Home › Forum › Ask A Member › 1957 Mercury Mark 75…..To bore, or not to bore?
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labrador-guy.
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April 21, 2026 at 10:14 am #316049
I have a mark 75 (Barn find) that I’ve done a 100% teardown on. Slowly, I’m putting it back together with fresh parts as needed. I’m questioning the cylinders/pistons though. The service manual states that the factory bore diameter is 2 7/16″ (2.4375) I did a comprehensive bore measurement with a telescopic micrometer at top and bottom of bore stroke, and checked for roundness. Across all 6 cylinders, everything is pretty much 2.440″ with .0005″ of variation at times (half thou) Which in my rookie opinion seems pretty good. The potential? issue i have, is the mice that nested in the exhaust side of the head pi$$ed in a few of the cylinders, so there is surface rust that needs to be honed out. When i measure the piston skirts, they are around 2.430-2.434″ which puts my skirt clearance to almost .006-.01″ right now, without honing……So the long short of it is, at minimum, this block needs a scuffing and new rings. At maximum, it needs a .015″ over bore done, (i have Wiseco pistons for it) however I’m struggling greatly to find anyone in the west Michigan area that is able or willing to bore/machine hone blind cylinders, and i don’t want to risk ruining a block if the specs i provided are well-worth just working with a scuffing and new rings. Any expert advice would be appreciated!
April 21, 2026 at 10:34 am #316051Talk to Travis Kerbrat Goes by Pondrocket…. Pretty sure he does these things…
http://www.richardsoutboardtools.com
classicomctools@gmail.com1 user thanked author for this post.
April 21, 2026 at 10:45 am #316052Talk to Travis Kerbrat Goes by Pondrocket…. Pretty sure he does these things…
Im new to this forum, so bear with me. Can i direct message this guy on here somehow?
April 21, 2026 at 10:52 am #316054you could also check out with the folks at John’s old Mercury site …decitated to the survival of old mercs only 🙂
Joining AOMCI has priviledges 🙂
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April 21, 2026 at 12:41 pm #316065Talk to Travis Kerbrat Goes by Pondrocket…. Pretty sure he does these things…
Im new to this forum, so bear with me. Can i direct message this guy on here somehow?
Right now, no, but I messaged him, he will look at the post this afternoon.
Richard
http://www.richardsoutboardtools.com
classicomctools@gmail.com1 user thanked author for this post.
April 21, 2026 at 7:15 pm #316096You are well within spec for standard bore for a Mark 75 unless there are terrible scratches/what not in the bores. Block finish hone for a standard Mark 75 is 2.442, from your numbers your right there. This is a service motor Dock Buster I am assuming. My suggestion hone out the 2 cylinders in question and see where your at I would stick with the standard bore even if your a little over this is a service motor. FYI to go the next step .015 over yes you need pistons and rings to match then Block Finish hone for .015 over is 2.457.
Travis
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April 22, 2026 at 7:05 am #316140You are well within spec for standard bore for a Mark 75 unless there are terrible scratches/what not in the bores. Block finish hone for a standard Mark 75 is 2.442, from your numbers your right there. This is a service motor Dock Buster I am assuming. My suggestion hone out the 2 cylinders in question and see where your at I would stick with the standard bore even if your a little over this is a service motor. FYI to go the next step .015 over yes you need pistons and rings to match then Block Finish hone for .015 over is 2.457.
Thank you. I guess my biggest concern was the skirt clearance. I can’t find any specs on what that should be. The manual says i have up to .006″ for wear (oversize or out of round) on the bores themselves, but, as it sits, i have anywhere from .006″-.01″ skirt clearance with the old pistons even though the bores are decent. No major scuffing/scratches on either the skirts or bores. Is this still kosher to run with?
April 22, 2026 at 3:57 pm #316183You should be good. Number for O.D. above ring land is 2.428. Clean it up and run it from all information above your within spec. Make sure you do a light hone to deglaze and good to go if you have all pistons currently removed.
Travis
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April 22, 2026 at 10:53 pm #316206CJ, if you buy new rings make sure you check the end gap. I bought a set for my Mark55 and there was almost no end gap.
dale
Get’em wet….don’t let’em set!!
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April 23, 2026 at 7:02 am #316221CJ, if you buy new rings make sure you check the end gap. I bought a set for my Mark55 and there was almost no end gap.
dale
Get’em wet….don’t let’em set!!
If I’m not mistaken, i believe the MK55 runs the same pistons and rings as the MK75….I’m looking at a set of rings from Mopar Mall.
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