Dead engine 1984 5.7L attached to 800 stringer

BansheeVision

Seaman
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Feb 20, 2012
Messages
69
The 1984 5.7L cast# 14010207 engine is dead. It is attached to a 574SPHRCRA OMC 800 stringer outdrive in a 255XL Regal. I have downloaded the sterndrive service manual from this site. I have found a 1994 L05 engine in a tornado ravaged chevy truck. In 86' the rear main seal changed from a 2-piece to a 1-piece changing the flexplate bolt pattern. In 87' the mounting angles of the 2 center bolts on each side of the intake changed from 90 to 73 degrees when valve covers changed to centerline bolts.

I want to do an engine(long block) swap and reuse the old intake and 4bl carb along with the old distributor/coil. I would rather use the newer heads as the 84' heads are cast# 462624 and these have a reputation for cracking.

To my questions: (1) Is the flexplate bolt pattern change a problem mounting to the 800 stringer?
(2) Is the seal change a problem if I should need to reuse the old oil pan for some reason?
(3) Will I be able to use the old intake with the newer heads so I can use the carb rather than TBI?
(4) 97'-03' Gen I truck engines were Vortec with significant power increases. Should I consider looking for one of these or is this just compounding obstacles? (I know I would have to get an aftermarket carb intake to do this)

I am also looking for procedures/manual for engine removal/installation pertaining to OMC 800 stringer and 5.7L chevy. The sterndrive manual I downloaded is mostly removing and reinstalling drive components only and at this point I'm not sure if I even need to remove the complete drive in order to pull the engine. There tends not to be a lot of wrench turners on any Regal boat forums that I have seen so far. If someone could point me in the right direction it would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks, Jim.
 

Bondo

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70,470
Re: Dead engine 1984 5.7L attached to 800 stringer

The 1984 5.7L cast# 14010207 engine is dead. It is attached to a 574SPHRCRA OMC 800 stringer outdrive in a 255XL Regal. I have downloaded the sterndrive service manual from this site. I have found a 1994 L05 engine in a tornado ravaged chevy truck. In 86' the rear main seal changed from a 2-piece to a 1-piece changing the flexplate bolt pattern. In 87' the mounting angles of the 2 center bolts on each side of the intake changed from 90 to 73 degrees when valve covers changed to centerline bolts.

I want to do an engine(long block) swap and reuse the old intake and 4bl carb along with the old distributor/coil. I would rather use the newer heads as the 84' heads are cast# 462624 and these have a reputation for cracking.

To my questions: (1) Is the flexplate bolt pattern change a problem mounting to the 800 stringer?
(2) Is the seal change a problem if I should need to reuse the old oil pan for some reason?
(3) Will I be able to use the old intake with the newer heads so I can use the carb rather than TBI?
(4) 97'-03' Gen I truck engines were Vortec with significant power increases. Should I consider looking for one of these or is this just compounding obstacles? (I know I would have to get an aftermarket carb intake to do this)


I am also looking for procedures/manual for engine removal/installation pertaining to OMC 800 stringer and 5.7L chevy. The sterndrive manual I downloaded is mostly removing and reinstalling drive components only and at this point I'm not sure if I even need to remove the complete drive in order to pull the engine. There tends not to be a lot of wrench turners on any Regal boat forums that I have seen so far. If someone could point me in the right direction it would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks, Jim.

Ayuh,.... #1,... You need the Right Flywheel, yer old 1 Won't fit...
#2,... Yer old oil pan Won't fit...
#3,... Nope, it Won't fit,.. The bolt holes don't line up right...
#4,... The difference is the Heads, not the long block....The block is the same as the '87, 'n up...
 

BansheeVision

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Joined
Feb 20, 2012
Messages
69
Re: Dead engine 1984 5.7L attached to 800 stringer

I should have worded my question differently. - Will the flexplate/flywheel that is currently attached to the 94' motor work with the 800 stringer drive? (this is the biggest question and possible show stopper for this swap)

If the 84' heads look good I'll probably just bolt them to the 94' block and be done with it. In my younger days if the bolt positions were correct, a mere 27 degree angle on 4 bolts would be a matter of fabricating some kind of shim to go between the intake and bolt heads and use slightly longer bolts. (youth, perseverance, and grinder time now giving way to keyboard and others knowledge and experience).

