magneto removal

removing the flywheel

This is a good view from the side. You can see how the timing belt goes under the flywheel through the stator and connects to the shaft gear for the magneto assembly.

This view shows the flywheel with the metal hand crank catch bolted to the top. The slots catch metal pawls that open and extend out as the hand starter is pulled. They act like fingers pointed inward that turn out and catches in the slots. You can also barely see the washer and nut that attaches to the crankshaft.

you can see clearly the Stator and it electrical connections and the passage way that the Timing belt passes through on next to the crank shaft.

These photos show the original engine parts the little red square deals under the starter solenoid is the original plate style rectifier. So I know this engine is very original. These set of photos shows all the components of the engine. (First) first you can see the fuel pump with in and out fuel lines, electric starter and solenoid, and above mentioned rectifier. (second picture) shows the Power head (engine block), the starter flywheel , assembly with stator (alternator) underneath, with the timing belt attached to the magneto assembly that has the points and distributor at the bottom, the spark plug wires then leading to the plugs at the end of the powerhead.

(third) it is hard to see but the Carburetor unit is in the middle. It is actually a dual carb unit with a linkage in between the two, going into separate intake ports for two cylinders each. You can see the vertical linkage bar that is connected to the choke solenoid mounted on the upper magneto assembly.

Those are the main parts of the Engine, Powerhead, Carb, starter, magneto/distributor, fuel pump, flywheel/stator. Sounds so simple doesn't it.

intial examination

So you saw mine, now invision that turning to one of these. I know, I know, you are skeptical so hopefully I can change your mind. the work begins!

Here she is

Here she is; as you can see she has had several lives but is in good shape. I got her for an old school swap off craigslist, thats right I spent a whopping $0.00 for intial purchase. I traded an old hunting riffle I have had stowed under my bed for 10yrs. I figured the gun was probably worth a couple hundred so it was probably a pretty equal trade. Its a little hard to tell but the real selling point for me was the still intact original wireing harness and fuel line. You can see the wireing Harness on the right side.

As a side note I will also try and keep a legitimate cost for the project to give an idea of what the total ended up being, with added alternative costs thrown in for comparison. Hopefully I can add a updated side bar section for tracking for this down the road.

Beginning of the End....?

I want start by stating the mission of the blog.
This is meant to show the full restoration of a 1957 Mercury mark 55 40 hp outboard motor. I am a regular guy...I am not a professional mechanic I have a experience with automechanics and understand the concepts of a normal combustion engine. I have done extensive Internet research and been less than satisfied with the amount of infomation. In the very closely related field of restoring or building classic boats there is extensive information, so i felt the need to fill a void. I hope to help some other poor fool who thinks like me that sometimes a white fiberglass boat with a plain black outboard does not still the heart like a mohagony runabout with a sarasota blue outboard. Again I am not an expert, and i don't have a shop full of exotic tools. but I do have a love for things old, and a good nose for free info.