Looking for insight on used boat issues- pumpkin damage

Hello, I'm new to this forum.

Just bought an 1986 Sea Ray Monaco 17ft with 170 4 cyl; I have to get the lower portion of the outdrive repaired (previous owner drug it down driveway and ground a 2 inch hole in front of pumpkin).

my questions to this body of folks are:

- I have a quote of $200 to fix hole; is that reasonable?

-any knowledge on the 170- is it a good motor or does it have a bad track record?

-Any gotchas I need to be aware of for this engine?

-how about the boat- any known issues?

Re: Looking for insight on used boat issues- pumpkin damage

What is it a Mercruiser, volvo Penta or an OMC that will help these guysd give you some ideas

Re: Looking for insight on used boat issues- pumpkin damage

pumpkin damage ?
i have never heard that term .. but im new to boats .. my initial thought was
200.00 seems fair .. my second thought was did it fall off the trailer ?

oh and by the way ... welcome to iboats ..

Re: Looking for insight on used boat issues- pumpkin damage

Pumpkin- I mean the housing for the prop- the skeg attaches to it.

The outdrive is a Mercrusier I believe

Re: Looking for insight on used boat issues- pumpkin damage

outdrive on boat- boat was drug down driveway while on trailer attached to car/truck I presume..

Re: Looking for insight on used boat issues- pumpkin damage

thats what i thought .. i have heard of third members on trucks considered as pumpkins .. just never on a boat .. essentially same thing they both house the gears ...
so , is there anyway you can get some pictures of the damage .. that will help everybody determine if the $200.00 quote is in range ..
as for the boat most of these sea rays in this vintage are notorious for soft spots in the floor ...

as for the engine ... ? still not sure what you have ..
put some info of your boat in your signature .. it will help ..
we need specifics ..

Re: Looking for insight on used boat issues- pumpkin damage

-any knowledge on the 170- is it a good motor or does it have a bad track record?

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The 170 4 cylinder is a Mercruiser 470 style engine rated at 170 hp, the drive would be an Alpha I. It is not a top of the line engine. It was a Mercruiser mistake, makeing an aluminum block and sticking a Ford 460 head on it. The camshaft seal leaks antifreeze into the oil quite often. The charging system is a sorry attempt to make it work like an outboard. It failed, and the parts are Very expensive, or No longer available, one or the other.
1989 was the last year they were made.

- I have a quote of $200 to fix hole; is that reasonable?

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You can't "Fix" a hole like that. without removing and dissassembling the lower unit (if for nothing else than to get the pavement and dirt out of the drive).
Then, if someone trys to weld it, it will probably warp where the bearing race sits and you will never get it back together. Even if it was patched somehow, with any dirt and grit in the drive, it will circulate thru everything and take out bearings and gears.

Re: Looking for insight on used boat issues- pumpkin damage

Best bet it to check Ebay or somewhere for a used lower unit.
Takes Dons advice....can't fix that cast aluminum.

Re: Looking for insight on used boat issues- pumpkin damage

here are some pics I have when I picked it up from previous owner- I'll get some better ones of the damage.

Last I was told was that the engine was sound-

Re: Looking for insight on used boat issues- pumpkin damage

Last I was told was that the engine was sound-

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Do you really think the seller is going to tell you the things I did?

Re: Looking for insight on used boat issues- pumpkin damage

On the engine, it is a Merc 470, 170HP, 224CID with a closed cooling system. If the heat exchange is a 3" style, you could have overheat issues but that vintage boat should be the 4" exchanger. As others have said, the water pump leak is a very common issue. As a matter of fact, I am in the process of doing the repair now. Google for 470 water pump leak and you'll get lots of feedback. Essentially, you remove the timing cover and install speedie sleeves over the two wear areas of the cam and put new seal on. What you need to check now is to make sure the weep hole is clear and hasn't been plugged. If this is the case, it can force water into the oil system. I have seen posts of finding the weep holes plugged with putty.

There are diagrams on the internet. Go look at http://www.sterndriveshop.com/470information/470coolantleakrepair.html and click on the image. The weep hole is located in between the two bolt holes left of the drip passage.

The charging system is a lost cause upon failure. My suggestion is to keep an eye on it and if it fails, it generally costs more (The water cooled voltage regulator is 300+) to fix it than to replace with an alternator conversion. Ebay has the coversion for 300-400, just make sure you get one made for power steering. There's a guy in Fl that sells them cheaper but is out of stock for some time.

The engine has a good bit of torque and power for its fuel economy. There are many people who will beat up the 470 because it is kind of a hack job but if well cared for, they are a decent engine.

Re: Looking for insight on used boat issues- pumpkin damage

Hardo, normally I like to support the "average guy" who wants to repair things that can be repaired, rather than the way Don S says it has to be replaced. But in this case, DonS is "Absolutely Right, no question about it". If that drive got drug along the ground enough to bust a hole in the lower gear case, it has to be disassembled and cleaned at the very least. Exactly for the reasons Don says. If you don't want to have that done, look up a company called Sterndrive Engineering, they sell brand new replacement drives for about 1/2 of what most charge for reman. The lower unit for your boat should be $695, and that's for brand new everything. Then you wouldn't have to mess with any repair.
The motor you have will be a headache at best. Sorry, you bought a stinker. Hope the rest of that boat is better than the cockpit seats or you paid too much for it, even if it was free. Outside of the boat didn't look bad though. And the trailer still has paint on it. Are any of the rollers frozen up? They can get pricey to have to change out a bunch of rollers.
Good luck to you.