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Thread: 125 force, any good?

  1. #1
    BoatRacingFacts VIP
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    Default 125 force, any good?

    Got access to a 1987, i think, 125 force. Is this any good? How does it compare to 140 crossflow, or an old inline 6 merc performance wise?

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    Team Member capnzee's Avatar
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    125 Force was a Chrysler, which was a West Bend and they didn't change much. I don't think you could compare them to either a V-4 or the inline 6.In the 80's they were heavy engines, didn't have a lot of smack, really, not much of a comparison. If it is running and you are getting it real cheap and you are looking for an engine for a pontoon boat, well then maybe??? The Force was bought out by Mercury as a place to get rid of a lot of their old parts and they did get better into the 90's. I think Merc may have just wanted to get rid of the growing competition and wanted a cheaper engine for their retail line. I'll bet there are a lot of guys with other opinions, this is just mine. I worked for a West Bend dealer in the 50's and we tried racing them with out a lot of luck. The 100 horse was a big disappointment when we put it on a 14 foot hydro. The two cylinders did better, in fact the 40-45 hp became the engine to run in the 36 class. They got well into the 40 mph range on small run-a-bouts. RD

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    Team Member JohnsonM50's Avatar
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    I know little of the 125 but rode spotter for a couple pals water skiing. Their 125 force would smoke my 85 OMC. I thought it pretty good, of course you would expect that from 40 more ponies on a similar boat.

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    To their credit, the West Bend/ Chryslers at had a decent reed setup at least! Their huge, external reeds are a vast improvement over Merc's air-strangling arrangement.

    Jeff

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    Default Trim pump/motor

    are they hard to find for this motor? i thinik it needs one or the other. thanks how much?

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    Team Member capnzee's Avatar
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    Is that a 4 or a 5 cylinder engine. There used to be a 5 cyl parts motor around the corner from me. Rod

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    G&M Racing mercguy's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by capnzee View Post
    Is that a 4 or a 5 cylinder engine. There used to be a 5 cyl parts motor around the corner from me. Rod
    the 120/125 is a 4cyl, the 150 is the 5cyl..............the 125 has a terrible ignition system..........they also eat up motor mounts and the exhaust bellows is often torn......thus causing the motors to "choke out" at low speeds.......
    Daren Goehring
    63-R
    DSH, 500ccmh, 750ccmh


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    Team Member capnzee's Avatar
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    Will the 5 cylinder fit on your mid-section? I could probably get it reeeeal cheap plus shipping of course.

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    Quote Originally Posted by capnzee View Post
    Will the 5 cylinder fit on your mid-section? I could probably get it reeeeal cheap plus shipping of course.
    The 5-cyl fits pre- and post "Mercurized" midsections. The post (`96 on) use a special adapter plate, to which fastens a sort of Mercury lower cowling. As you would want to use the narrower 5-cyl. lower cowling and upper fiberglass cover, you have to modify the original 5-cyl lower cowling to accept the four bolts from the special adapter plate. I am busy with that conversion just now, but still envisage sealing problems around the adapter plate. There the Merc has a rubber seal and a U-shaped cover, which hides the tips of the studs on the underside of the block. Can tell you more after this weekend.

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    Default 5 Cyl

    I rebuilt one for a friend this last summer. I have to say, parts are not easy to come by for that thing. Bearings are easy of course, as you can have them made or to spec at any good bearing shop. But pistons... and seals, etc.... were not easy and expensive. Some outfit was selling a rebuild kit, it included needle bearings, rings, pistons, and seals and was around $800.00.

    Very easy engine to work on though, wiring was pretty straight forward, and no suprises. Well one suprise, I had never seen a 5cyl before so I thought it was pretty funny.

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