How do you tell a Merc crank??

How do you tell a Merc crank out of the motor?????? Any easy things to spot???
Thanks

 

BTTT Damn bottom of page 2 already

 

5/8" cleanout holes. Ford cranks (and a few Canadian Merc, apparently) have 3/8" cleanouts. If you can fit your finger in, it's probably a 4" stroke.

 

IN a very firm voice shout....CRANKSHAFT!!!....OUT OF THE MOTOR!!!!!!!!!!...if that doesn't work, try grounding it for a week.

 

hatch, you may have to shout more than once, it may not hear you well. There's lots of sludge in a flatty bottom...
On second thought, better not go there...

And bigcheese is right, if you can finger it, it's a stroker...

 

the front counter wieght has a dimple in the front of it. this is a merc 4" crank I have seen a web site with a web site showing a picture of the dimple but can't remember where. i'll look again and post a picture -------ray

 

Hatch I tried that and that SOB will not come out!! Your killin me Thanks the clean outs and the dimple sound like the easy way. I found an Econoline van with a bunch of Flatty stuff in it I am gonna score some of it tomorrow.
Thanks much guys

 

You know what they say ..... you can always tell a Merc crank .... but ya can't tell it much

 

The dimple only works for Canadian cranks. If the motor is still together, but the heads off, just measure from the deck to the piston at the bottom of the stroke. It's easy to measure the 1/4" difference. If it is out of the motor, the most reliable way is to measure the straight line length of the front heavy counterweight (second counterweight). If it's longer than 6 inches (like 6 1/8"), it's a Merc. If it's noticeably shorter than 6 inches (like 5 5/8"), its a Ford.