Props & lower units

[Roy Hodges]

I just happened to remember -Someguys hate the old Merc 110 h.P. outboards . My buddy, Merc Mac tuned one up ,a long time ago , probably didn't need it , even though the owner insisted it did. He noticed the prop had too much pitch , & you know how a lot of boaters cannot be told anything . So he exchanged the lower unit with one from an 8oo Merc 4 cyl. , without telling the owner . The owner came back and told merc mac , "it's never run so good before " . ( the 1100 had a 2-1 gear ratio. the 800 had a 2.3-1 )

[Skoontz]

I think both major manufacturers had two basic scrap barrel motors. The 100 Mewrc was a hand grenade with the pin removed waiting to explode. The 1964-65 OMC 90 HP was of the same. Equipped with the small prop diamter gearcase that the 75-80's ran, and the first in line 4 barrel carb, every time you took a left handed turn if your boat was capable of riding up on the chines, the engine would starve for fuel. They fixed it with the 100-S in '66, with a baffled float tank chamber, but then they added the first of the club foot gear boxes. By bolting on an old 75 HP gearbox on the 100-S, and adding a 22" prop, you created a Merc eater with the aweome buzz of the V-4

[Roy Hodges]

I think both major manufacturers had two basic scrap barrel motors. The 100 Mewrc was a hand grenade with the pin removed waiting to explode. The 1964-65 OMC 90 HP was of the same. Equipped with the small prop diamter gearcase that the 75-80's ran, and the first in line 4 barrel carb, every time you took a left handed turn if your boat was capable of riding up on the chines, the engine would starve for fuel. They fixed it with the 100-S in '66, with a baffled float tank chamber, but then they added the first of the club foot gear boxes. By bolting on an old 75 HP gearbox on the 100-S, and adding a 22" prop, you created a Merc eater with the aweome buzz of the V-4

You must have made a typo . No 100 horse omc with a 75 type lower unit could pull 22" pitch . Not even on the fastest hydro EVER built . it had a 20/23 gear ratio . figure it out .

[Skoontz]

No typo Roy. I will admit perhaps my memory is off, but it seems to me dad ran a 22" bronze Michigan wheel on that unit. The reverse gear was ground off, and it was filled with tranny fluid. That I know.

[Roy Hodges]

Are you sure? it COULD have been a 22 on a Gt-10s or an X-115 lower unit . Paul bender bought a Michigan (2 blade bronze) prop for an X-115 and it ran lousy. he took it to Pitchometer , they found it had one blade @17" pitch, the other blade at 22 ". they reset the blades to matching pitch , then it was much better.