'97 mercury EFI, good motor?

[Bushwacker]

. . . Go ahead and rub it in, . . .

Sorry Don, I couldn't resist the temptation! You're right about the advantages of a paid-for motor! Kept telling myself that for several years before I repowered. Sure can buy an awful lot of gas and oil for what the new ones cost! Although my old 1975 motor was still running fine, after 31 years I finally got tired of all the noise and smoke! Of course I'm pretty extravagant - I buy a new car every 20 years, whether I need it or not! Denny