Wired

I'm wasting time refurbishing a 69 Merc 350. It's always the same, where did Mercury get their wire? It is always a mess. Merc had the worst insulation I have ever seen. A bit of time and I should have it sorted out but golly, this is ridiculous.

I would not think that in 1969 that would have been done yet Pete. I know the 64 my Dad had was crude too. I'll check his 03 and see how that one looks

The gas fumes in there just destroyed them all - I've had dozens, have gotten a few years out of some of them with whip it dip it type products.

A bunch of years ago a dropped 1200 bucks in electrical parts for a tower of power that I have done nothing but move out of my way since then, I am stuck with keeping it forever now.

I think the 10 hp? and under Mercurys are actually rebranded Tohatsu's. This one is a 25 and was test run by Marv Brehmer, a good old Wisconsin boy I'll bet. Don't know where the actual wire came from but the harness was assembled in America. Mexico exactly but America none the less,just like where my Chevy came from

What's the Merc plant in Fond du lac Wi. producing? A couple years ago they wanted to shut down the facility but the state and city must have talked them out of the move and probably with tax incentives. I drove past it the other day and Merc is now expanding the plant. Go Walker!!

I think it is the results of bad decisions on both sides over many years. I chose this Fox article to compensate for my list to port.
Mercury Marine

That is an interesting article. I do know that down in the Keys the outboards of choice are Yamaha. They are supposedly good and they are cheaper than Mercury. I say supposedly good because a neighbor recently had one corrode internally thru the water jacket. He ended up having to replace both at the tune of 50k. I wonder where they come from?

Yamahas cheaper than Mercurys? Not even close around these parts, yamahas are the premium motor and the mercurys more of a price point at least in the mid range sizes. If I was in the keys I would buy a Yamaha or Suzuki, spending money for anything nicer than a mercury on a fresh water lake with seasonal usage however is crazy. All the current big name 4 stroke outboards are so superior to even the best of the 2 strokes they have completely obsoleted them in my mind... which is why my last tower of power will likely never see the water again.   

Bruce I think the first step like any engine is to do a compression test and go from there. Owning one by default,modern outboards are amazing but then so are modern inboards.
Every shop down there will send out a tech if you have trouble but if it's something serious in it goes. For inboard repair I don't think there is anyone around anymore except big diesel stuff. I'm including a picture to give a perspective on where we are at in relation to the water. When the neighbors start their boats and leave, these outboards are so quiet that if you don't actually see them go you don't even know it and if I remember correctly the new ones can be flushed without starting too. As we are all familiar with, when one of us inboard guys leave the whole block knows. I have the only inboard on this canal,there is another on the next canal over and a couple of big diesel boats in the system.

Everything said above about new and old and 4 stroke and 2 stroke is true. But that being said, there is nothing that says summer like the smell of a 2 stroke chugging by, at least for this old timer. We still have a few on our lake and when they chug by, it is like getting in a time machine back to my youth.

75 Tique wrote: that being said, there is nothing that says summer like the smell of a 2 stroke chugging by, at least for this old timer. We still have a few on our lake and when they chug by, it is like getting in a time machine back to my youth.

Yup Larry, I agree they sure do bring back the memories. Gone are the days when the marina's even had pre mix at the gas docks too.

JoeinNY wrote: All the current big name 4 stroke outboards are so superior to even the best of the 2 strokes they have completely obsoleted them in my mind...

Agreed the 4 strokes technology is unbelievable, unless you want to make your outboard go REALLY fast, then it's pretty tough to beat the 2.5 Merc for go fast mods, reliability and just plain toughness. Oh and the sound, you will definitely notice, and I have come to appreciate it almost as much as our inboards...

Personally I like the direct injected 2 strokes much better than the 4 strokes. I would guess that the Evinrude E-tec accounts for 60-70 % of the outboards on our chain, but there are a few Optimax and Yamaha HDPI engines out there. Harder Better Faster Stronger. And cleaner.