1980 drive compatability with MC-1 and Alpha 1...transom plate, bell housing etc

[ve7khz]

Hi Guys!

I have a 1980 19' Sunrunner that was mostly free to me..the hull is excellent, all redone and nicely finished, but the power and drive are a mess. The engine is missing so I'm looking for a 305 or 350, or even a 4.3L. The drive is there and is an 1980 228 MCM or MC1, just prior to Alpha but there are some issues which is why I am here..to decide whether to rebuild this or go Alpha 1 replacement. I have almost everything from the engine back, flywheel cover, inner transom plate, gimbal ring and the drive. The gimbal housing is missing though. Also, the lower unit gears are toast, teeth missing off F/R and damaged pinion. Upper unit looks fine. Gimbal ring is missing all the pins, top/bottom and left/right. Trim sender missing etc. Rams are there though.

Anyway, I will try to find a lower unit or a whole stern drive and the various missing pieces. I have learned a lot from this forum which I understand is that if I find a complete Alpha inner transom plate and flywheel cover, exhaust T and gimbal housing, I can mount that with only a few holes needing filling in the transom and some minor shift cable, steering connection changes required and use my original drive, or, I find the MCM/MR gimbal housing and either Alpha 1 or MC1 lower unit. Right? My drive has 1.5 gears and is labeled 228. S/N 5723747

Thanks guys,

Paul

PS
just got back from a boat yard and they have a 1976 188 complete toasted boat, but good leg and hardware and a bunch of other things I need like trim pump and steering. It currently has a 140 in it and the drive gears are 2:1 so I will need to change those, or just use my upper and use the 1976 lower. The gimbal pins are a little loose but not bad. $500 for the whole boat. Probably should go with this if it all will fit. Otherwise I have a line on Alpha 1 complete drive and all transom plate, gimbal housing etc. for $800.

 

[Don S]

Re: 1980 drive compatability with Alpha 1...transom plate, bell housing etc

Re: 1980 drive compatability with Alpha 1...transom plate, bell housing etc

For one thing, you aren't going to rebuild the drive unless you have all the special tools and skills to use them to get things right. Normally people just go with the SEI drives from here at iboats, about $1300 with 3 year warranty. You can't buy the special tools and parts for that kind of money (PS: iboats sells them, only they are called vendor 199, not SEI)
I would avoid the 188, that was for a Ford back in the 70's, look for something in the 83 to 90 range, then you have something. When you look for an engine, you need it all. Piecing it together will run you broke.

You also need to determine the engine you get, before the drive, as the ratio could be different.

 

[wrench 3]

Re: 1980 drive compatability with Alpha 1...transom plate, bell housing etc

Re: 1980 drive compatability with Alpha 1...transom plate, bell housing etc

I'd update to the Alpha 1, but what engine was on the front end of it.

 

[ve7khz]

Re: 1980 drive compatability with Alpha 1...transom plate, bell housing etc

Re: 1980 drive compatability with Alpha 1...transom plate, bell housing etc

Hi Guys,

Thanks for the thoughts. The original engine was a 305, 1.5:1 drive ratio, which is why I am looking for a 4.3L, 305 or 350. Don, I currently have more time than money, and skills are not lacking here having rebuilt auto trannies, standards, set up diffs etc. so gear lash and shims are not a problem here. As for the tools, I have someone who will loan me theirs, and from what I have read so far, for the lower needs only the slim pinion nut wrench and the rod to pull in the vertical drive shaft bearing cup and shims. I already have the whole lower apart, but at this point, it will be more work and probably cost more to rebuild than to just find a good working drive, so it really doesn't matter.

So, is there an issue with the 188 besides it being for a Ford? The gimbal housing, gimbal ring, bell housing and rams all look the same. I have all the chevy stuff that goes inside the boat, and I can use the trim pump and steering gear and shift cables from this donor boat.

I'll certainly reconsider if there is reason not to use the 188, like if it isn't as strong as the 228 that I currently have. Mine is 1.5:1 and from what I have read here, the lower should just bolt up to the upper.

Anyway, appreciate all the input before cash starts to flow.

Cheers

Paul

PS the Alpha one leg/transom assembly just sold...so everything is still up in the air. BTW, not in a hurry here as there is still a foot of snow on the ground.

 

[Don S]

Re: 1980 drive compatability with Alpha 1...transom plate, bell housing etc

Re: 1980 drive compatability with Alpha 1...transom plate, bell housing etc

There is different gear ratios for 4.3, 5.0 and 5.7, so get the correct ratio.

and from what I have read so far, for the lower needs only the slim pinion nut wrench and the rod to pull in the vertical drive shaft bearing cup and shims.

You read wrong information then.
Look at oem manuals 4 and 6 from this site. Boatinfo - The library, containing manuals, brochures and other technical documents from the last hundred years!
Which one you need depends on which drive you have.

 

[ve7khz]

Re: 1980 drive compatability with Alpha 1...transom plate, bell housing etc

Re: 1980 drive compatability with Alpha 1...transom plate, bell housing etc

Hi Don,

Thanks. What a great site. I will download the manuals as suggested. I found today, manual #02 and #04 in one of your older posts. 890 pgs haven't been able to read it all yet. I think I will just work at the unit level rather than getting into replacing gears and shimming etc. I am planning to use either 305 or 350 now. 1.5:1 ratio.

Further hours of reading trying find info about the 888/188 drive. Can you shed some light on why I should avoid it? From what I have read, it looks to be comparable to 228, 233 etc. My original leg is the 228, 1979 or 1980. I can probably get the whole boat minus engine for $400-500 and can use all the accessories which are missing from mine.

I am going to continue looking around my area to see what donor boats might be available with newer Alpha 1 drives as well.

Thanks again,

Paul

PS, what area of western WA are you in? I have many ham radio friends in WA and used to travel there when I lived in Vancouver. In the Okanagan valley now.

 

[ve7khz]

Re: 1980 drive compatability with Alpha 1...transom plate, bell housing etc

Re: 1980 drive compatability with Alpha 1...transom plate, bell housing etc

Well aother day at the boat wreckers yielded I think a better option I
ll let you guys answer as you knbow a lot more than I do. It's a 1978 140 with the trim senders in the gimbal ring. Again, the whole boat, this one with the motor, same price. It has been serviced by the same shop for a number of years and was running when last used then the owner got sick and it sat in the lake for 7 years with no use. Has a little scum in it and the boat is rotten but everything else looks good.

I now have another question to ask, at one of the yards I was at today, I was told that there are different holes drilled out in the gimbal housing for 4 cyl. vs. 8 cyl, somewhere around the exhaust port and something to do with the smaller 2 holes below the exhaust port. Anyway, can someone comfirm if this may be an issue with using a 4 cyl gimbal housing with a v-8 transom plate and v-8 exhaust "Y" pipe?

Thanks again all,

Paul