Mercruiser 228 Refresh

[MagKarl]

Hello, new member with an 81 Searay / Mercruiser 228 . Boat has been sitting for 15 years and it's time to get back on the water.

I'm having trouble looking for parts, my serial numbers don't return any results in the mercruiser parts pages I've tried. What am I working with?

Engine serial # 5900710
Transom serial # 5877865
Drive serial # 5901764

Starting with bellows, gimbal bearing, trim senders, and water pump. Want to order, but don't want to get the wrong parts. Is 30-80309T1 the right transom kit to buy?
Water pump?

 

[alldodge]

Howdy
The older S/N don't come up by entering, they have to be found by looking at the number and comparing to the range
This should be your motor. It comes up as a 260 but wouldn't worry to much about that unless parts don't come up as seen
https://www.mercruiserparts.com/260-4-bbl-gm-350-v-8-1978-1982-4908

The drive should be here
https://www.mercruiserparts.com/228-1978-1982-4898730-thru-6225576

30-80309T1 is the correct bellows kit for the R and MR
44292A3 is the water pump kit

 

[MagKarl]

Thanks for the pointers, that will certainly help with ordering.

Everything worked fine 15 years ago before life got in the way. Other than rubber parts, what else should I be replacing while it's apart?

 

[alldodge]

It all depends on how and where it was stored. Being in a dry place like a garage would be best, but if outside under a tarp or near salt water are things that could cause more concern

If there is any gas in the tank it needs to be removed and tank cleaned. Fuel lines replaced with USCG type A1. Check the tank fill hose and may need to be replaced do to ethanol. Check for any cracking, replace fuel filter

Remove both ends of battery cables and clean then to shinny metal. I would also unplug the motor connector and check pins. Replace points and condenser and look close the the distributor cap, plugs and wires

 

[MagKarl]

Thanks alldodge. It's mostly been stored outdoors under a carport, a few years under a tarp. I've had it inside since I started working on it.

I pumped out the tank, rebuilt the carb, and have a new fuel filter. Drive is off, bellows and gimbal bearing removed. Need to split the drive to see how the water pump parts look, will replace impeller and rubber stuff at minimum.

I've considered working to get the engine running with the drive off. Any reason it's not a good idea to hook a hose up to the transom water inlet? Any risk of having too much water pressure doing that? I was thinking that might help verify water flow and check the exhaust for leaks if I put water through it with the spark plugs out.

I'm trying to work through as much as I can without buying non-essential parts in case I find something major. No point in having new bellows if I end up needing to pull the motor for instance.

 

[alldodge]

No issues with running the motor with hose attached to thermostat housing

 

[MagKarl]

Drive is off, so I connected a garden hose to the transom water hose stub. Cranked it a bit with plugs out to verify oil pressure, primed a new fuel filter, and after a while cranking it fired off and ran great. First start in 15 years and my dad was at the helm. Great day. He bought this boat when I was about 12 years old. Time to start ordering parts.

 

[MagKarl]

Thanks for all your help.