The Lake is Not a Highway
Many people believe the technology that drives their boat is roughly the same as what powers their car or truck. That couldn’t be any farther from the truth. Marine technology has to be far more durable and reliable, due to the unusually high levels of stress that are put on boat engines and drive systems.

Think of it this way. Picture a car driving down the road at 60 mph. That style of driving puts relatively little stress on the engine. To match the stress a marine engine faces at the same speed, that car would have to be driving up a 30 degree incline at 80 mph – while pulling a boat! Think of the strain on that engine now.

A boat’s engine also has to face considerably greater corrosion challenges, especially in salt water, as well as extreme climate conditions.

And that’s not all. Marine engines have to be more durable, reliable and resilient than automotive engines for one very important reason: When your boat breaks down, you can’t get out and walk away!

No one knows more about building tough, reliable marine power than Mercury. Why? Because it’s all we’ve ever done. And we’ve been doing it for over 70 years.

Below is a list of commonly replaced engine parts, along with examples of what sets that Mercury Marine component apart from its automotive equivalent.

Carburetor
•    Internal venting
•    Special ducting to prevent spillage

Flame arrestor
•    Adds protection and enhances safety in case of backfire

Ignition system
 (carb models)
•    Specially vented distributor
•    Special distributor cap
•    Thunderbolt V HEI designed specifically for marine use

Starter motor
•    Special venting and sealing

Fuel pump (mechanical)
•    Special venting
•    Fuel return line to carburetor or throttle body (in case of leakage)

Source: www.mercurymarine.com