1961 FGS Merc 700

[ELeigh]

I finally got ahold of a service manual for this so I'm going to try and get it running. Hopefully I will get it this week in the mail. I tried, a little, to get it running last summer but it just wouldn't. Seems to have great cranking/turn over but it won't fire up. It did start once or twice but I had to put it in gear and give it some juice while I was hitting the starter and I couldn't get it to stay running. I'm just guessing but maybe something with the carb then? I know it's hard to trouble shoot this stuff without a lot of info but any solid advice on where to start looking first and how to progress into getting this thing running would be great. Thanks guys! Erik

PS.. I know just enough about mechanics to get into trouble but I'm more than willing to start pulling stuff apart with the right directions. I figure it's kind of like a cooking recipe just follow the instructions, lol.

[Tim McCrain]

There is a lot of good info on the net regarding bringing a dormant motor back to life. What they all have in common is that they recommend servicing the ignition and fuel systems before attempting to start it up. I assume that the carbs need to be gone through on any motor that I bring home.

Sometimes guys think carbs are complex and mysterious because they don't fully understand exactly how they work, but the bottom line is that they are hunks of metal with holes drilled in them. And some other stuff that screws into the holes that are threaded. The stuff that screws in needs to go in the right holes, not be overtightened and everything needs to be reeeally clean. Take everything apart, clean everything, put everything back in the same place with new gaskets and you're ready to run. If it doesn't work right, then something isn't in the right place, something isn't adjusted right, something's not clean or a gasket isn't sealing. There isn't anything else to go wrong.

Quite a few years ago my boss watched me for a few minutes while I was pulling my hair out trying to get a rather complex four-barrel (ever seen one for an old Mazda rotary?) operating correctly, when I was just about to sail it out a window he walked over, leaned in and said "carbs don't break."

In addition to our Merc forum, the Mercury Outpost over on Fiberglassics is a popular hangout for Merc gurus and they always seem willing to help.

Good luck!

Tim

Tim

[ELeigh]

Thanks Tim!

[hhaynes]

61 ggs 700

remember that is a standard point gap distributer. It needs a good!! battery to fire. It also needs a condenser or two. and it uses a standard early ford type coil. One set of points/cond runs 3 cyl the othe ones fire the other three. I have had one cond. fail and it only runs on 3 cyls. After replacing the expensive parts first, I found the problem was the cheap cond. Last time it was one of the coils. Good luck! Once set don't fix what ain't broke!! I run on my g3. Pushes it very well!!

[Tim McCrain]

remember that is a standard point gap distributer. It needs a good!! battery to fire. It also needs a condenser or two. and it uses a standard early ford type coil. One set of points/cond runs 3 cyl the othe ones fire the other three. I have had one cond. fail and it only runs on 3 cyls. After replacing the expensive parts first, I found the problem was the cheap cond. Last time it was one of the coils. Good luck! Once set don't fix what ain't broke!! I run on my g3. Pushes it very well!!

Excellent advice.

Also, once you have it running long enough to warm it up, shut it down and check the compression.

Trying to get an engine with unbalanced compression to run right is like trying to find a shoe that makes a broken foot feel better, you just cause yourself pain and still end up limping along ...

[RJY007]

condensers aka capacitors

Just put two new ones in my Mark 75 ignition today...now have to set dwell. I note that East Coast Marine ) oldmercs.com) wants $25.95 each for them......and they are not even gold plated!...equivalent at NAPA $5-7 each (.02 mfd)

[Helmar]

Just put two new ones in my Mark 75 ignition today...now have to set dwell. I note that East Coast Marine ) oldmercs.com) wants $25.95 each for them......and they are not even gold plated!...equivalent at NAPA $5-7 each (.02 mfd)

I notice things like that all the time. Its called "Seasonal" items, means 100 to 150% markup because they have to sit on it in the, "Off Season".
Same with Motorcycles, RV's etc.
Like the oil filter to my Kohler generator. If it has Kolhers name on it, its 24 bucks, Napa's name, I get it for 4 bucks, go figure

I know bunch of other products are also available via NAPA so its always best to check them first. My :TwoCents1:

[Tim_Mattson]

Eligh,
Now I`m really shy about wrenching on older Mercs but have learned the choke needs to fully close to help the engine draw fuel at start-up.Low compression will make them draw little at all.
If it runs after a shot of Fogging Oil (NOT starting fluid,maybe pre-mix if you can get it in a delivery device) then it is the carbs or the fuel pump.
If it runs while squeezing the ball then it is fuel pump.....though not seeming to be the case here.It would start and die...
Throttling to Wide open throttle while in gear (before starting....) will prime the engine with the Accelerator pump I seem to recall.....this trick saved a friend one-time while he was drifting across Lake Sammamish.
Unhooking the throttle cable while reviving an engine lets you adv Timing Lever by hand while another turns the key.It`ll fire when you hit the sweet spot.
TM