<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2016-01-14</periodOfReport>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000064463</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>MECHANICAL TECHNOLOGY INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>MKTY</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001251271</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>OCONNOR E DENNIS</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O MECHANICAL TECHNOLOGY, INCORPORATED</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>325 WASHINGTON AVENUE EXTENSION</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>ALBANY</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>12205</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Options (Rights to Buy)</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>0.78</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2016-01-14</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>10000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2026-01-13</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>10000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>10000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Stock option grant for annual board service.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Options to purchase Common Stock of Issuer pursuant to Issuer's 2014 Equity Incentive Plan and subject thereto. Vesting at the rate of 25% on each of the first four anniversaries of the date of the award, with first vest occurring on January 14, 2017, for so long as the recipient of the Option remains an employee or board member of, or consultant to, Issuer, and subject to the terms and conditions of the Stock Option Agreement entered into by and between Issuer and the Optionee.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Kevin G. Lynch, as Power of Att. for E. Dennis O'Connor</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2016-01-15</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
