I have an mercruiser 888/302 engine in my 1973 18 foot ski boat that sits in front of a first gen alpha transom and drive from a 83 488(470 4bbl). A later mc-1 inner transom plate is used. A 25 pitch prop keeps the wot rpms around under 5k. We rarely if ever go flat out mostly drag kids around on the tube. This setup has ran good and given me very few issues for several seasons. Today the upper gears quit. After getting towed back to the launch I pulled the top cover and drained the oil. Brown soup filled with metal.
So I will probably go buy a new SEI or used drive. Is there any benefit to going to the 1.5 instead of getting another 1.84/1. I would probably be overpropped with the 1.5 drive and my curent 25p. Are the upper gears any stronger with the 1.5?
How hard is it to change the upper gears? I changed the seal behind the u joints a number of years ago. I would probably need to disassemble and clean the lower since there was so much metal in the oil.
So I will probably go buy a new SEI or used drive. Is there any benefit to going to the 1.5 instead of getting another 1.84/1. I would probably be overpropped with the 1.5 drive and my curent 25p. Are the upper gears any stronger with the 1.5?
How hard is it to change the upper gears? I changed the seal behind the u joints a number of years ago. I would probably need to disassemble and clean the lower since there was so much metal in the oil.