2018 Mercury 6hp 6MLH Outboard Motor

Model year 2018 and SKU 6MLH-18 identify this Mercury 6MLH, a four-stroke running 6 HP over a single cylinder, mounted on the long shaft with tiller control and a rope-pull starter rather than an electric one.

Mechanical notes

Bore and stroke measure 2.32 by 1.77 inches, with two valves per cylinder on an overhead-valve layout. The gearcase ratio is 2.15:1, shifting forward-neutral-reverse through a lever built into the tiller for one-hand use. Mercury rates this unit for saltwater running, which matters if the boat sees coastal or brackish water rather than only a freshwater lake, and there is no internal battery to maintain since starting stays manual.

Before you order

Confirm the shaft length against your transom: this is the long-shaft configuration, not the short-shaft version sold under a different model code. The internal tank holds 0.3 gallons and switches over to a remote tank for longer trips beyond that. A 3-blade aluminum propeller ships with the motor, sized 7.7 inches in diameter with an 8.0-inch pitch, and weight is 58 lbs. A fresh spark plug makes the biggest difference in cold-weather starting on a small single-cylinder engine like this one.

Q: Does starting this motor require a battery? No, it starts manually by pull cord.

Compare it against other Mercury outboards in this horsepower class.

Specifications