Speedwell69
Cadet
- Joined
- Feb 9, 2010
- Messages
- 21
I'm posting this for interest.
I'd decided over the winter as a project to have ago at rebuilding a Mercury 60hp engine that I bought on eBay. The seller said the engine wasn't turning due to having been stood for some years.
When I got the engine I sprayed WD40 down the bores and left it to soak for about a week but I had no luck at getting it to turn so I took the covers off the side of the engine and was able to see that the big end on number 3 piston was looking fairly rusty. I completely dismantled the engine and pistons 1+2 came out from the bores quite easily but piston number 3 was stuck so I cleaned around the underside of the piston and pressed it out with a piece of brass on the top of the piston on a hydraulic press. Most of the rings were completely stuck to the pistons so I got them off eventually but most broke. The pistons were okay so I put new rings on, new reed valves/crankshaft bearing housings that I'd managed to get very cheaply on eBay. A new trigger that again was very cheap on eBay. Mine was broken where it connects to the spark advance arm. Cleaned all the carbs and rebuilt the engine with a new gasket set and of course new impellor and even changed the gearbox oil.
Got the engine running in a test tank at home with a fuel pipe connected directly to the carbs and all sounded good. Later took the engine to the boat after it had accidently been started in gear at home in the small tank spinning the prop and throwing water everywhere. All over me and over the engine and ripping the plastic tank to pieces.
With the engine fitted to the boat it would not start. Did the resistance tests on the stator which confirmed it was no more. Fortunately a guy from this site sold me one at a good price. He posted it from the U.S to the UK for me so I fitted it and the engine seemed to run fine in the tank so I put the boat back on its mooring. The engine seemed fine when idling but the moment I went to open up the throttle it would either die or hold back. It seemed quite smoky. Sometimes I'd feel a slight surge but mainly it wouldn't get above about 2500rpm's. No power whatsoever. I rechecked the timing and the carb adjustments and took them apart again and re-cleaned them. One thing I'd noticed was the plugs seemed to be very wet. I'd also fitted new plugs. The spark tester showed a good spark on each cylinder and the compressions were all equal at about 120 psi or so.
In spite of having fitted a new fuel pump diaphragm I decided to check it and found a small hole in the diaphragm. I connected the fuel pipe directly to the carbs with the result being less smoke, the engine sounding a lot smoother and the plugs no longer being wet after I rechecked them after 5minutes of running the engine.
So hopefully now this engine is going to run fine.
I've learned not to feel like I need a project in the cold winter months. Boats and boat engines are seriously grief.
I'd decided over the winter as a project to have ago at rebuilding a Mercury 60hp engine that I bought on eBay. The seller said the engine wasn't turning due to having been stood for some years.
When I got the engine I sprayed WD40 down the bores and left it to soak for about a week but I had no luck at getting it to turn so I took the covers off the side of the engine and was able to see that the big end on number 3 piston was looking fairly rusty. I completely dismantled the engine and pistons 1+2 came out from the bores quite easily but piston number 3 was stuck so I cleaned around the underside of the piston and pressed it out with a piece of brass on the top of the piston on a hydraulic press. Most of the rings were completely stuck to the pistons so I got them off eventually but most broke. The pistons were okay so I put new rings on, new reed valves/crankshaft bearing housings that I'd managed to get very cheaply on eBay. A new trigger that again was very cheap on eBay. Mine was broken where it connects to the spark advance arm. Cleaned all the carbs and rebuilt the engine with a new gasket set and of course new impellor and even changed the gearbox oil.
Got the engine running in a test tank at home with a fuel pipe connected directly to the carbs and all sounded good. Later took the engine to the boat after it had accidently been started in gear at home in the small tank spinning the prop and throwing water everywhere. All over me and over the engine and ripping the plastic tank to pieces.
With the engine fitted to the boat it would not start. Did the resistance tests on the stator which confirmed it was no more. Fortunately a guy from this site sold me one at a good price. He posted it from the U.S to the UK for me so I fitted it and the engine seemed to run fine in the tank so I put the boat back on its mooring. The engine seemed fine when idling but the moment I went to open up the throttle it would either die or hold back. It seemed quite smoky. Sometimes I'd feel a slight surge but mainly it wouldn't get above about 2500rpm's. No power whatsoever. I rechecked the timing and the carb adjustments and took them apart again and re-cleaned them. One thing I'd noticed was the plugs seemed to be very wet. I'd also fitted new plugs. The spark tester showed a good spark on each cylinder and the compressions were all equal at about 120 psi or so.
In spite of having fitted a new fuel pump diaphragm I decided to check it and found a small hole in the diaphragm. I connected the fuel pipe directly to the carbs with the result being less smoke, the engine sounding a lot smoother and the plugs no longer being wet after I rechecked them after 5minutes of running the engine.
So hopefully now this engine is going to run fine.
I've learned not to feel like I need a project in the cold winter months. Boats and boat engines are seriously grief.