79 Merc 80 HP

I bought what i believe to be a 79 mercury 80 hp outboard with tilt and trim. I am new to the outboard world so i have some stupid questions. On the controls i have a arm with two buttons that i believe to be the tilt up and down? The arm moves forward and back for throttle? Behind that arm there is a smaller arm made of metal, is this the transmission lever? On the very top of control there is a round button? What is that?

HA thanks

 

HA,

Working on old outboards and making the controls work again can be frustrating, but also rewarding. Here are two sites with info on a variety of control configurations and old Mercury controls and parts. Hope this helps!

http://marineengineparts.com/shopsite_sc/store/html/page278.html

http://www.usboatsupply.com/outboardparts.php

Good luck,

Charlie

 

The small metal arm is a throttle only lever that allows you to rev the engine without it putting it in gear, unless yours is different than mine (I still have the controls, got rid of the Merc a long time ago). The small button might be an electric primer button, but you should post a pic and I could tell you for sure.

 

From what i have read so far i think the small round button on the control box is the choke. The two buttons on the arm are tilt up and down right?

 

By the way, is this engine running? Those are some of the absolute worst engines you can possibly get, I had an '83 70hp and I was working on it nonstop. If you find yourself doing the same, take it from me, just get rid of it and write it off as a loss. The worst thing to do is start sinking money into an old Merc, it will never run right.

 

Yes it was running fine when i bought it a few weeks ago, I just need to rework the old wiring on it and figure out what does what.

 

The choke on mine was automatic with the key, but it had a manual choke inside the engine compartment, which you could only access by taking the four or five piece cowling off (the most idiotic thing I have ever seen on an outboard).

 

If the buttons on the arm are for tilt up and down, how do u trim?

 

You must have got one that was made on inspection day when the owner of Mercury was making his rounds. Count yourself lucky. I have always wondered if Mercury Outboards has anything to do with Ford Motors Co. like the cars. I swear by Fords, the trucks anyway, but Mercury cars are quirky and you have to work on them all the time.

 

Tilt is probably all you have unless you buy a newer type transom jack.

 

ok that makes sense. thanks

 

Now here is a really dumb one, i can see where u put the pin through to stop up and down movement but how do i lock the steering?

 

Lock the steering for transport on a trailer? If so, there might be a screw with a spring on it below the engine, thats how it is on Johnsons. Outboards with steering wheels should stay pretty well where they are if you just turn the wheel all the way to one side, but if you want it locked anyway, look for a big screw with a spring or something similar.

 

ok thanks

 

The mix is 50:1 right?