TOPIC: '61 Merc 500 missing parts?

I'm working on preping this '61 Merc 500 for testing amd I'm really confused. According to the shop manual there should be a rectifier, stator/alternator and choke solenoid...but I can tell you none of them are to be found on this motor.

Attached are port, aft and starboard views of the power head. Any assistance you quys can give in sorting this out would be most appreciated.

Wiring you see in the pics is temporary to bypass dry rotted wiring.

According to the serial #, this should be a 1961 Merc 500, Electric Start, Short Shaft.



Thanks,
Rob

Hi Rob,
Your choke solenoid will be mounted on the top cowl. As far as the rectifier and all that was an option. They can be added if you want but simple electric start for this puppy is just fine too. Are you running all sort of stuff in the boat you need to worry about it charging a battery?
If you launch daily, have a good battery and only need it to run the occasional running light, auto bilge pump, and crank the starter you should be fine.
Best of Luck!!
Jim

you most likely have a merc 500 S starter only. not an E full electric.

you most likely have a merc 500 S starter only. not an E full electric.

you most likely have a merc 500 S starter only. not an E full electric.

my 61 500 is identical. Only a starter, no charging system. Seems to work great

here is what little i know about the letters in the serial #s
M is for manual start short shaft
ML is for manual start long shaft
S is for electric start short shaft WITH OUT alternator
E is for electric star short shaft WITH alternator
EL is for electric start long shaft WITH OUT alternator
SL is for electric start long shaft WITH alternator

now those are for my 1963 400,45 hp,im thinking they should work on most older mercurys,but i have been wrong many,many times before,lol,john

Does your flywheel have any magnets on the underside? If not, then it never had a charging system. It appears that your choke is just a rod with the threads on top for the knob, indicating it never had electric choke. This tells me your motor never had electric start when it left the factory and that someone has likely added it later. By the looks of your wiring "harness", I'd say your motor has a somewhat checkered history.

Gents - Thanks for all the thoughts on the MERC.

To answer Chinewalker...
There are no magnets on the underside of the flywheel. The wiring harnesses that came with the motor are completely shot. All the insulation is dry rotted. What you see in the picture is just a temp test rig. I want to check the running condition of the motor before I think about investing in a new harness.

Couple of other questions.

The magneto pulley is broken - as seen in the picture and nearly identical missing chunk 180deg opposite. It looks to me like the flywheel has to come off in order to replace the pulley. Can anyone confirm?



Where can I source the proper tool to remove the flywheel?

Thanks again to all. Your assitance is always greatly appreciated!

Our local "Pep Boys" has a tool-loan program. Cylinder hones, wheel pullers, tools that you would other wide use only seldom if you are a hobbyist like myself. Sign it out, leave a deposit, return when done. I borrowed a fly wheel puller from them. Was a snap to pop off the fly wheel on a little 15hp Evinrude I was taking apart for fun (the block turned out to be well and truly ruined).

Peter - Thanks for the tip. I'll check that out...if I decide to move forward with this motor.

Everytime I look at it there is something else broken. Went out a little bit ago and discovered the starter motor mount is broken.