TOPIC: fired the 500 merc today

When I bought this boat and motor on Thursday the owner (12 years) said he had a complete tuneup done 8 years ago and never took the boat out again (He bought a big Lowe for fishing )I got the interior stripped and cleaned yesterday so today got to the motor. Hooked up a battery, it cranked over and the choke even worked. So I put it water and hooked up the gas tank. No fuel, no go. I'm not surprised, I'll have to clean the fuel system, carbs. However when I put a shot of fuel into the carbs it fired right up. I have forgot how nice the mercs sound. I have this one and a 400. I just sold a long-shaft 500 along with an Avalon to a friend. I won't be able to get back to it for a month or so due to a little surgery. Once I have it running, my friend and I will do our first Merc lower units and water pumps.
This boat is going in the water this summer and it will be the first Mercury I have ran and I think I am going to have a blast.If things work out I will do a complete repaint on it next winter.

You've got her cleaned up and lookin' pretty darn good! I'd highly recommend going through the carbs and fuel pump, check fuel lines before doing any more cranking on the Merc though. (Anything sitting up that long.) No fuel means theres no oil (lube) getting into the "innards" - which can cause damage to bearings, pistons, cylinder bore, etc..)

Hope the surgery goes well, looking forward to more updates.

Hey thanks. I used 24:1 to squirt in the carbs to help oil it, but am going to go through all that before I try running it. I know it will fire up , that's all I needed to know for now. When I get back to par I will, as you say , go throught everything in the fuel system. Cure that and then the lower unit and impeller.
Hopfully I will have it looking good by June or so.