merc 44 questions

[hydro5]

ok boat racing world. i am in need of help. i have a merc 44 ( late model block). i have spent 2 years trying to keep this thing together, but it keeps throwing the reed stops through the front of the motor. i have done everything that i know to prevent this. the motor (when it runs) is very fast. can anyone shed some light on this for me.

joe

[crankbearing]

Shimming!!!

Hey !

Two things. Shimming and reed stop height. two is if you are running brass cages check to make sure that one or both cages are not an oddball thickness.

Regards,

[Dave M]

Tharps Fault

Tell Bryan to crack the throttle once in a while.....

I know you guys have faught this a lot, and that is a good motor for sure.

[pops67g]

Reed stop problems

Once the reed stops are set at the proper height they should never come in contact with the crank, UNLESS the crank end-play is so out of whack that it is mowing off the stops. The correct end-play is 0.012". Also you should use Loctite around the perimeter of the cages, make sure the dowel pin is in, and torque the reed cage bolt correctly to keep that thing from squirming around in there.

[Ron]

44 Merc Reeds

Contact Larry McAfee in Columbia, MO, LGMcAgee@AOL.COM or 573-474-2689. This man has years and years of Merc 4 Cylinder experience and most likely can help you out. He has experienced most every kind of problem with these engines and able to come up with a solution.

[David_L6]

Contact Larry McAfee in Columbia, MO, LGMcAgee@AOL.COM or 573-474-2689. This man has years and years of Merc 4 Cylinder experience and most likely can help you out. He has experienced most every kind of problem with these engines and able to come up with a solution.

I won't argue that Larry is as good as they come, but ****! - hydro5 is in OK City. So is Dudley Malone.....

Hydro5, put the thing together as near stock as possible and you won't have any trouble. The crank has to be hitting the reed stop(s) if I understand what you are saying. Get everything ready to put the crankcase cover on the block (stab the pistons, etc....) and take the thing over to Dudley's and ask him to have a look at it... Take a drive up to Tulsa and get Kenny Bayer to look at it.... Take it over to Burt's and ask him to look at it (bribe him with a gallon of scotch ). Hell fire, bring it down here and let me work on it!!! (I can guarantee you a loss of at least 10HP , but it will crank and run.) You're close enough to several people that know how to put a 4 cyl Merc together right that you shouldn't have a problem getting a 44 together that is a competitive motor that will stay together.

Don't try to out engineer Mercury. When all else fails..... back up and start over real close to stock. (That's TOP SECRET info. Don't tell anyone else. )

Tell us whatcha got...... Aluminum cages? brass cages? How much crankshaft end play ya got? Which reed stops? What kind of reeds? (using thick aftermarket fiber reeds with lock washers under the bolts??? < that'll do it). Is it happening on just one reed cage every time (top or bottom)?

The motor ain't throwing the reed stop out through the front case. The crank is knocking it off of the cage and pushing it out.

Why is the crank hitting the reed stop??? Too much end play? Stop opened up too far? Stop jacked up too far because of thick reeds?

[hydro5]

your right Dave,
the motor is smokin fast. i bet you that Bryan could have given your dad a run for his money for sure. we have tried everything we know to do. Dudley has looked at it hell everyone in oklahoma has been in the motor. Now keep this in mind, it is a new style block. we did have some problem getting the end caps to work. we had the correct clearance. i never thought about the reed cage thickness. i will check that

thanks
joe barbarick 0-5

[crankbearing]

new style block

What new style block are you using. Is it a lightning energizer block or and ADI block. Your end caps are very important - if you are using a new style block with old end caps you should be using an early crank with the thin top cheek as the lightning energizer crank and all past are thicker on the top cheek and the snouts of the crank are longer and vice versa. This is all speculation without some numbers to work with. Post pics or numbers of the block and bearing carriers. The top carrier can be longer for sure depending on era. Are your bearings 6206 firmly seated in the carriers and are they staying there, If your bearings are sliding in and out of the carriers with the crank this will cause you some grief as well.

If you are using a new style 44XS like block with the new caps you should have a crank in there from a 1976 or new 50 motor. you need the thicker top cheek on the crank and the longer throw on top and finally you say that you have the right clearance - Do you have .012 on the top and bottom bearing when you slide the crank either way. you should have equal shims in most cases top and bottom to give you .012 on both ends.

Regards,

[ANZANI-QUINCY FREAK]

Good Tech Column, it shares what needs be

Nice tech column. Thats sharing for some common good.

For Dave Scott?

I have a Merc 500 anniversary special complete block that that the lightening distributor belt driven ignition and also "KC Tillotson carbs" as opposed to KA (whatevers). I have no specific information on them other than what exists on older or newer style Merc 44s generically in various manuals or microfiches. Is there any place you know of that has the technivcal data available to find out what made these anniversary specials supposedly a full 50 Hp at the prop? Any information to learn more about these anniversay specials would be very mush appreciated.

[quicksilver96]

D Mod Mercury

Hey !

Two things. Shimming and reed stop height. two is if you are running brass cages check to make sure that one or both cages are not an oddball thickness.

Regards,

Dave, just finished the D Mod (Merc 500) and should be ready to run Franklin, Pa. in DMR. Thanks for all the imput in putting it together. Enclosed are a few pictures....Bob Rusnak N-96

[crankbearing]

looks good!!

Hey Bob,

no problem.. Glad to help another get on the water.. I would focus on maybe shortening up those wires some.. That;s a lot of travel (work) for that igntion system.

Regards,

[outboardjetboater]

44xs plates

i have read a lot about changing the plates on a 44 c.i. fisher for the 44xs racing engine. what plates are they, and what does that accomplish?

[quicksilver96]

Franklin 44 Mod

Hey Bob,

no problem.. Glad to help another get on the water.. I would focus on maybe shortening up those wires some.. That;s a lot of travel (work) for that igntion system.

Regards,

Had some minor problems with the 44 that took 4 heats to fix. Buy the last heat on Sunday it performed very well. Used .067 jets, Ql77JC4 Pulgs, .300 timing. Pulg color looked pretty goog. Broke a steering bar bolt on turn two, last lap. Never have broken one before. Picked a 500 cc hydro wheel to try, a little two small with the Konig 14-15 gears. Tried to see you at the race but our paths never met. Thanks for the help...Bob & Don Rusnak N-9 N-96

[crankbearing]

Had some minor problems with the 44 that took 4 heats to fix. Buy the last heat on Sunday it performed very well. Used .067 jets, Ql77JC4 Pulgs, .300 timing. Pulg color looked pretty goog. Broke a steering bar bolt on turn two, last lap. Never have broken one before. Picked a 500 cc hydro wheel to try, a little two small with the Konig 14-15 gears. Tried to see you at the race but our paths never met. Thanks for the help...Bob & Don Rusnak N-9 N-96

Hey Bob,

That;s great you got it worked out.. Ya I was over to see George and I guess we missed each other and vice versa.

Regards,

[crankbearing]

i have read a lot about changing the plates on a 44 c.i. fisher for the 44xs racing engine. what plates are they, and what does that accomplish?

These plates are the inner exhaust baffle plate and the transfer port cover.. combined the rumour is 1MPH.. I really thing everything just flows a lot better in and out with these new style plates.

You can look up the parts at mercruiserparts.com and look under a 40 4cyl for the part numbers.

Regards,