80's Mercury 7.5

[Shane Y]

I have a chance to buy this motor for cheap. I know the guy real good. He said that the motor ran good when he put it in storage. Now the wiring on the power pack and a few others are dry rotted and it won't start. What would it take to replace all this? 

[WRB]

I don't recall the vintage 7 1/2 hp Merc having a power pack? coil and mag I think?

Call your local Merc parts service shop, you are going to need thier help for various parts like a water pump, plug wires, plugs and carb rebuild kit.

Tom

 

[Shane Y]

Thanks. There is a picture of the motor. I dont know what it has. He called it a power pack. All I know is that it isn't locked down, under the "hood" looks new except some dry rotted wiring. 

[Shane Y]

What would you guys say it's worth? 

[Way2slow]

Motors like that have very little worth to a person that doesn't know how to fix them.  To pay for the labor and parts needed to bring the motor back to a good running order, would probably be two or three times what you could buy a good used, running motor, that size.

 

The dry rot on the wires, depending on which wires can be mended, unless it something like the plug wire or coil housing crack, then they can ark through.

 

As a bear bone minimum, the carb and probably the fuel pump will need rebuild, and the water pump.  That's only if it has good compression.   As for most of the wiring, liquid tape painted on them will work fine, but usually not for ignition high voltage.

 

First thing you need to do, put it in a tank or muffs on a hose.  Get access to the carburetor, spray some premixed gas in the carb and try to start it.  If it fires, hook the gas line up to a tank or gas can, prime it and then repeat the gas in the carb.  It may start and run, but will probably just start, run a few seconds and shut off each time you spray gas in the carb.  That will at least let you know there is hope for getting it to run, but the carb and fuel pump need cleaned. 

If it fires and runs a couple of times, then do a compression test.  That will let you know if it's worth going any further.

[Alex from GA]

All older Mercurys have rotten wiring.  Unless the rotten part is where you can't cut and splice it's no big deal to repair.  $100 to $200 is a fair price for a motor with good compression and spark.

[slonezp]

The worth of the motor is going to be based a lot on regional demand. In good running order around my parts, its worth $400 or so