I should not have asked about the oil pan as I'm sure the 94' has an adequate baffle in it and will use it as is.

As for procedures to pull the engine - Is there a link to find this some where? I have done several cars and one V8 boat before. What I am looking for is engine removal/installation specific to OMC 800 stringer portion of the project. Can the engine bell-housing be unbolted and the engine then pulled similar to doing an auto swap, or does the drive have to be removed from the back of the boat? (I would not think so).

Thanks,
Jim.
 

Bondo

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Re: Dead engine 1984 5.7L attached to 800 stringer

I should have worded my question differently. - Will the flexplate/flywheel that is currently attached to the 94' motor work with the 800 stringer drive? (this is the biggest question and possible show stopper for this swap)

Ayuh,... You need a Flywheel that fits the '94 crankshaft, then the stringers flexplate adapter will bolt to that...
The Flywheel, as in from a standard shift transmission Flywheel, uses the clutch bolt holes to attach the stringers adapter...
If the newer motor came from an auto-shift transmission, No the flexplate is useless to ya...

As far as I know, if ya unbolt the motor, from the drives mid-section,...
The whole drive will fall outa the boat....

You've got an antique Stringer drive,...
Parts are hard to come by,...
Links to Info 'bout it is even Harder to come by, I don't know of any web-based manuals...
 

BansheeVision

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Feb 20, 2012
Messages
69
Re: Dead engine 1984 5.7L attached to 800 stringer

Thanks Bond-o. That's the information I was looking for (NOT what I wanted to hear) I guess I should be looking for a 85' or older donor if automatic, or a standard shift donor truck if newer. I am trying to figure a way to get the boat back in the water on a budget. If it was not an OMC I would do a engine rebuild as it would be a very nice big boat if restored right. I can purchase an entire salvage truck from the insurance auction for less than rebuilding or buying a junk yard motor.

One more question - Would all standard shift setup gen I GM 5.7L truck engines attach to the stringers adapter? (including the 97'-03' vortec head ones)

This is the second time I have been farked by the OMC monster. The first was by an electric shifter on a chevy 350. I guess some of us needs to be bitten more than once before learning not to pet that dog.

Any suggestions short of renting it out for viking funerals would be appreciated.

Thanks again for your concise information. Not what I wanted but exactly what I asked for!

Jim.
 

Bondo

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Messages
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Re: Dead engine 1984 5.7L attached to 800 stringer

One more question - Would all standard shift setup gen I GM 5.7L truck engines attach to the stringers adapter? (including the 97'-03' vortec head ones)

Ayuh,... Like I said,... It's an Antique that I don't work on, so I'm not sure....
As far as I know, the adapter plate bolts to a standard 14" flywheel's pressure plate bolt holes....
Any suggestions short of renting it out for viking funerals would be appreciated.

Find a motor/ driveline outa a Rotten hull, 'n do the swap into yer's.....
I do Mercs, but I hear Volvo are pretty fine stuff...
 

Howard Sterndrive

Rear Admiral
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Messages
4,603
Re: Dead engine 1984 5.7L attached to 800 stringer

there is no coupler to connect a 1 pc rear main seal version Chevy V8 to an 800 series stringer. period.
If you want to connect a chevy small block to an 800 stringer drive, it must be 2 pc rear main seal, either pre-1987 vintage, or a GM crate motor with 2 pc rear main seal (still available new)
 

BansheeVision

Seaman
Joined
Feb 20, 2012
Messages
69
Re: Dead engine 1984 5.7L attached to 800 stringer

Thanks Howard - You too have probably just saved me a from a 'wrench frustration fit'.
Rear Main Seal - Beginning in 1986 all production small block chevy engines used a 1 piece rear main seal. This means the bolt pattern on the end of the crankshaft was reduced to 3.00. There are exceptions of course for high dollar crate engines which are not an option.

My goal is to stab a reasonable mileage pickup truck motor in it for much less than the cost of me pulling the motor, having the bottom-end machine work done, and then reinstalling it myself. This revelation has seriously limited the pool of candidates but I'm very thankful that I'm not sitting on a salvage truck that I have no use for - auction is Wednesday.

I have yet to find anyone with something good to say about the omc stringer design. Might have to revisit the log-chain/outboard/rudder propulsion system.
 
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