TOPIC: Shopping 8 First tower(s) Here we go!!

Bill,
What a great piece of Mercury History.
Thanks for sharing!
So-o-o,...When you had the ski rope between your knees were the others yelling at you to knock it off before you caused 'em all to get wet when you fell?? (Hum-m-m-m,...Now why would another old show-off on water skis think such a thing???


In posting the pictures,...They can't be too horribly large - not sure what the max is, but somewhere around 900 X 600.
Then, I've found that I can just post one picture and submit it.
Then click 'edit' and add a second picture and submit it.
Then click 'edit' and add a another picture and submit it.
Then click 'edit' and add a another picture and submit it.
etc, etc, etc.
I assume some computer wizardly types can do it easier, but that's how I git-r-dun.
I have attached (2) old pixs from the late '60s when I was young and daring in my lil speed boats.

You could here my sister screaming at me way out on the west coast? You definitely understand how hard it was to get up. There wasn't power trim on the boat yet when we did that. It was slightly easier once that was added.
Bill
P.S. Great pictures Thom. I used to have a Mark 58A that my dad bought new. We used it hard for a lot of years and it was a great runner until the rod came through the side of the block. They really scream when they are running out at 58-59K.

Christmas was good.
I got the Mercury shop manual(up to 65).
Also the book Iron Fist; The lives of Carl Kiekaefer.

I did a compression test on the 64 Merc 1000 long shaft over Christmas. Her are the #'s.
1. 128
2. 130
3. 132
4. 132
5. 123
6. 121
Looks like this is the powerhead I will be using.
Neil

I opened the case on the shorty powerhead and was curious as to what caused the groove in the #4 hole.
The bleed restrictor in the center reed cage had been helicoiled. I suspect that a piece of the thread had gotten into the cylinder and caused the damage.
The rings were fine and the piston also. ??
I will get some pics posted of what I am seeing and we can go from there. I do have questions.


Also;
On the other long shaft powerhead that has the better com. #'s.
Top and bottom bearings and seals for sure, but, should I look at the rod and main journals? Should I leave this undisturbed if I have good compression?
Neil

Neil,
Looks like come good numbers on the long shaft. I leaning toward just tearing my down and completely going over it at this point. Will keep me busy over the winter now. Rod and main journals is a good question, was wondering that myself on mine. I'll sit back and see what comes back.

Bob

P.S. Did Santa bring you the manual or did you get it yourself? If you purchased it , where from?

Bob
Santa delivered the manual and Iron Fist.

I did not get a chance to get the pics today on the guts of the case.
Neil

Ok guys here is what I found;
This is the #4 hole. Pretty deep groove.
I found no marks at all on the #4 piston and the rings are all intact. I suspect that it was apart and someone put another piston and rings in without touching the cylinder. I also found that the lands that the reed cages sit in were knurled with what looks like a hammer and punch. The reed cages also.
The helicoil that I believe caused the issue is in the center reed cage. Looks like a hack job, get it running again, and get rid of it job.
I gave $200 for the motor and it is a shorty, so the short mid and the other parts are worth it to me. This block may be salvagable depending on piston oversize availablity and if it will clean up.
Heck of a long post, but what do you gentlemen think?
Neil with Merc guts on his bench!

Hum-m-m-m??? #4 cylinder wall looks pretty terminal to me - even if the compression reading was okay this sort of damage wouldn't let a piston have a very long life as compressed ignition repeatedly escapes down the unwanted groove or void.
I doubt you'll find an over-sized piston, but eBay has pulled rabbits from the hat before.
I would like a closer look at all the piston tops, skirts, and where the ring pins are located.
I would suggest stripping the crankshaft clear down, carefully keeping track of which needle bearings went where (just in case you can't score new ones and this crankshaft and these needle bearings check out okay)
You will want to carefully inspect the crank journals for pits, both ends of each rod for pits, carefully clean and inspect all needle bearings for pits or flat spots (ugh - the end would be near)
Then carefully remove the rings - keeping track of which side is up and which ring went where on each piston (the wide rings required by these pistons are harder to find).
I doubt you will re-use this block, but treat it as if you will as you disassemble. It is good practice even if in the end it is not going to be used.
I have some reed blocks that aren't all beat up, so remind me if/when you discover you need some as you reassemble whatever you decide to build.
Nice thing about the old 1000,...There are still quite a few of them floating around with lots of good parts hiding here and there within their discarded carcasses & they sound just too sweet when they are up and running happy.
Thom

Thank you Thom.
I am planning on using the powerhead off of the long shaft. The compression #'s looked much better.
I will totally disassemble this crank assembly and check things over as you suggested. I will want to know what kind of extra parts I will have, and what is junk. I know I am doing an autopsy on a dead horse, but I want to know why she died.
This is my first stack so I am learning lots. This is good.
What is your take on the knurling?
Neil

"What is your take on the knurling?"
It shouldn't be there.


I suppose some goofball might have lost the alignment pin or stripped out the alignment capscrew and knurled it to keep the reed block from rotating???
Hard to say, but I guess that horrible gouge in the #4 cylinder wall could have been made by a misplaced reed block alignment pin from the center reed block??
Thom

Mine might be stuck in the midsection or it's different for the 1000's. Mine is definitely NOT the original lower and it looks like it was done half assed when they put it on. I too pulled the drain plug and got nothing.