The Mercury 17514A1 connecting rod bearing is a Genuine OEM Quicksilver / Mercury Racing crankshaft-end rod bearing used across many of Mercury’s legendary high-performance and racing V6 two-stroke powerheads.

Designed for compatible 2.0L, 2.4L, and 2.5L Mercury V6 engines, this bearing is especially important in high-RPM applications where connecting rod and crankshaft components are subjected to extreme cyclic loading.

Each package contains one pair of two connecting rod bearing assemblies. A complete Mercury V6 requires six pairs, one pair for each of the engine’s six connecting rods.

For Buckshot Racing #77, the 17514A1 is particularly relevant to the classic Mercury Racing engine families that powered everything from lake and drag boats to SST, Champ, Formula and F1 tunnel boats.

Mercury Racing & High-Performance Applications

Compatible applications can include many of Mercury’s best-known racing and performance engines, including the 2.5L S3000, 300 Drag, 280 ROS, 260 EFI and 245 HP Carb powerheads.

The same bearing family is also associated with compatible earlier 2.4L Bridgeport, SST-140 and other high-performance 2.4L Mercury Racing V6 engines, along with selected 2.0L Champ and SST-120 racing powerheads.

These engine families form an important part of Mercury’s competition history, from SST-120 and SST-140 tunnel racing through Champ, Formula and F1H2O-style competition, as well as drag racing and high-performance recreational use.

Because Mercury Racing produced several crankshaft and connecting rod combinations over the years, the engine name alone should not be the only fitment check. Always verify the original bearing number, connecting rod assembly, and crankshaft configuration before ordering.

2.5L Mercury Racing Applications

The Mercury 2.5L racing platform is one of the most recognized V6 two-stroke engine families ever produced.

Compatible 245 Carb, 260 EFI, 280 ROS, 300 Drag, and S3000 engines use highly stressed connecting rod assemblies capable of sustained high engine speeds. Proper bearing condition is essential for maintaining correct roller contact between the connecting rod and crankshaft journal.

The 260 EFI and 280 ROS became staples of high-performance lake, offshore, and race boats, while the 300 Drag was developed around maximum acceleration. The S3000 represents the dedicated Formula-style racing side of the 2.5L platform and is closely associated with professional tunnel-boat competition.

2.4L Bridgeport & SST-140 Applications

Before the 2.5L racing family, Mercury’s 2.4L high-performance V6 engines established much of the architecture and racing heritage that followed.

Compatible 2.4L Bridgeport and SST-140 engines use the same general high-performance roller-bearing connecting rod concept. These engines were designed for substantially higher operating speeds than typical recreational outboards, making rod bearing condition especially important during rebuilding and inspection.

2.0L Champ & SST-120 Applications

The Mercury 2.0L racing V6 family, including compatible Champ and SST-120 powerheads, represents another major part of Mercury’s tunnel-boat racing history.

SST-120 engines became one of the most recognizable Mercury V6 competition platforms, while Champ configurations were used in higher-level tunnel-boat racing. The 17514A1 bearing family is applicable where the specific connecting rod and crankshaft assembly calls for this bearing.

Why Rod Bearings Matter in a Race Engine

A connecting rod bearing carries combustion and inertia loads between the crankshaft and connecting rod every time the engine fires. At racing RPM, each bearing experiences thousands of load reversals every minute.

Bearing damage can quickly progress into connecting rod damage, crankshaft journal damage, excessive clearance, metal contamination, or catastrophic powerhead failure.

During a rebuild, inspect the rollers, cage, crankshaft journal, and connecting rod bearing surface for pitting, scoring, discoloration, flat spots, metal transfer, or signs of overheating.

A bearing that shows questionable wear should not be returned to service in a high-performance powerhead.

Also fits and upgrades these Mercury Outboards

In practical terms, the 17514 bearing family spans selected Mercury two-stroke engines from approximately 30 HP 2-cylinder outboards through 40, 50, 55 and 60 HP 3-cylinder engines, Jet and SportJet models, and the full range of classic 135–200 HP V6 production engines, along with many of Mercury Racing’s legendary high-performance 2.0L, 2.4L and 2.5L powerheads.

Genuine OEM Mercury Racing Bearing

These are Genuine OEM Mercury / Quicksilver connecting rod bearings, identified by Mercury part number 17514A1.

For a Mercury Racing rebuild, using the correct OEM bearing helps maintain the intended roller dimensions, cage geometry, running clearance, and load distribution engineered into the original connecting rod and crankshaft assembly.

Each package contains two (2) bearing assemblies, sold as one pair. A complete six-cylinder Mercury V6 requires an order of six (6) pairs.

Cross-Reference Part Numbers

The Mercury 17514A1 bearing family is associated with the following reference and supersession numbers: 0306250, 0322144, 0378223, 0378528, 0388188, 0388342, 0388344, 0436932, 0437088, 0777359, 17514, 17514A1, 17514A2, 17514B2, 437088, 67526, 67526A1, 67526A2, 777359, 8M0045428, 8M0045430, 8M0234886, 814337A1, 821146A1 and 879366.

Buckshot Racing #77 Rebuild Tech Tip

On a high-RPM Mercury Racing engine, rod bearings should be treated as critical rebuild components rather than simply reused because they look acceptable.

Inspect the crankshaft journals and connecting rods carefully and keep each connecting rod cap matched to its original rod. Verify the correct bearing, thrust washers, rod bolts and torque procedure for the exact connecting rod assembly being used.

This is particularly important with older Bridgeport, Champ, SST-120, SST-140, 245 Carb, 260 EFI, 280 ROS, 300 Drag and S3000 engines because many surviving powerheads have been rebuilt, modified or assembled from components produced during different Mercury Racing generations.

The Mercury 17514A1 Genuine OEM Connecting Rod Bearing remains an important service component for compatible 2.0L, 2.4L, and 2.5L Mercury Racing V6 two-stroke powerheads. Each package includes one pair of two bearings, and six pairs are required to service a complete V6 powerhead.

Contact Mike Hill at +1-714-697-1716 for tech support.