Opinions Wanted on 2005 Mercury 150HP

[HookedOnMarsh]

Well, I'm still looking for a replacement motor for my old tired 86 Merc 175 for my V20 Cuddy. Compression on it is down to 100psi and getting real hard to start sometimes due to that. It has been used extensively in salt water which makes rebuilding out of the question for me.
I have found a 2005 Mercury 150 HP that is carbed for sale with 6 hours on rebuild less controls and prop for $3900. Is this a good deal? I want to stay carbed unless I buy a brand new motor with a warranty which is just not happening on my budget. Looks like a lot of the parts are interchangeable with my old motor so I would have spare parts from mine. Will the prop and controls swap right over to this motor from mine? Also can I expect the bolt holes to line up with my old motor so that I simply unbolt it and bolt the new one on?

[THEFERMANATOR]

An 05 150 carb motor sounds like a 20" shafted XR6 as I believe that was the last carb engine they built. If it is indeed an 05, then basically nothing from your old 2.4 will interchange with it. Thye price sounds fair, but more details are needed on it to say for certain. If it is in fact an XR6, be prepared for a FUEL HOG of epic proportions for a 150. Do you have anymore details on the ad or some pics of it?

[phatdaddy]

i would question why somebody would do a rebuid , use for 6 hours and then decide on another motor.

[HookedOnMarsh]

Sorry for not giving more details. The ad says it is a 25" shaft. Model# 150XL SWB. Serial# 1B117790. The motor is at a marine shop. I went and looked at it today and it looks very clean and in good shape. They rebuilt it and they put the 6 hours on it. They said one cylinder went out and they rebuilt it.
Was just too cold for me to put compression tester on it and to run it today, but they were happy to do so and said I could come back whenever I wanted and run it as long as I liked. A lot of stuff on it looks very similar to my old motor. Really looks like a good find, but want to be sure on price and problems with this model motor. I sure hope this is not the gas hog XR-6 you are talking about.

[spareparts]

the 150 2.5's Ive run have been great motors, they don't sip the gas like a 2.4, but they are really good engines, I wouldn't be scared of it. And they eliminated the major cause of oil pump failures on the late model 2.5's. I'm not sure, but I think the controll cables and harness may be differnt, they make a harness adaptor. See if they will throw in a set of cables and a harness

[racrx7]

And they eliminated the major cause of oil pump failures on the late model 2.5's.

What did they change?