Reply To: Mercury KE4 Assembly

[green-thumbs]

A little further checking. Revise prewar parts list shows a cover M-40-100 as part of drive shaft housing assembly for twins kB4 and kB5. I also went thru old cylinders to find a lower cylinder that did not have the machined flat lower side. I fitted the cover plate over the bosses and fitted a water jacket. Lower edge of water jacked matched level of bottom side of cover.
My conclusion is the cover you found on your KE4 was added during a prior service and
it does not belong to a KE4 or Mark 7 with the smooth machined lower surface of
lower cylinder. The cover in my opinion belongs to a twin that used the rough cast
lower cylinder which would benefit from a flat surface to press gasket to seal the exhaust
holes in drive shaft housing used for a single .
Up to KD4 Mercury used same basic drive shat housing for both singles and twins. All had the opening for single cylinder exhaust which were banked off when used as a twin
drive shaft housing. The side opeing were machined for exhaust when used with twin
powerhead. For what it is worth I have a KE3 singlele mounted on a drive shat housing
that was machined for a twin. A cover is bolted over exhaust ports. I acquired it that
way and I do not know if factory or clever native craftsman.

The need and purpose of the copper stamping is now clear…with the cover plate over
the exhaust holes the power head was raised and not contacting gasket to seal area where drive end of power head enters the drive shaft housing.

At least that is the way it seems to me.
Parts Manual shows some of first run of KE4 used old design cylinders which may mean
some early KE4 would have a cover plate and copper stamping. I am not sure how rare
or common those are. Serial # range 214324- 258226

Louis more than you want to know I know and probably not what you need to know.