The Mercury Tower of Power Part 68: On the water!!!

[@dadsoutdoors]

This episode made my day. Great to see you on the water with your boys. Aidan was such a great skipper and helper.

[@douglasbrown8175]

Congrats Steve ,so nice to see all your hard work on that engine pay off. A great father son afternoon.

[@65sc]

The answer to your son's questions: "Daddy, is this your favorite boat?" answer: "It is TODAY!" "Daddy are you happy now that you have a boat?" is of course: OH YEAAAHHH! (we Dads ALL know how you feel about being out on the water and the feeling is GREAT!) Thank you for bringing closure to your motor project! I just got mine out last week ('71 135hp T.O.P.).

[@gearheadgregwi]

Lol. Mercury Marine mechanic here shouting at screen. Choke and crank the heck out of it. Warm up lever. Start. Cold-blooded beasts.

[@ScottHenion]

Watched most of the series. Fast fowrarded through much of the last few weeks. Lots of tedious work getting that going so glad to finally see it up and running. Congrats on some good work. Best part is the smile on your face :)

[@terrywilson1813]

I have this same motor and had the same problem. Mine is still a little tough to get started when it's cold but when it's warm it fires right up....that motor you have is a beast. Get it dialed in the way you want it and it'll scare you

[@sirgabe6500]

Great job! Lots of fun times ahead :)

[@TechGorilla1987]

It looked like right about half throttle. I'd be able to pull a hole shot and get up on plane quickly but once on plane, I would pull the throttle back to about that position for cruise. I would be on plane, but just... When that pig opens full throttle, you will know it. I had a 19' boat, and could do 46mph WOT. My boat and trailer weighed in at a combined 3400 and change. On difference I did have (well, 2 really) I had power trim on the boat, and I had a wide stabilizer fin mounted above the prop that helped stabilize the boat at WOT. Cant wait to see the boys faces when she pops out of the water on plane at full throttle. That's fun!

[@No1LikeYahuah]

I've owned lots of those inline 6-cylinder mercs. Sounds like you're not getting Full Throttle. Double-check make sure your butterflies are opening all the way up at Full Throttle. Double check your link and sync. You get that thing all dial-in you can go 50mph + . If you're transoms not solid it'll rip it off with a power prop.

[@robbiecox]

Great to see it running on the water. I that very motor in the '70s and I have to say that it always started very easily every time. I doubt if it ever tuned 360 degrees before firing. However I always disconnected the fuel line at the end of every days use and let it run to a stop, and always primed it for use until the pump ball was solid. Don't know if this might help. Please don't try full whack with that transom in it's current state, this motor will tear it off!

[@fourbyfourer]

LOL I thought I was watching a remake of that classic boating scene in The Great Outdoors.

[@jasonmushersee]

runs smooth. that boat looks like the one our sheriffs dept has

[@miguelsalami]

Hey folks stay tuned for part 69 titled "Daddy Goes Fishing For His Tower Of Power" 🤓

[@stevewatr]

No peeking lol

[@Reftravun]

A fun afternoon on the water. Even the most expensive boats need a shake-down cruise or two. Guess the true sign that it's running well, will be when your wife asks for a cruise in it! ;-)

[@johnstrange6799]

Great job!

[@austinoconnor1255]

Daddy got her goin!!

[@hornesbee]

Very nice to see it run and run well! That has to make you feel good. Job well done!! The transom fix will be less work than what you went through with restoring the motor. Fiberglass work is not difficult to do. The transom should be solid though. It should not flex imo.

[@afleetcommand]

Have to say I love your channel and FORTUNATELY stumbled onto your "Tower" series....I'm following a similar path. I have a 1150 looking for a job, several candidates in play. I'm looking for an old Checkmate to put mine on....I also have a 115 Merc 4 cylinder (Force inspired) that will also get similar treatment...first thought was fuel pressure from the pump, then a possible leak in the fuel line...:) BUT have to watch to the end huh..:) Also hoping to EITHER have a jack plate or hydraulic trim setup...your boat with that deep vee might like something similar..:) (My kids sounded the same BTW with the same question approach, of course now they are all up and out. Back to boats 4 me. Worked on boats as a younger man. AND yes the throttle looked stiff and u might be loosing there but really looked like you need to play around with trim...:)

[@melrose9252]

afleetcommand Mercury owned Force (US Marine) but there was never a Force inspired 115 Mercury.

