Rebuild advice

[briancollins1]

Hey guys, new to the forum I would like to get a little input from the more experienced boaters. I have a 1997 sea ray 210 signature with the mercruiser MCM 5.7 EFI and the alpha one gen two out drive. I've owned a few boats in the past but I plan on keeping this one for a while and want it to be right. I discovered an oil leak the other day from a bad rust spot on the oil pan and a slight grinding in the out drive while going down the lake the other day. So we all know where this is going. I'm going to be pulling the motor this weekend. So far I plan on doing the transom rebuild kit with all the bellows, gimbal bearing, shift cable. I'm buying the kit with the puller, alignment tool, etc. As far as the motor I'm doing the oil pan with gaskets and plan on doing the rear main. The question I have is what would everyone recommend doing while I'm in there to keep from having to pull the motor atleast for a couple of years. The boat just had new exhaust bellows, manifolds and risers from the previous owner. I just want to make sure I go ahead and cover all my bases to keep from down time in the future. The boat is fresh water only by the way. Thanks in advance.

 

[NHGuy]

Welcome to the forum!
My brother has a 210 Signature, I like it a lot. You will love the ride in chop. It feels like a bigger boat.
I'd inspect the engine real well for other aged out or failing stuff.
Oil pan gasket should be a one piece reusable silicon rubber unit. I'd do the valve cover gaskets too. Front timing cover should be changed. If it's metal they corrode, if composite the seals can still age.
Replace the bilge pump and float switch, repaint the bilge, replace 20 year old rubber fuel line.

I hope your grinding drive is something simple. Check the gimbal bearing and ujoints. I'd plan to change the bearing any way. But I'd want to know where that noise is from.
To check, run the boat with the drive trimmed at 90 degrees to the engine and straight ahead. If it goes silent there you might only need the gimbal or ujoints serviced. At that attitude the drive shafts are straight ahead.
There are other things. But that's what jumps to mind right away.

 

[Rick Stephens]

Nice list NHGuy.

I'd add, do a compression check while the motor is out where you can access everything easily. USE OEM BELLOWS KIT and OEM elbow to exhaust manifold gaskets.

 

[briancollins1]

I noticed it last time I was out it would grind when I was trimmed all the way down and turned but if I trimmed up just a little it would stop. The last guy had the motor out right before I bought it so I'm thinking it may not be aligned either.

 

[NHGuy]

Since it's happening when trimmed down and turned it's very likely you need a gimbal bearing & maybe universal joints. You will have the drive off to pull the engine so check their conditions then.

 

[briancollins1]

Awesome thanks for the advice. Also I noticed a few of the gauges are not working the oil pressure and water temp I'm almost 100% sure it will be the sending units in the block. As for the tachometer I noticed a lot of off the wall readings. I was getting 4500 rpm at half throttle and then I noticed when the blower is on the tach needle is moving from 0-4500. Any idea where to start on that.

 

[NHGuy]

Since a bunch are off start with checking the gauge grounds, sender connections and power supply connectors.

 

[achris]

I would also have the oil pan blasted and hot-dip galvanised. It's 'forever' then. Tacho reads and gauges not working does sound like a ground.
When you repaint the engine oil pan and block, use a 2 pack paint, not a spray can. And as I'm an electrics guy , I'd be pulling the harness off and checking EVERYTHING, and making sure all my connections, including the main grounds and power posts, are bright shiny clean and tight. That includes the spots on the block that the negative cables go on.

Chris........

 

[briancollins1]

Thanks guys yes I deff plan on going over everything with a fine tooth comb so hopefully there will be no more problems for a while but with that being said I understand it's a boat lol. As far as the oil pan are they pretty generic. I don't plan on buying a mercruiser one simply bc they are over priced. I typed mercruiser 5.7 oil pan in and they all look the same other than some have diff thread and drain plug sizes which I don't see where that matters.

 

[achris]

Yep, it's a GM part. Do what I do, find the genuine OEM. Engine parts are GM, later electrical connectors are Delphi, the trim pump is an Oildyne 106, belts by Gates, spark plugs direct from NGK. You get the picture.

