TOPIC: Barn fresh Mercs

A friend of mine recently bought a marina. These and others came with it. I have a chance to pick up these three Mercs. I don't have any information on how long they have been stored, whether they ran or not when put away. Also don't know yet if there are controls and wiring harnesses for them. What years are they? Are they worth saving? What would they might be worth?
Larry

I don't have an answer for you but I want the 115

The 1st one is an '86-or-so 115hp (edit: well, it's a 90hp isn't it. Need to go to the eye Dr. I reckon!); which was rated at the prop and so has about as much power as an earlier crank-rated 140. Excellent motor, the last few years of the Inline Six were its best. This motor also has an integrated power trim & tilt and that PT&T center section alone is probably worth $400-500 on eBay.

Far as overall worth goes, depends on condition and the market where you're at. Check your local Craigslist ads.

Newer Inlines are still in high demand and an excellent-running one might fetch $1500-$2000 or more in the right area.

Check eBay for prices, 'cause there are a lot of parts being sold there, lower units for example sell very well. As do electronics and engine parts.

The 2nd is 'circa-'71 115, this particular model has HUGE ports and can be upgraded to a rip-snortin' 135hp with changes in carburation and, internally, to reed stops. You have to crack the crankcase for that job. Distributor if it's working is worth $300-$400 on eBay.

The 90hp is a '78 model with distributor. These have small ports and are very torquey but run out of steam above 4500 rpm or so. A good motor for a cruiser, nice n' smooth Six power and good hole shot, with excellent fuel economy.

Lots of parts there if the powerhead is shot.

Be sure to turn each engine over by the flywheel, to check if the crankshaft or pistons are stuck.

If you pull them over with a rope (providing spark plugs are in), you can feel the compression pulses of each cylinder and get a good idea if any cylinders are "flat".

On the control harnesses, the 2 older Mercs would take the same harness with external plug. The newer 115 90hp is an "ADI" model and has a connector which goes inside the engine cowling to plug into the internal harness. A good control box with cables and electrical harness is usually worth $100-200 and sometimes reach astronomical prices on eBay.

So there is plenty of value in all these, if you can get them at a cheap enough price.

Anyway, looks like a treasure trove of Towers of Power, how much are they asking for them?

HTH............ed

As pointed out by my Good Buddy Dr. Frankenmerc, the 1st motor is a 90hp. I guess I was blinded by the Bee-You-Tee-Full striping and shiny Phantom Black paint!

Still a good motor, what would have been a 115hp at the prop in older times.

So there you go, now if you do run across a 115 that looks like that, better snap it up too!!!

Cheers.......ed

That 90 is a nice motor for a cruiser.
Nice torque, great ptt, adi ignition.
A friend had one on a heavy Skagit 20 and his holeshot was impressive.
Really nice motor, that 90 and as Ed says the late adi 115 are the pinnacle of inline six development for stock motors.
I had a 115adi on my 20 Skagit and from memory my friends boat was 4-5mph less at wot than mine. Same boats.
But for all around cruising, idling, etc, I liked the 90 better. They have a different advance cam than the 115, and other differences. Properly maintained should last a long long time.
If you need a 90 and don't care about wot performance that's one of the best carb'd 90 2 strokes ever made. In my opinion. If it was in Seattle I'd snag it myself even though I don't need it haha.
I have two adi 115's at present, they run like tops.
Also have a 1993 looper oil injected 90hp Merc triple, it weighs 280 with the ptt, runs sweet. Also a nice motor but the sound it makes isn't the music of the 6. It sounds like half a V6, which it is.
I guess I got carried away with all that pretty black and the 86 stripes it's contagious!

Hi, Bill, my skiing buddy used to have a Jolly Roger with a 90hp Triple that he rebuilt. It was much quieter than the old Merc 1000's we used to run, and easier on gas. Had lots of torque and pulled just about as hard as the old Tower of Power.

It couldn't match the smoothness or sound of the Mighty Six, though. I called it a Half of a Tower of Power, guess we had similar thoughts on that!

Cheers..........ed