TOPIC: freshening a stored Mercury 1150

I am looking for some advise on freshening up a 78 mercury 1150 outboard that has been in storage since 95. The gentlemen said he fogged it and drained the carbs. It is free. I haven't touched it yet but I see the wires to the coils need to be replaced, not a big deal. Wondering about carbs, reeds, water pump etc. Anyone got some pointers for me. I am a street rodder and this is my first attempt at restoring a boat. The boat is a 76 Ebkraft (Ebko) Stinger. I would like to find a manual for the motor as well if you know where i can find one. A recomendation for a prop would help too. Thanks for any help you can provide.

I have owned two Mercury 115 HP motors. This is what I would do to get it running well:
Change the fuel diaphram and check valves
Change the rubber fuel lines inside the engine
New fuel lines and baynets (ends of the fuel lines) from
the fuel tank to the engine (if you have portable tanks)
New water impeller
New lower unit grease
Grease motor fittings
Sea foam in gas tank several times
Mercury Power Tune through the carbs and in the combustion
chamber with the spark plugs out
New spark plugs - NGK BUHL
Touch up the chipped paint by dipping an artist's brush into
Mercury paint sprayed into the paint cap and dab on spot

As for a prop, how heavy is the boat? If speed is not a factor, a Quicksilver Black Mac aluminum, if speed, a Laser II stainless steel or a Ballistic SS

Use Mercury Premium Plus oil and high octane gas

All of the above is good advice . The first thing I do with any motor that's been stored for an extended period is run a compression test. If they are all even but low do the engine tuner & retest to see if it makes a difference. If one or two are lower than the rest again engine tuner & retest. If they come up it's probably stuck rings from sitting. While you're doing the compression test also test the spark hopefully you'll have 6 nice blue ones .

Hi Tim_c, please give us new guys some clarification on "do the engine tuner & retest".

Thanks, Bill

Wow, thanks for the quick advice everyone! I am told the Hull is 600 lbs. I can attest that it is light because from inside the bow, you can see light through the hull. I plan to use the boat on Okoboji on week days (smooth water) and speed is always intriguing to a motor head:) I am also told that a i should use a Cleaver prop to reduce bow lift. A local marina suggested a 12.5x19 prop and to target 52-5500 rpm. Does that sound reasonable? Where do i find a service manual for a motor like this? dpanky, my motor looks pretty nice for it's age but i can only hope to make mine look like yours! Nice! Thanks everybody!

You can find the Merc manuals on Ebay occasionally, or there's always the www.OldMercs.com site for a new manual;
store.oldmercs.com/category_s/2109.htm

justredstinger wrote:

Wow, thanks for the quick advice everyone! I am told the Hull is 600 lbs. I can attest that it is light because from inside the bow, you can see light through the hull. I plan to use the boat on Okoboji on week days (smooth water) and speed is always intriguing to a motor head:) I am also told that a i should use a Cleaver prop to reduce bow lift. A local marina suggested a 12.5x19 prop and to target 52-5500 rpm. Does that sound reasonable? Where do i find a service manual for a motor like this? dpanky, my motor looks pretty nice for it's age but i can only hope to make mine look like yours! Nice! Thanks everybody!

5500 is your target rpm at WOT . I would start around a 21 pitch .

Like dpanky said spray the engine tuner into the spark plug holes let it soak at least over night then redo the compression test. If rings are stuck from sitting this will usually. If your first compression test was even you could even run it a bit on the hose with the seafoam in the gas . Run it long enough to warm it up good . again let it set & soak . & retest

Running the 1974 115 HP Merc on a Glastron V-153 deep vee weighing 630 pounds, my best prop and speed was 53 MPH GPS running a Mercury Quicksilver 2-blade bronze prop 21" cupped at 5,500 RPM. The prop has no rake and does not lift the bow.