What sterndrives will fit a chrysler engine?

[1969Houseboat]

I have a 69 river queen with 2 really good running 318 engines. I would like to keep them, as we have traveled many miles on these engines. Compression is good oil pressure good, just strong running engines. I have the old Chrysler/Dana out-drives. Finding parts is hard, aquatic rodents like to attack the boots causing bad leaks. I haven't been able to seal them up after they got ate last time so when I fired up last week for a static run, I heard the bearings screaming at me. As I said the engines are excellent just want some modern out-drives. What else can fit without me re-engineering a drive system to fit. I am an experienced welder/fabricator and machinist, so if something is kinda close I can probably modify if needed.

 

[alldodge]

Don't know much about them but from what I read they are well built drives and parts can still be found at marysvillemarine.com

As for which drive will fit, I'm finding nothing which will work as a drop in.

http://forums.iboats.com/forum/engin...r-318-outdrive
http://forums.iboats.com/forum/engin...ndrive-dana-40

Edit: maybe Bondo might know

 

[1969Houseboat]

Thanks ALLDodge, They are incredible drives. I like the clutch setup. Let me ask you this,, most drives push from the transom. Dana is the same, I am wondering if I can get a bastard Ujoint and attach maybe a Volvo AQ series drive and still use the original clutch setup. Marysville marine have almost sold out of the dana parts. I called them a while back looking for a clutch pump for my port engine. Those are non existent by the way. I used an air over hydraulic system with an accumulator to hit the clutch cylinders, works really well shift timing is fully adjustable like that using flow/check valves.The strong point of the drives is that clutch system, there is absolutely no banging into gear. The only other drives I have ever dealt with is the OMC stringer, and those boots are worse. I really hope someone else has attempted this and I can learn what to expect before I pull that houseboat out of the water. Surly with chryslers engine reputation other drives have been mated.

 

[alldodge]

All drives push from the stern and use the transom and stringers to take the load. If you can use a VP drive, I just don't know

 

[Chigwalla]

Generally, you should pull off the bellhousing and replace the coupler and/or flex plate to fit anything.
Probably wouldn't be a bad idea to replace the couplers anyway.

Or, like you suggested, pull the input shaft out of the new drive and replace the yoke with something to fit your coupler. Car builders do that all the time.

I doubt you'll find anything to work with your existing transom cutout so you'll have to build the transom back up and re-cut it no matter which way you go.

Or fab up a pod and hang a couple of big outboards

 

[Scott Danforth]

I have a 69 river queen with 2 really good running 318 engines. I would like to keep them, as we have traveled many miles on these engines. Compression is good oil pressure good, just strong running engines. I have the old Chrysler/Dana out-drives. Finding parts is hard..........What else can fit without me re-engineering a drive system to fit.

The Chrysler/dana drives were the only drives paired with chrysler motors. There were also many pure inboard chryslers....these used twin-disc or borg warner or ZF or Hurth transmissions

For what it would cost for you to custom make a 1-off uber-expensive drive to replace your chrysler/danas and keep a hydraulic clutch (which is not needed with modern drives), you could go with two brand new long tail assemblies.

If you really love the chrysler motors, you could go with a flywheel housing adapter from B&M, relocate your motors and use complete mercruiser or volvo packafe from flywheel housing to prop.

This would require rebuilding your transom

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/b...iABEgKFqPD_BwE

Then fabricate custom 1-off exhaust

 

[1969Houseboat]

rebuilding the transom is an advantage of my boat,, steel hull. I could have a plate on, new holes drilled and a new cutout in an hour, and cost wise,, next to nothing. I got the original documents for my boat, and in those is a transom cut out pattern for just in case a new transom has to be welded in. I got most of the fab tools I would need for anything. I got a lathe, welder, access to a mill and all that good stuff. So if I can replace any drive using adapters, What would you guys suggest? I can get some cobras for a decent price, so far thats all I have really looked at.

 

[alldodge]

I would go with Merc because there is more of them, parts easy to find and cost is lower. You can pick up a rotted out hull with good motor and drive fairly easy on craigslist and such. Take the hull to a junk yard when down for under 100, around here its about 50.

Cobra's are good drives but you just moved to a parts issue a bit farther down the road.

 

[Chigwalla]

+1 on Merc, specifically Alphas: they're cheap, there's lots of em around and they'll have parts support for a long time still.
They're mating them to the new 250hp 4.5l, so they'll handle what your 318s are putting out.

Around here, the greenies have made it so it's about $500 to dispose of a small boat hull...so you see a lot of old burned out boats dumped in the bush.

 

[Bondo]

I called them a while back looking for a clutch pump for my port engine. Those are non existent by the way.

Ayuh,.... Welcome Aboard,.... The clutch pump is nothin' but a repurposed saginaw P/S pump,.... a dime a dozen,....

I've got a set of twins in my houseboat, 318s with Dana drives,...
Danas, 'n inboards are also the only Chryslers I've seen,.... But,....
An ole poster here, I occasionally see at off-shore only is f__inscreenname,.....
He used to have a Chrysler/ Volvo speedboat that was impressive, 'n he claims the Chrysler / Volvo was Oem,....

 

[Scott Danforth]

if its a saginaw pump, a rebuild kit is about $10. a complete new pump minus the can is $35 the can is application specific and only by the shape of the return connection (straight, bent, long, short, etc.)

 

[1969Houseboat]

I didn't have the pump or the mounting bracket or the reservoir, on the starboard motor it had a built in heat exchanger with lines from the raw water pump. I had parts laying around and using an air compressor to fill floats and such, plumbing in an air over hydraulic pump was easy and works great. Thanks Bondo, I read that somewhere also. I'll try to get a pic of the boat and post it. I spent the night aboard last night, I do at least a night a week aboard. Some of the volvo AQ drives were dual prop setup. I am tempted to go the the local boat junkyard (owned by a friend) and try to borrow a merc drive and see what would have to be modified to make it work. Any of you have experience with steel hull?

 

[Bondo]

I am tempted to go the the local boat junkyard (owned by a friend) and try to borrow a merc drive and see what would have to be modified to make it work. Any of you have experience with steel hull?

Ayuh,.... Changin' drives means a total refit,....
Good news with that is, the Chrysler / Dana cut-out is smaller than for a Merc,....

Steel hulls are easy enough to work on,... so long as ya got a welder, grinder, 'n torches,.....

 

[1969Houseboat]

Here is my boat.

 

[Bondo]

Ayuh,.... Cool barge,....

If this photobucket fix/ patch works, Mine should be just below this text,....

 

[alldodge]

Those are nice boats, well made

 

[1969Houseboat]

Thanks Bondo and ALLdodge. Nothing like an old houseboat.