Chris.....

 

[muc]

Good advice above. Before you pull the engine, look at all the stuff you can't get to. Than look at that stuff once the engine is out.
Might want to take a close look at the engine coupler.

 

[hemi rt]

If you have the pan off, I'd replace the oil pump with a high volume - not a high pressure pump, Why not have a look at the bearings while the pan is off? The other thing I did was put a remote oil drain on mine and routed the drain tube out the transom - sure made it clean and easy to change oil.

 

[garbageguy]

+1 on the remote oil drain
check bilge and blower pumps and lines

 

[Rick Stephens]

If you have the pan off, I'd replace the oil pump with a high volume - not a high pressure pump, Why not have a look at the bearings while the pan is off? The other thing I did was put a remote oil drain on mine and routed the drain tube out the transom - sure made it clean and easy to change oil.

Ya know, last time I stuck a high volume in a new build motor, that one was a 351 Windsor, I had no end of problems shearing the roll pin holding the gear onto the distributor shaft. Ended up using a piece of 18 inch 7018 welding rod peened into the hole until I could pull the motor and replace the pump with a standard one. Oil pressures do not need to be in the 80's PSI to still give 100% effectiveness. A properly toleranced engine should lubricate perfectly at 40 PSI. I'm no longer sold on high volume pumps.

 

[achris]

.... I'm no longer sold on high volume pumps.

I remember reading a bulletin (I think it was a Merc bulletin) saying high volume pumps were specifically NOT recommended for marine engines. They went into a big long speal about why as well... Long time ago....

Chris.......

 

[hemi rt]

Ya know, last time I stuck a high volume in a new build motor, that one was a 351 Windsor, I had no end of problems shearing the roll pin holding the gear onto the distributor shaft. Ended up using a piece of 18 inch 7018 welding rod peened into the hole until I could pull the motor and replace the pump with a standard one. Oil pressures do not need to be in the 80's PSI to still give 100% effectiveness. A properly toleranced engine should lubricate perfectly at 40 PSI. I'm no longer sold on high volume pumps.

High volume pumps do NOT create high oil pressures, they are capable to push more oil but at the same pressure as a normal pump. Most people that get a high volume pump also seem to get a high pressure pump which is totally different than a normal high volume pump. There are basically three different pumps you can get - Regular replacement pump - set at factory pressures, high volume pump - capable of pumping higher volumes of oil but at factory pressures, and a high volume.high pressure pump capable of pumping a high volume of oil but at a higher pressure.

 

[Bondo]

Ayuh,.... The stock Chevy oil pump is more than enough,...

Boat motors run high rpms, 'n don't need the volume, nor the pressure,...

SBCs die from many things, but a lack of oil is rarely the case, so long as the base is full,....

 

[achris]

Ayuh,.... The stock Chevy oil pump is more than enough,....

+1. :thumb:

 

[NHGuy]

The reason Merc gave thumbs down on the HV pump was it can suck the pan way down during sustained high rpm use. Normal pump for me.
My new engine runs 65 to 80 psi depending on oil temp, and still idles at 28 when the oil is absolutely hot after a fast run. It has a standard volume and pressure Melling pump.
The high pressure & high volume pumps are for performance use like forced induction and race..

 

[fishrdan]

+1. :thumb:

+2 :thumb:

Buy a box of plastic baggies and a sharpie, then tag and bag every thing you remove. LOTS of pictures, of every angle of the engine and drive, so you know how everything goes back together.

- Pressure test the drive and replace the raw water impeller (or whole pump), quad seal for oil passage between drive halves, drain plug seals.
- Remove prop, grease prop shaft, check for fishing line, drive shaft seal OK?
- Trim ram bushings, drive nut/washer set and make sure bell housing studs are not galled up?
- Bell housing shift shaft bushings?
- Water separating fuel filter?
- Alternator and circulation pump bearings feel smooth, belt(s)
- Blower and hoses?
- If bilge pump uses the cheap corrugated hose, just replace it.