Kiekhaefer Mercury Remote Project

For pre 1975 outboards and race motors only.

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Rapier
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Kiekhaefer Mercury Remote Project

Post by Rapier »

These remote controllers are a bit strange - they were the first single lever version for the Full Gear Shift motors in the late 1950s. Here in the UK the pitch up on that auction site, from time to time. I remain indifferent about buying them a. because they seldom have loom and or keys for the e-start motors b. they have complex multi-part innards and are very heavy c. the cables it uses are hard to find now d. the 'square' MerControl remotes that followed in the early 60s are interchangeable for all the motors that the 'teardrop' versions fit and I think are more tactile / have a better 'feel' / throttle throw. BUT the early ones are beautifully designed and made. No doubt cost was an issue, hence the move to the MerControl units.

Needlesstosay, I did buy one awhile ago for not much money and it was inctact (but without keys) and complete with a good loom and decent cables. It arrived and was put away for a rainy day.

First job was to dismantle it all - hence the need to take pics...And start the paint stripping. This one was overpainted with a fetching gold. They were always cloud white and a 'wrinkle' finish. Paints like that are readily available in rattle cans in the US, but I will use a plain gloss RAL 1015 or Ford Wimbledon White if I can find a small enough can.

The little vanes are time-consuming to remove paint from, but we need a sharp edge to the paint to bring out the best features.

The decal was in good condition - new are available at a price, but they're pliable and sticky backed. The old versions are glued on with a blob of adhesive..in the same way face plates are glued onto the early autotrannie twins. DON'T try to pry them off unless you are sure they'll come, if you get it wrong, the decal can crack and worst of all pull the paint off the back of the plastic. In this case I knew the paint on which the glued decal sat, had biodegraded. If they don't come off just mask around and work the paint off.

to be continued...
Attachments
Internal parts
Internal parts
Outer case - asymetrical & handle can be swapped over for left / right helm positions
Outer case - asymetrical & handle can be swapped over for left / right helm positions
Outer case
Outer case
Part stripped
Part stripped
Lever and decal
Lever and decal
Fasten bra straps and remove dentures...

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Rapier
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Posts: 13892
Joined: Thu Feb 05, 2009 5:16 pm
CMBA Member: 569
Location: West Glos

Re: Kiekhaefer Mercury Remote Project

Post by Rapier »

Finally stripped all the paint off the remotes and repaired some localised pitting, before spraying with etch primer, followed by a rattle can of white RAL1015 that I had spare.

The original loom came without a key, so my intention was to wire it for an old 1950s Quicksilver twin lever plug-in switch I have; by chance I tried that key and it fitted the ignition..there are about 34 Mercury keys of that style, so was some luck...
Attachments
IMG_4683 (Large).JPG
IMG_4659 (Large).JPG
IMG_4661 (Large).JPG
Fasten bra straps and remove dentures...

User avatar
Rapier
Site Admin
Posts: 13892
Joined: Thu Feb 05, 2009 5:16 pm
CMBA Member: 569
Location: West Glos

Re: Kiekhaefer Mercury Remote Project

Post by Rapier »

The final coat of paint went a few weeks back; the project was on hold while I got my boat ready for a Neyland trip we'd planned.

Always worried about leaving a job for too long..the innards were uncleaned in a container on the workbench and the cables and loom were too close to the pile of potential eBay sales...

So, washed the components in paraffin, blew them off with the air line and setup a tray where I could work out what went where. Haven taken photos I was assured that I could put it all back together, which I managed to do to a point then realised (from Johns Old Mercs site in the white papers section) that I had the manual anyway. Didn't remember seeing the section before, but found it right at the back of the manual (jpeg copies below).

I found the cables very stiff - on the new style MerControl it's possible to get some lubricant into the cable (I put the remote end in a vice and spray the cable with WD-40 while moving the outer casing in and out). If they're really stiff, it might be possible to recover them with a small funnel taped around the cable and gradually pour in a 50/50 solution of ATF fluid and acetone. As the new C5 type cables last so long it's always worthwhile paying for new though.

By removing the grub screw (mark the position of the inner cable before removal) and rack (the motor-side grub screws were rusted) the inner cable can be pulled through and lubricant / cleaner can be sprayed down the outer cable. The inner can be cleaned and reinstalled. In my case it was a definite improvement. I don't think it had ever been done before as the throttle drive gear showed wear where the lever had been forced. I'm not a believer in chucking massive amounts of grease into remote controllers, having seen some horrors over the years and having had to clean out some that have had great dollops of train axle grease (or something..) stuffed into every corner, regardless of a lack of moving components there. I use Quicksilver 2-4-C which has Teflon in the grease to help components to slide over each other.

It's all reasonably straightforward to re-install the component parts. There are some marking to help alighn the shift rack to quadrant. Each rack also has differing numbers of teeth, so unlike the MerControl the cables aren't interchangeable, per se. I'd worried how to get the neutral detent ball in position, so it would ot drp out - you back out the tensioner screw and the spring drops back enough so the ball bearing can be held in situ by some grease.

Once all bolted up, I put a small drop of paint over the section on the emblem that had lost a bit. There was residual 'glue' paste on the back and I put a small smear of aquarium sealer / adhesive over that to glue it to the handle. Then bolted the handle through the controller - I've had some that I've not been able to easily open up in the past...it's a stainless steel bolt screwed into aluminium, so needs grease, or 101 lube.

As said before, this style is hard to find, not intuitive to fix without a manual and relies on special cables that are generally NLA (although I understand the pre '79 type 'O' OMC cables can be substituted). The later MerControl versions are more plentiful and can be retro-styled (decals available from here http://nymarine.ca/MECONTROLBOXes.gif and emblems here http://nymarine.ca/MERCmedallions.html), but these teardrop versions are ultimately worth saving if you want originality.
Attachments
Pre 1965 manual, page 1
Pre 1965 manual, page 1
Pre 1965 manual, page 2
Pre 1965 manual, page 2
Ready to install cleaned parts
Ready to install cleaned parts
Grub screw on rack
Grub screw on rack
Air line used to blow old grease / dirt from outer cable
Air line used to blow old grease / dirt from outer cable
Damage to cam edge on  throttle drive gear
Damage to cam edge on throttle drive gear
Finshed item back - neutral idle lever should be black 'crackle' paint with a 'Lift' decal.
Finshed item back - neutral idle lever should be black 'crackle' paint with a 'Lift' decal.
Finshed item front / starboard side mount - different pattern to back - they are handed though.
Finshed item front / starboard side mount - different pattern to back - they are handed though.
Fasten bra straps and remove dentures...

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