impeller/outdrive questions

Thanks in advance...

First, i have a new to me 1975 Thunderbird Formula f-18. I was told the mercruiser is an 888? what does that mean, is that the motor/outdrive combo or is that the outdrive alone?

It was a CraigsList purchase, not running and missing a few parts. Today did some trouble shooting and replaced the solenoid, and with a little gas in the carb it started.
What i now need is to replace the impeller. Even with the ear muffs there was no water coming out of the prop.




any way to tell a model from the photos so i can find out how to do the impeller job?

Re: impeller/outdrive questions

Ayuh,.... Welcome Aboard,... The 888 is an MC-1 outdrive coupled to a Ford motor....

Still an MC-1 though...

Re: impeller/outdrive questions

murrayfish said:

Thanks in advance...

First, i have a new to me 1975 Thunderbird Formula f-18. I was told the mercruiser is an 888? what does that mean, is that the motor/outdrive combo or is that the outdrive alone?

It was a CraigsList purchase, not running and missing a few parts. Today did some trouble shooting and replaced the solenoid, and with a little gas in the carb it started.
What i now need is to replace the impeller. Even with the ear muffs there was no water coming out of the prop.

any way to tell a model from the photos so i can find out how to do the impeller job?

Click to expand...

Like Bond-O said - MC-1 behind a Ford engine. Looks like you should pull the entire outdrive and do a bellows job. If you need the trim rams you can probably find them on eBay. You can find a .pdf manual for the drive in the 'Adult section' at the top of the forum. You will need a few special tools to do a bellows job. Alignment tool is a simple tool but probably the most important for the average boater if you care to preform your own maintenance. Bellows tool is another. There are a few others but will wait to mention 'til we know which way you are going with this. Initially the tools will set you back about $125 and parts about $100.


Welcome to the biggest hole in the water to dump money into.

Re: impeller/outdrive questions

I would sure pull the whole drive and check the ujoint bellows, hopefully it's not in the same shape as your exhaust bellows in your picture.
It's also the only way you can grease the coupler splines, unless you want to pull the engine to replace the coupler.
Here are the procedures for removing the drive (10 minute job) and replacing the impeller in the drive.

View attachment A1 R&R.pdf View attachment A1 Impeller replace.pdf

The 888 indicates a Ford 302 V8 engine ( 8 cylinder 188 hp = 888 )

Spend some time up in the sticky at the top of the forums, http://forums.iboats.com/mercruiser...tdrives/adults-only-no-exceptions-288430.html especially Item #10.

Re: impeller/outdrive questions

series60 said:

Like Bond-O said - MC-1 behind a Ford engine. Looks like you should pull the entire outdrive and do a bellows job. If you need the trim rams you can probably find them on eBay. You can find a .pdf manual for the drive in the 'Adult section' at the top of the forum. You will need a few special tools to do a bellows job. Alignment tool is a simple tool but probably the most important for the average boater if you care to preform your own maintenance. Bellows tool is another. There are a few others but will wait to mention 'til we know which way you are going with this. Initially the tools will set you back about $125 and parts about $100.

View attachment 173762​

Welcome to the biggest hole in the water to dump money into.

Click to expand...

By grace and Gods love I CAN do all my own maintenance! The one sad thing about this is the boat is parked an hour away and I'll only get 3-5 days a month to work on it. Its going to get a full new interior as well as the work on the power and drive. I bought another boat just for the trim rams and trailer. So far i have onle spent $775 and most of that i can make back selling off the parts boat. I do need the hydraulic lines that connect the rams.
Looking at the .PDF for the impeller no doubt i can do this. I have a 68 merc 110 O/B that i have replaced many impeller on.
I'll be looking for the tools I need, I always love a new tool!
can someone point me to a picture of an outdrive with: (plastic flush screw in gear housing, w/o flush screw in gear housing) i don't know what i have and its an hour away so i cant just go look...


Don, is the exhaust bellow supposed to be one piece? (as in not having that big hole)

Re: impeller/outdrive questions

murrayfish said:

..is the exhaust bellow supposed to be one piece? (as in not having that big hole)

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Yep, that exhaust bellows is ripped apart and should be 1 piece.
An exhaust bellows hole will let water into an area that has water anyway so it's not really going to ruin anything but think about what it might be rubbing against as the drive is being turned. As Don pointed out, a hole in your ujoint bellows can ruin many parts; hole in the shift cable bellows is bad news also.

Do you know if water is entering the bilge?

Mark

Re: impeller/outdrive questions

MarkSee said:

Do you know if water is entering the bilge?

Mark

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I have not had it in the water so I can't answer that, but if I had to guess from what I see in the bilge, there is no water getting in that way.

Re: impeller/outdrive questions

murrayfish said:

Today did some trouble shooting and replaced the solenoid, and with a little gas in the carb it started.

Click to expand...

If you started the motor with the drive tied up tight like that, you'll need to consider replacing U-joints, too. Not very advisable to run the motor with drive trimmed that high (yes, all the stuff in the drive is turning when the motor is running and drive is in neutral, ceptin the prop shaft.) I know guys have ran their motors with drive "trailered", and at high rpm, and regretted it. I'm hearing the short runs at low RPM are probably ok, but I avoid it. Just sayin'..... Good luck! Looks like a good project. Oh, and water doesn't typically come out of the prop while on muffs.... Typically comes out of the idle relief ports on the transom. Was it coming out there? good temps?

Re: impeller/outdrive questions

murrayfish said:

By grace and Gods love I CAN do all my own maintenance! The one sad thing about this is the boat is parked an hour away and I'll only get 3-5 days a month to work on it. Its going to get a full new interior as well as the work on the power and drive. I bought another boat just for the trim rams and trailer. So far i have onle spent $775 and most of that i can make back selling off the parts boat. I do need the hydraulic lines that connect the rams.
Looking at the .PDF for the impeller no doubt i can do this. I have a 68 merc 110 O/B that i have replaced many impeller on.
I'll be looking for the tools I need, I always love a new tool!
can someone point me to a picture of an outdrive with: (plastic flush screw in gear housing, w/o flush screw in gear housing) i don't know what i have and its an hour away so i cant just go look...


Don, is the exhaust bellow supposed to be one piece? (as in not having that big hole)

Click to expand...

Ayuh,.... Have ya found the Adults Only section at the top of this forum yet,..??

In there, you'll find the Mercruiser Info thread, that I'm Sure you can find a few pictures in...

Re: impeller/outdrive questions

If you have done the impeller on the 110 outboard, the MC-1 is exactly the same, just the next size up. If the exhaust bellows is damaged it's likely the uni joint bellows is not far behind, and as you will be in there anyway, replace the shift bellows at the same time. And check the shift cable. I'd replace it any way. Doing these bellows is not a complex task, but it will take some time. FOLLOW THE BOOK, TO THE LETTER, and you won't have any problems. Merc do a 'Transom seal kit' Part number 30-803097T1 which includes all the bellows, a gasket, and gimbal bearing. That's likely to be the best path.

Chris......

Re: impeller/outdrive questions

achris said:

I Merc do a 'Transom seal kit' Part number 30-803097T1 which includes all the bellows, a gasket, and gimbal bearing. That's likely to be the best path.

Chris......

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This if the reason I love forums! I looked at part number (parts picture) and it all makes since to me.

I'm looking forward to my next day working on the boat!