Mercury Thunderbolt Ignition Driver "Fuel" Line Connections

dPride

Cadet
Joined
Jul 15, 2012
Messages
14
Greetings all, my first post!

Received a free project boat as a gift from a friend, first thing, got a Seloc manual and started checking everything. and for the most part everything is good. The ignition driver appears to have 2 fuel line fittings, one has a fuel line going just under the front cover of the motor and appears to be an air vent (not sure though). I don't know where the other fitting goes. Any help?? Maybe just another air vent? I can see the line in the pictures in the manual but there's nothing in the manual showing where it goes.


The motor is a 500 50HP Mercury Thunderbolt, 4-cyl, Serial # 3092320, looks like it's a '71, red stripe! It's faded but there!

Pic below I circled the fitting that has no line connected to it, this is the connection that I'm worried about.
IgnitionDriver.JPG
 

Chris1956

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Mar 25, 2004
Messages
28,523
Re: Mercury Thunderbolt Ignition Driver "Fuel" Line Connections

That looks to be a distributor? If so, you are looking at a vent line, not a fuel line.

Just a guess.....
 

Faztbullet

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Mar 2, 2008
Messages
15,936
Re: Mercury Thunderbolt Ignition Driver "Fuel" Line Connections

Both are vent line to vent ozone to atmosphere, replace them with new soft hose as when these get stiff it can cause a bogging problems as they make the distributor rotate slow,
 

GA_Boater

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
Joined
May 24, 2011
Messages
49,038
Re: Mercury Thunderbolt Ignition Driver "Fuel" Line Connections

Fazt - That is one heck of a tip there. Since mine are as stiff as metal tubing and 46 years old, guess what I'll be doing. Thanks for sharing that tid-bit.
 

dPride

Cadet
Joined
Jul 15, 2012
Messages
14
Re: Mercury Thunderbolt Ignition Driver "Fuel" Line Connections

Thank you both Faztbullet and Chris. I'll replace the one vent line and connect the missing one.

Thanks again
 
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