470/3.7L Mercruiser Questions

[nplorson]

So after reading some threads on this motor, I am thinkg I dont really want to ask the following questions for my buddy, and tell him to sell the boat he just got, but I need to know a few things to make sure he doesnt blow the thing up faster then it is going to.

So he had to pull the water pump and replace the seals in it yesterday. When we got what I said was the magneto and they were calling the harmonic ballancer out, we figured out it was a magneto. The bat was converted from the magneto to a altinator and the magnets were left on the pully thing. When we got it off, all the magnets were busted up and just stuck where ever they lay. He was told by the guy that had the boat before that they did not matter any more becouse the boat was internally ballanced. So my question are-

Is the magneto part of the harmonic ballancer?

If not, can the magnets be removed and cause no change to the function of the motor?

If I can get a quick responce on this that would be awsome. He is wanting to take the thing out today, but I dont want the motor to go to @#%$ if it is not right, and have him fix it the correct way.

Thanks much - Happy boating -

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: 470/3.7L Mercruiser Questions

The bat was converted from the magneto to a altinator and the magnets were left on the pully thing. When we got it off, all the magnets were busted up and just stuck where ever they lay. He was told by the guy that had the boat before that they did not matter any more becouse the boat was internally ballanced. So my question are-

That's a confusing question to be sure!

You're talking about the flywheel mounted/integral alternator......and you're saying this already has the add-on alternator?

If all the "magnets" are there......I.E. none of them are missing, it should not affect the balance. If some of them are missing (evenly across from each other) it still shouldn't affect the balance.

If they're "unevenly missing", you'll know as soon as you start it up!!! It'll shake like a Witch in a Hailstorm!!

If you've read about that engine then you know that it's "An accident looking for a place to happen" That said, there's plenty of them that run good. But don't get too much money in one, because once you start you never get it back! YOu can actually buy complete long block engines and there's somewhere on the net where they will actually buy your "core".


If I had one in a nice boat I might try to "fix" it but I wouldn't touch one if I was looking for a boat.


Cheers,



Rick

 

[nplorson]

Re: 470/3.7L Mercruiser Questions

well the magnets were somewhat there just broke up and moved around. I am not sure how the balance was on them, so we removed them completly. the stator and everthing else was already gone. He bought the boat for $800 so to put in about $50 bucks and get a summer of crusing out of it i figure it is not a bad idea. When the last guy had it, another buddy of ours, he ran the **** out of it and it did awsome. He had changed the same water pump and timing seals as we just did at the start of the season, and reconmended that we do it again, that is why we did it. I was just worried about the balance issue with the magnets, but am guessing from your reply that as long as it is about the same it is fine. Thanks for the info, we will try it out and see what happens.