mercury 500 thunderbolt

[timmyspeeds]

hi i have just bought a boat with a mercury 500 thunderbolt ignition 40hp output now i have been speaking to several local people who service these outboards and they all tell me in one breath these engines are good for 10 years life span but then mines on a boat from 1975 so can any one tell me the life span of these outboards as mine still runs a treat now the other question is is there any tuning modifications for these two strokes or is it best to look for another hp outboard as i been told i can fit anywhere upto 140hp long shaft any help or advice would be much appreciated

 

[Chinewalker]

Re: mercury 500 thunderbolt

There is no "life span" for an outboard. Give me a well maintained 1000-hour motor over an abused 200-hour motor any day. It's all about how the motor was taken care of, how much it was used and how little it was abused.<br /><br />Not a whole lot you can do to your old 50 to make it into something it's not - a bigger motor. You CAN make sure you're getting all 50 (rated at the powerhead in 1975) ponies by checking the compression, making sure all linkages are advance to full, making sure prop is in perfect condition and is correct for the boat and load, etc. Lots of people out there wanting to turn their Xhp motor into a X+10hp motor, when they're motor is only putting out X-10hp as it is.<br /><br />- Scott

 

[Elmer Fudge]

Re: mercury 500 thunderbolt

Posted by chinewalker: "There is no "life span" for an outboard. Give me a well maintained 1000-hour motor over an abused 200-hour motor any day. It's all about how the motor was taken care of, how much it was used and how little it was abused."<br /><br /><br />Absolutely, i could'nt have said it any better <br />

 

[andrewkafp]

Re: mercury 500 thunderbolt

Sorry.. double posted.. trying to get my rank up

 

[andrewkafp]

Re: mercury 500 thunderbolt

An outboard is not run as often as most other machines and if preventative maintainence and good clean fuel is used, you will get way more than 10 years out it. After all, even in a warmer climate like we have here, my old 1980 Merc only does 20-30 hours per year. I would say that there are more 70's Mercs around and still running than any other decade. The thing to watch is corrosion if used in salt water. It will damage all the water passages and rot your wiring.

 

[Dunaruna]

Re: mercury 500 thunderbolt

Keith, you may find this hard to believe (I do) but my father bought a brand new 50hp merc (8004788) in the 70s. It eventually came to me and I sold it a couple of years ago to upgrade to a bigger boat. It ran without any major repairs for 29 years.<br /><br />It had fresh and salt water use. It was used mostly for skiing and tubing (WOT). It was pull start but I had it converted in 1995 to electric.<br /><br />My father and I always mixed the 50:1 using an accurate jug, we never bought premix. We always used the best oil available (back then it was quicksilver I think). To my knowledge, it never had a decarb. It started first or second pull every time. Selling it was like loosing a child <br /><br />As far as I know, its still going strong for the new owner.<br /><br />Aldo

 

[Mikey K]

Re: mercury 500 thunderbolt

I have the earlier brethren to your 50 hp Merc, the 62 model 400 45hp 4 cyl.<br /><br />I've had it for 10 years, after finding it in a field and buying it for $20 from the farmer. It's damn near bullet proof.<br /><br />Some kids ran into my boat on the interstate a number of years back, causing an accident which ripped the entire transom off of the boat and sent my Merc skidding upside down on it's 'head' across the pavement and into the ditch at 70 miles per hour.<br /><br />Some body filler and sanding over a minor road rash on the 'hat' and a little Merc White later, it started right up.<br /><br />THAT is one tough motor. You will get plenty of years out of your Merc if you use quality oil, change the impeller every couple of years, make sure you have lube and no water in the lower unit and store/winterize properly.

 

[achris]

Re: mercury 500 thunderbolt

Hey,<br /><br />That must have been one of the first with a 'shifting' gearbox.<br /><br />What's with

I threw up on Carl Kiekhaefer!

Chris.............

 

[Mikey K]

Re: mercury 500 thunderbolt

Originally posted by achris60:<br /> Hey,<br /><br /><br />What's with

I threw up on Carl Kiekhaefer!

Chris.............

I actually *did* toss my lunch on E.C. Kiekhaefer.<br /><br />I was with my parents at a restaurant called "The Left Guard" in Fond du Lac, WI for my 4th birthday with my parents and grandparents. My Grampa knew Carl from the 'old days', when Gramps and Carl were budding businessmen...Carl with Mercury and Gramps with Beaver Ready Mix. My uncle Norm was working at Merc as a pricing guy (later would be the head of pricing parts at Merc til his death about 7 years ago), and my father was a teacher and worked construction in the summer on the crew that build the Fondy Merc plant.<br /><br />Anyway, E.C. was out for dinner, and bought my whole family drinks, and put my little 4 yr. old butt on his knee and bought me a kiddie cocktail, and I was all excited and puked on him.