thunderbolt mercury

sgp0511

Cadet
Joined
May 3, 2015
Messages
17
I posted this earlier but I didn't realize there was a specific forum for mercury engines, so I'll re post, picked up a 115 HP merc outboard and controls today, I think it's a 70s model I'll post a pic of the serial number and if someone could decode it for me that would be great. It needs a few new wires other than that it's supposed to run good. One question I have is how do start this thing on dry land in my driveway? I don't want to go to the lake just to get this thing running. Can someone tell me the exact year of this motor? I know it's a 115hp but my hull is rated at 110 max should that be a problem? The old man I got this from didn't have the key or title for it, how do I go about rigging up an ignition switch or get a new key? Since the motor is a 70s model I believe did they title outboards at that time? I'm new so bear with me for all my questions because I have plenty the boat in the pic is the boat it came off of
 

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Last edited:

Chris1956

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Mar 25, 2004
Messages
28,275
Go on the maxrules website and look up the year by serial number. A standard flush device will allow you to run the motor when it is not in the water. I would think a service manual would be a good investment, as that motor will likely require more work than you now expect.
 

MTboatguy

Fleet Admiral
Joined
Jul 8, 2010
Messages
8,988
Can't read the serial number in your picture, the picture is to small and it is a bit blurry, or I would be happy to tell you the year of your motor. As far as running it in the driveway, put a big garbage can over the lower unit of the motor and fill it up with water, or pick up a set of muffs that you place over the water inlet ports and hook a hose up to it. As Chris said, after sitting a while, there will probably be a few things that need to be worked on, make sure if you do get it started that it is peeing water, if it doesn't then immediately turn it off and find out why. On a motor that has been sitting for a while, I would figure it would need at least a new water impeller and might need the carbs cleaned on it.

Edit:

I just noticed you had posted the number in another thread, your motor based on the lists I have is a 1972, the number range on a 1972 is 3270480 - 3525440, So unless you get lucky, I am sure there will be a lot of little things that need to be checked on it to get it running good. You need to pick up a service manual, so you know what systems need to be gone thorough and how to do it, I would change the plugs, the water impeller, lower unit oil, as I said, you are probably going to need to cleans the carbs on it. Do you know how long it has been sitting and when it was last run?

Also, as you will be over powered based on the rating, so make sure your transom is in really good shape.

They carry the manual for that motor here at iBoats:

http://www.iboats.com/Mercury-Outbo...1202297--session_id.297352033--view_id.688595
 
Last edited:

racerone

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Dec 28, 2013
Messages
38,748
Good running motors normally are not sitting around.---Evaluate the condition of it before spending any money on it.---Start with a compression test.
 
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