Motor Monkey

mcrandall · Post by **mcrandall** » Sat Apr 02, 2011 11:05 am

Well, I had the outboard checked out this week. Looks like it has a bad reed valve, aparently evidenced by shooting gas back out the carb.

It's a 7.5 Merc two cyl but the sad thing is the reed valve is the kind that's wrapped around the crankshaft. And that means everything comes off and the power head gets busted open. At $85 and hour and an estimate of 8-10 hours, guess who's gonna do the work? I bought a SELOC book. Another new adventure!

So it looks like I have a choice to make once I get it apart: Do I simply repair the reed valve once I gain access to it? (looks like the reed block splits in half and can slip off the shaft) Or do I pull everything and rebuild? I'm looking to simplify, but I suspect/know once I get to this level of tear-down, I might as well go all the way. (By the way, I've never done this before, but I'm not shy about trying new things. Besides, at those prices, what have I got to loose?)

What say you?

clair hofmann · Post by **clair hofmann** » Sat Apr 02, 2011 1:50 pm

If you have a manual, I say go for it. Check on price and availability of parts before starting. Before taking apart, you might want to do a compressoin check to see if you want to do rings while you're at it.

As i've said before you never know when you might call on the knowledge you gain by working on it yourself.

When our daughter turned 16 we got her an inexpensive car and a shop manual. I supervised her changing the timing belt, water pump, brakes and some other little jobs. I didn't expect her to ever need to do that again but at least she had a little idea of how her car worked.

Clair

Jmckamey · Post by **Jmckamey** » Sat Apr 02, 2011 6:21 pm

I'd at least look at honing the cylinders and installing new rings while you are in there. As long as the crank looks good you could install new main and rod bearings if you wanted, but the rings would freshen her up. You should be able to knock that out in an afternoon.
I've seen power heads on ebay for as little as 125.00. You could do a quick change out to get going and rebuild yours as time allows.

Paul · Post by **Paul** » Sat Apr 02, 2011 7:27 pm

Here's a power head with only a $40.00 bid so far.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Mercury- ... 3cb67d6490

Alanhod · Post by **Alanhod** » Sat Apr 02, 2011 7:32 pm

Hey while your in there put in a new impeller too. Seems like I always know someone who's replaced is replacing or is about to replace there impeller.

Thanks
Alan

mcrandall · Post by **mcrandall** » Sat Apr 02, 2011 7:53 pm

Thanks for the advice, All!

I found that powerhead on Ebay too, Paul. It looks like the same one I have, but mine is a 1984. Have a question in to the seller to see if they know if it will fit.

We'll see!

Jmckamey · Post by **Jmckamey** » Sun Apr 03, 2011 6:03 pm

If you go the power head route you could go with a 10hp

mcrandall · Post by **mcrandall** » Sun Apr 03, 2011 6:11 pm

I won the bid for the one online. It's about 8 years different model, but the picture looks just like mine and as far as I can figure, the gaskets are the same for both of them.

We'll see. Got it for $40.00, so not too much invested!

Alanhod · Post by **Alanhod** » Sun Apr 03, 2011 8:00 pm

Very cool,

Now you will have a spare once you install the new power head. Now you can work on the old one at your leisure. Pop it back on and re-sell the new for $50 next year after you rebuild the old one in the winter.

Thanks

mcrandall · Post by **mcrandall** » Mon Apr 04, 2011 11:17 am

Yep Alan, hope it fits! If so, it'll save me a good amount of time and frustration while I'm wanting to get on to other things. Should have done this last fall, could have played with it all winter! Ah well, live and learn!

lecker68 · Post by **lecker68** » Mon Apr 04, 2011 11:18 am

you can do it Mark.