[@TechGorilla1987]

As far as the transom goes... I had an incident that caused me to have to deal with the transom on my old Viking boat. I ended up going to a metal dealer and picking up a sheet of 1/2 or something aluminum plate. I bolted the plate on the inside of the transom using the motor bolts (I replaced all the motor bolts for slightly longer hardware.) I ran it pretty hard like that. It probably wasn't the best fix, but it was a ton stronger.

[@nativejuicevapors]

Sounds good

[@francistheodorecatte]

The Mercury Tower of Power Part 69: Fishing for half the boat.

[@stevewatr]

Lol, stay tuned.

[@turtles11756]

get a screw driver start checking the wood transom from the inside if it's soft you're asking for big problem. to do it right (transom) you have a big job but well worth it when done

[@djs3484]

I know you're being careful with the kids in the boat, problems with the cable and all, but when all that's handeled and you go out yourself that boat should be extremely quick, I'd be interested in the top end speed and the WOT rpm. I'm guessing thats a 115hp tower, thats a screamer of a motor. That transome needs to be reinforced as the torque of the motor will break it apart. The motor is way off, i had a tower myself, the 90hp and it pushed a 1400lb 19' cuddy cabin Sportcraft Caprice to 36mph with a full load and it weighed in way higher than this boat. Knowing how they sound I'd be willing to bet its only spinning about 3500rpm, running properly it should spin to 5500. Good luck!!

[@stevewatr]

By now, you've probably seen the follow up episodes. The transom failed suddenly. If not for the steering linkage, the motor would gone to the bottom of the pond. The tower of power just needs the cracked brackets replaced, and itll live on. I've still got the old town boat, but that transom and the floors are toast. I've acquired a newer, bigger boat that will either be powered by the mercury or possibly by one of 2 suzuki DT150's donated to me.

[@turtles11756]

pump the bulb hard, choke it if it's right it will fire quick. you better check that transom that big merc will pull it right off

[@stevewatr]

I've learned that these motors were notorious for being a pain to cold start. Several people have solved the issue by installing an OMC injection system on these motors. Instead of the choke solenoid, they have the choke button activate the injection solenoid. Once warn, the motor barely has to make half a revolution before roaring to life. Those plastic shutters on 2 of the 3 carbs just do not cut it.

[@TechGorilla1987]

I second the hard bulb before starting. Even when cold, it didn't take that long to start. After it warmed up for even 30 seconds, it would start faster than you could bump the key and release it. People at the docks were always amazed that it ran like it did as was I. I used to stop and start it for the fun of it.

[@tjforgey7854]

Oh that poor starter

[@falconeaterf15]

The fuel economy of a 350hp four stroke, and the performance of a 75hp Yamaha !

[@tjforgey7854]

Just goes to show you,it's all ways something.

[@10us101]

5 4 3 2 1 boooooom

[@jasonhowes1704]

Old mercurys need lots of gas to start. Pump the bulb until gas is running out the carbs n choke it. It'll start

[@arthurtaddei1285]

Yes will need a starter soon cause he has no clue

[@tractormatt4301]

Nice strong transom just kidding some transom flex is normal but I believe that motor is too big for that boat a 75 would be perfect.

[@stevewatr]

In upcoming videos, I'll discuss what I've learned about this boat from the manufacturer. I think you'll be as surprised as I was.

[@TechGorilla1987]

This should be good! :D

[@larppaxyz]

Finally!

[@jennifervicknair7923]

That motor isn’t running full throttle

[@excavateboy]

Definitely seems like you're only getting half throttle. I've got a 1964 merc500 50hp and it nearly tares the back of my 18foot boat off in a hole shot. I have a few videos of progress runs under my name on KZbin if your interested

[@hunteredwards1345]

Going to burn out your starter if you always crank it like that.

[@diejeffy]

Come on, life jackets and a kill switch.

[@davidwhite2029]

change the coil in the magneto--the early ones gave a poor spark

[@stevewatr]

Thanks, but the "thunderbolt" ignition seems to work well on mine. Then again, since it's a 1972, I wouldn't be surprised if it isn't the original coil in there.

[@michaelwilson6806]

No fuel.

[@TheSoloAsylum]

Engine is not getting even close to it's top rpm.

[@stevewatr]

Yes, my next move was going to be a link and sync, but fate intervened. Hope you enjoy the series.

[@michaelwilson6806]

No spark.

[@michaelwilson6806]

Dead battery.

[@arthurtaddei1285]

Motor still isnt rite and the boat is junk. S can the whole mess

[@arthurtaddei1285]

Yes your much better with the camera's than you are with boats an motors, lol

[@stevewatr]

Thanks for watching, don't forget to tell all your friends!