TOPIC: New member, couple questions

Hello folks, I'm new to this forum and I can see a lot of great info here. It will take me some time to go through old posts but for now I have a couple questions. Recently bought a nice 1959 Glasspar DelMar with a 1964 Merc 65 hp motor. Has not been run in years. I'm in the process of evaluating what I've got..(or, what I've gotten myself into). I fired the motor on a shot of ether and it kicked right over so I know it's got the basics. So, here are my two questions. One, the round trim tab plate that bolts to the lower unit is missing. Any suggestions on where I might get the tab and the bolt, or at least the tab, preferably an online source? Two, I noticed the carbs only open about 20% at full throttle on the controls. I disconnected the cables and worked the throttle at the motor with the same result. In forward gear, the carbs stop opening at 20% or so, looking at the throttle plates. I have not dug into it yet but wonder if there's any common problem that might cause that? Hate to mess with the mag timing linkage and such if it's something simpler. I do notice that a couple plug wires seem rather short and may be stopping the mag rotation and thus the carb linkage as well. I'll be checking that out shortly. Any suggestions gratefully accepted. I do have the Clymer manual and if the motor seems basically OK I'll go for better manuals.

almost anymarine dealer would have the trim tab very common.
the mag will hit the stop screw then the throttle will advance to full open some times the grease in the advance mecanisim is dried and stiff even frozen.1 914 310 7086.

Thanks Dave, that gives me a place to start with the carbs. I'll look at some of the online marine suppliers for the trim tab. I live in SW New Mexico in a small town, so as much as I'd like to deal in person with a local shop, there just aren't any unless I travel 50 to 100 or more miles.

I'm sure the motor will need a good going over. Although it looks pretty clean and the carb throats were covered over in storage, I'll bet the carbs and 2 fuel pumps will need rebuilding as well as a new impeller.

Dave, you were right, the advance mechanism was just frozen up. I greased the two fittings and added a shot of WD40, and worked the throttle, and eventually it loosened up. I'm glad I asked about the problem before I went and messed with stuff like the controller, which is OK. Thanks again for the tip.

Got my new trim tab (anode), bolt, and a genuine Mercury impeller kit today. Let the fun begin!

Glad to see you are making progress and sounds like you have yourself a good motor.

WORD OF CAUTION: DO NOT use ether or stating fluid in a 2-stroke outboard. The block/pistons etc need the lubrication from pre-mixed fuel. I keep a squirt bottle(has to be the heavy plastic kind) on hand to try and kick any old girl...and directly into the plug holes rather than the carb unless I am trailer another fuel issue.f

Good luck

Good advice barnfinder. Actually I did the ether shot only after the cylinders and carb throats got a good dose of light oil and I pulled the motor over with the pull starter for a bit to move the oil around. Only ran for a few seconds on the ether.

starting fluid can be had with lube in it. i use it with no problem.

Well, I installed the impeller kit and thanks to Dave's advice I got the bottom end re-installed pretty easily. Put some fuel mix in, hooked up the battery, and fried some wire in the old hookup harness! Not a huge problem, I've found a source for replacement harnesses at decent prices, and the old one was very bad. Meanwhile, I fired up the motor with just the battery cables connected, it started and ran pretty good for a motor long in storage. Love those magneto motors. But, the bad news, I don't think it's cooling. I'm using earmuffs, maybe it needs the direct connection hose fitting to the pump? Or, maybe I didn't get that water feed tube properly seated into the pump outlet. It dumps water out of the prop hub like it should, but that water is pretty cool. Meanwhile, the cover on the port side of the motor and also the cylinder head got hot to the touch pretty fast so I shut her down. Guess I'll pull the foot off and recheck my work. Darn.