Christmas in April!

[Tim McCrain]

This gem followed me home Friday evening, with help from the ultimate enabler, engine acquisition specialist and craigslist addict, Slo-Mo.

After spraying fogging oil in the cylinders and turning it over by hand to lube them well, it started right up. The idle was a little smoky since the fuel I was using was one gallon of mix with a full can of Seafoam added, which I had been using to clean another motor. Compression is 120 across the board. Carb kits, fuel pump kit and impeller are on their way, but I couldn't wait to fire it up.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-ZK9YzFDf8"]YouTube - 140 first run[/ame]

[Skagitguy]

Tim, That is one very nice motor ! Christmas in April ? It might as well be with this lousy weather !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hail this am. Chuck

[Tim McCrain]

First time on the lake

Finished rigging the motor yesterday and took her out to Lake Goodwin for a trial run. Wow. GPS said 46 mph. Steering is a little unbalanced at speed, need to fiddle with the trim tab. Tach isn't hooked up yet but she sounds like she's not winding up all the way, although I don't really care about getting any more speed I want to make sure I'm not lugging it at cruising speed. Here's a crummy cell phone video, excuse the shakiness at the end, it became necessary to get both hands on the wheel.



[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWMvUfLHnpI"]YouTube - 140 Shakedown[/ame]

[halffast32]

I think your gonna like using your boat even more now! By the way, isn't the 1400 just a 1500 with different stickers? Merc had the 150 V6 about then, and didn't want 2 engines @ the same hp rating. ROCK ON!!!!

[Tim McCrain]

Yep!

Yes Gordon, there is a 150 lurking under there!

I read that Merc didn't want competing 150's and wanted the V6's to get established in the market so the '78 and '79 140's were really 150's with 140 stickers on them. According to what I read they didn't de-tune them or reduce their output in any way, they just put 140 stickers on 150's.

And yes, the boat just got a whole lot more enjoyable. Not only is it fun to go fast, but it cruises so much nicer with more power. You can cruise at 20-25 without winding it up to the point where you have to shout, and it will easily cruise at 30 without breaking a sweat. For normal cruising (meaning: Cindy in boat) things will be much quieter. The Homelite may have been quieter and smoother at idle, but was much louder than this at cruising speed.

Tim

[Bflaherty]

I think your gonna like using your boat even more now! By the way, isn't the 1400 just a 1500 with different stickers? Merc had the 150 V6 about then, and didn't want 2 engines @ the same hp rating. ROCK ON!!!!

I know Merc had a history of "mis-labeling" their motors. We have 10hp Hurricane with the racing lower unit and it has the same inners are the 15hp but with smaller stickers, its great cause I will eventually be able to run it on our little hydro on Lake Whatcom even as a 2-stroke because they allow upto 10hp...

I would imagine that one unforseen benefit to running the 140 inline vs the 150 V6 would be insurance on the lower hp rating would have been cheaper...