1951 Mercury/Wizard backfiring issues

[Lostfisher]

i had just got a 1951 mercury wizard. It has excellent spark and the compression but I cant get this thing to run. all it wants to do is backfire. i have tried switching the plug wires with no sucess. Any help would be great. I am also hoping to find a how to on the older merc. ignitions.

 

[Laddies]

Re: 1951 Mercury/Wizard backfiring issues

Usually backfiring is caused by a lean condition not timing

 

[JB]

Re: 1951 Mercury/Wizard backfiring issues

Depends on what you call a backfire and what you call a cough or sneeze.

A loud, violent BANG from the exhaust is a backfire, which has nothing to do with the mixture and is invariably caused by timing, either switched plug wires or sheared flywheel key.

A "POOF" that seems to come from the carb(s) is a cough or sneeze, which is caused by a lean mixture.

We waste so much time here because of this sort of misunderstanding.

A Wizard might have been built by Merc, but it is not a Merc anymore than a Force is a Merc.

 

[JasonAych]

Re: 1951 Mercury/Wizard backfiring issues

A Wizard might have been built by Merc, but it is not a Merc anymore than a Force is a Merc.

I agree with everything else you said but have to respectfully disagree with you here. Wizards from the 50's in fact share many parts (high percentage) with Mercury?s of the day. Some are nearly identical mechanically. Force outboards were more or less rebadged Chryslers with no other relationship to Mercury.

 

[JB]

Re: 1951 Mercury/Wizard backfiring issues

That is a Wizard, Jason, not a Mercury. In some cases it MIGHT be a rebadged Merc, but we categorize outboards here by the Brand that is on the bonnet. That way there is no confusion like posting this thread in the Mercury forum or Sea King questions in the JohnnyRude forum.

 

[steelespike]

Re: 1951 Mercury/Wizard backfiring issues

While this may or may not belong in the Merc section I think it is important to make it clear this
particular motor is clearly a Merc inside and out with all procedures following early Merc.lines.
Wizards were also Scott/ McCulloch,West Bend and Eska,Making the Merc clarification even more important.

 

[JB]

Re: 1951 Mercury/Wizard backfiring issues

You are correct, of course, steelspike. That doesn't change the name on the bonnet.

We have the same issue with Sea Kings, which were made by everyone in sight, and Elgins, et al.