information from the previous owner or relevant google searches. If anyone is willing to look up the serial number or point to someone who can I would be extremely grateful.

Goal - Identify Year / Obtain Manual / Restore a neglected boat / boat motor.

Serial Number

OC172638
Mercury Outboards
Mercury Marine
Div. of Brunswick Corp
Fond Du Lac. Wis
54935 USA

I might be in luck with identification after further google fun.. please confirm if possible. The first digit is 0 which should be dropped when looking up this motor as it appears to be a placeholder.

Per the following website
http://www .maxrules. com/models/Merc_model_files/15-25.html (spaces added intentionally)

25

1989

MLH

B385500 - C221499

A742200

 

[galamb]

You got it. The older Merc production numbers (aka serial numbers) have a leading zero (0) that is usually dropped.

They call them "production numbers" because that's the year they came off the assembly line.

So even though it was built in 1989 it could have been sold as a NEW 1990 or even 1991 model.

A Merc tactic so that a dealer would never have "old stock motors" in the showroom unless the model underwent a mechanical change.

This was a fine motor and well worth bringing back to it's full glory.

 

[Glenn Ian Baker]

You got it. The older Merc production numbers (aka serial numbers) have a leading zero (0) that is usually dropped.

They call them "production numbers" because that's the year they came off the assembly line.

So even though it was built in 1989 it could have been sold as a NEW 1990 or even 1991 model.

A Merc tactic so that a dealer would never have "old stock motors" in the showroom unless the model underwent a mechanical change.

This was a fine motor and well worth bringing back to it's full glory.

Thank you for your response. I will hopefully find the repair/engine manual online as well as a good parts dealer. I'm going to make it a photo logged project. She will be happy I rescued her from the neglectful owners of days past.