TOPIC: Maybe a very dumb question

Anyone ever try or use a older merc 6 banger for a jet drive?
This would be laying it almost horizontal and hooking it up to a jet pump of some sort. Just asking because I am exploring some options here for my Speedster/ river rat project. I want some HP and a Tower of power but afraid the weight would be to much and thinking kinda outside the box here. Any thoughts?

wasn't there a jet unit that rust replaces the lower unit ??????

I have seen them on newer, smaller motors but nothing that big.
Bill

I don't see how any motor designed to function upright that is carbureted could possibly work laying on it's side. The floats in the carbs would not know what was going on and perpetual flooding would keep it from ever running. Buy a roached out or crashed jet ski if you want to go that route. Scavenge the driveline from it. Trying to convert an outboard for that purpose will be an exercise in futility. Also keep in mind that jets are very inefficient. You would need a 125hp motor to realize 95hp worth of thrust at the outlet.

Again just a wild idea and was looking for feed back. A 2 stroke really doesn't care how it is laying but I understand about the floats and that really isn't that big a deal, just a matter of repositioning the intake carb flange mount. Yes they made a sport jet but I am thinking more of inboard style mounting/rigging. I want the HP but worried about weight hanging on transom and sinking it. lol. If I raise the transom it would ruin the Finn lines.

West Bend "Shark-o-matic" Inboard/Outboard!

www.smokstak.com/forum/showthread.php?t=64852

I suppose you could do something like that to an Inline, but it seems like an awful amount of work.

There are plenty of jet pumps that will bolt to a Tower of Power and you can use a 15" exhaust tower so you wouldn't have to raise your transom. Or go with a bracket.

Anyway, there's your inspiration for building a Mercury "Phantom-o-Matic"!!!!

ed-mc wrote:

West Bend "Shark-o-matic" Inboard/Outboard!

www.smokstak.com/forum/showthread.php?t=64852

I suppose you could do something like that to an Inline, but it seems like an awful amount of work.

There are plenty of jet pumps that will bolt to a Tower of Power and you can use a 15" exhaust tower so you wouldn't have to raise your transom. Or go with a bracket.

Anyway, there's your inspiration for building a Mercury "Phantom-o-Matic"!!!!

Now that is bizarre!!! LMAO! But a great find, Thank you very interesting read. I would do a out drive that would be easy and a lot cheaper than a out board but I just can't get past the height thng and ruining the line. The X-Dimension would screw it up big time I think, I could be wrong.

+1 on using a junked jetski powerplant and jet drive. They go for pretty cheap around here.
Larry

Yes, I have looked into that but think I would have to go with twins which would be very cool but might get into the expensive rage.

HA! Remember back in the 60's at the dragstip (EJ Potter was there to with his v-8 bike to) some dude had a IL6 laid down with intake manifold made to hold down draft Weber carbs. Inline with the frame and a simple 2 speed gearbox. Best part was the SIX EX stacks coming out the side! DAMN talk about a SCREAMING IL 6!

Yuppp,...Tillotson actually made some carburetors for the Titan chainsaw that will fit on a Mark 75 that had the flange 90 degrees to the Mercury Tillotson, allowing a Mark 75 to be laid down horizontal. These carburetors fit the 4 cylinder Mark 55 too.
I have seen a Mark 30 mounted horizontal in a small hydroplane with a direct drive, but have not seen details - like how they blocked off the block and moved cooling water through it, etc.
I've heard of it being done with go-karts too, but again,...No hands on experience.
I think it would be pretty straight-forward to have a set of 90 degree flanges fabricated for a larger cubic inch inline-6.
The rest of the components have no clue whether they are running vertically or horizontally.
I think that properly sealing up the water cooling system and having proper cooling with an opened system should be pretty easy in a water environment.
The old-school 'Wet Bike' had a jet system mounted under a vertically mounted Suzuki O/B engine, but using the W-B jet - which was rigid - would require snagging some nozzle pieces of a jet-ski for turning, and reverse, etc.
I have also pondered how to rigidly mount an 'Outboard Jet' unit with a vertical inline-6, and use jet-ski components for turning and reverse, etc.
Please keep us all updated if you go forward with this - very cool!!
doc F

Well, I have got one! A 77 115hp looks super nice and well cared for.
Now, do I go single outboard or find another and do the twin inboard?
I have found a 1978 115 with 39 hrs on it also but a bit expensive.
The one I got also is attached to a 65 16ft Glasstron that is real nice that I need to sell, it will be cheap if anyone is interested.

Back in the 60's the Mercury Midnight oil racing snowmobile used a tower laid on its side. The intakes were modified so the carbs could be turned 90 degrees.

I found some pics, but somewhere along the line someone swapped the 6 banger for a 4. but it still gives you an idea

motoscott909 wrote:

Back in the 60's the Mercury Midnight oil racing snowmobile used a tower laid on its side. The intakes were modified so the carbs could be turned 90 degrees.

I found some pics, but somewhere along the line someone swapped the 6 banger for a 4. but it still gives you an idea

That is so very cool!!!! Anymore shots of it? Would love to see a 6 done in one. Please if you have anymore post'm!

History of Merc snowmobiles think called "Twisters" Back in the 70's friend had one but a slug compared the Yamaha, Kaws from overseas. But Merc tried to "get into the market". Interesting read!

www.mercurysnowmobiles.com/early%20story.htm

Did a google search on that sled, pretty cool.
Buddy of mine has a very extensive collection of Yamaha sleds including one off factory race sleds. Has a 4cyl 2 stroke he made out of 2 440s? not sure but it is a monster and you wouldn't know it was home built if you weren't told it was.
I had a Merc SnoTwister about 20 years ago name is cool but the sled not so much lol.

Sold one of his factory sleds to a guy in Finland a few months ago for some pretty heavy cash. Never knew they were worth that much.
Figures the collection is well over 100k. I had no idea!

Got this home and it is nice, or so I think? Now if I use it as is I need a trim/tilt unit for it.
Still not sure on the jet thing. The carbs are NP and cooling isn't a big deal bit the jet unit all times 2. OB is cheaper for sure.