Mercruiser 5.0 ??

[UgandUb]

Hi! I am new to this forum, and have my eye on a 1990 Regal 290 Commodore.... It has twin 5.0's (220 hp) with Alpha 1's with 800 hours on them. Boat & engines look good... just some cosmetic stuff. I want to keep it near the Chesapeake bay... It does NOT have fresh water cooling....is that a problem, or can I simply flush it, how, and what are my options?
This is by far the largest boat I will have owned (everything prior was a tiny ski/speed boat)
Any advice, experiences ?? Anything I should look for, or ask before I buy?
thanks!!
Keith

 

[mkast]

Re: Mercruiser 5.0 ??

A 29 footer with twin 5.0's.
Sounds a bit underpowered to me.
Take it on a spin to see if it's fast enough for you.
Remember, full fuel, friends, (six or seven) food and drinks and junk,
the boat will run differently than just you and the owner.
Don't want to spend the next xx years trying to get the boat moving faster.

 

[UgandUb]

Re: Mercruiser 5.0 ??

A 29 footer with twin 5.0's.
Sounds a bit underpowered to me.
Take it on a spin to see if it's fast enough for you.
Remember, full fuel, friends, (six or seven) food and drinks and junk,
the boat will run differently than just you and the owner.
Don't want to spend the next xx years trying to get the boat moving faster.

Not that I doubt you at all...but why on earth would they produce it, if it's underpowered? they were factory installed! Is that a common problem with larger boats? Largest boat I have owned was 18'.... so I am not sure I would even know if it's underpowered!
=)

 

[John_S]

Re: Mercruiser 5.0 ??

Not that I doubt you at all...but why on earth would they produce it, if it's underpowered? they were factory installed! Is that a common problem with larger boats? Largest boat I have owned was 18'.... so I am not sure I would even know if it's underpowered!
=)

Because the sticker price is lower. Very common on 22' and less boats, for package deals (boat, motor, and trailer).

Not sure if your boat is or not. That can be upto personnel boating preferences. Try it it out and see.

 

[Haut Medoc]

Re: Mercruiser 5.0 ??

Hi! I am new to this forum, and have my eye on a 1990 Regal 290 Commodore.... It has twin 5.0's (220 hp) with Alpha 1's with 800 hours on them. Boat & engines look good... just some cosmetic stuff. I want to keep it near the Chesapeake bay... It does NOT have fresh water cooling....is that a problem, or can I simply flush it, how, and what are my options?
This is by far the largest boat I will have owned (everything prior was a tiny ski/speed boat)
Any advice, experiences ?? Anything I should look for, or ask before I buy?
thanks!!
Keith

I'd ask how old the exhaust manifolds & risers are.....
I'd look real close at the transom shields/drive for corrosion especially if moored in salt water......
17 years & 800 hours, it is no spring chicken....
I'd be doing a compression test on both engines....

 

[UgandUb]

Re: Mercruiser 5.0 ??

I'd ask how old the exhaust manifolds & risers are.....
I'd look real close at the transom shields/drive for corrosion especially if moored in salt water......
17 years & 800 hours, it is no spring chicken....
I'd be doing a compression test on both engines....

I checked the drives, and they look almost new....it was winterized LAST october, and has not seen the water since. it has been moored in fresh water. They said I can pay to do a compression check on both engines.... what is a good (acceptable) number to look for?

thank you!!

 

[Haut Medoc]

Re: Mercruiser 5.0 ??

Good numbers would be 140# + or -, with no more than 10% in reading difference high to low......Approx 20#......
It's more important that the are close rather than high.....
Anything below 100# is unacceptable.....​

 

[DayCruiser]

Re: Mercruiser 5.0 ??

Take if for a test drive before buying--that is a must! Look at that engine compartment for leaks, carb problems etc

 

[firehog6305]

Re: Mercruiser 5.0 ??

I also have a large boat with twin 305's in it, its plenty of power for that size boat, at wide open throttle, I'm looking at about 45mph. thats not fast to some, but for me its fine, that size boat cruises better at about 22mph, which should be fine for everything, when you get into that size of boat, we are looking for a cruise speed, not how fast, the bigger boats dont react as fast as the small one's, they are meant for cruising, not speed, and most of all, since nobody has said it yet, welcome to iboats

 

[mkast]

Re: Mercruiser 5.0 ??

I ran into a 28 footer with twin four cylinder engines, factory installed.
The guy selling it advertised it as "Fuel Efficient".
The reason it was fuel efficient was it never left the dock.
It is not uncommon for a manufacturer to under power boats, horsepower costs money. Years ago a 350 cubic inch engine (5.7liter) put out 260 horsepower. Now a 4.3 liter V6 is rated at 260 hp. The difference between a V6 and a V8 times two is substantial.

 

[UgandUb]

Re: Mercruiser 5.0 ??

I ran into a 28 footer with twin four cylinder engines, factory installed.
The guy selling it advertised it as "Fuel Efficient".
The reason it was fuel efficient was it never left the dock.
It is not uncommon for a manufacturer to under power boats, horsepower costs money. Years ago a 350 cubic inch engine (5.7liter) put out 260 horsepower. Now a 4.3 liter V6 is rated at 260 hp. The difference between a V6 and a V8 times two is substantial.

Thanks for the info!
I left a phone message at the Regal factory, and a "product specialist" called me back within 30 minutes which I thought was really cool! He answered all kinds of questions for me...he said the twin 5.0's were the norm for that boat in 1990 and I cold expect 25 mph @ 3,000 rpm, and 44 mph absolute top speed....this of course is in smooth water....'normal' loading.
thanks again to all of you!

 

[180shabah]

Re: Mercruiser 5.0 ??

Now a 4.3 liter V6 is rated at 260 hp.

Since when????

 

[Haut Medoc]

Re: Mercruiser 5.0 ??

Since when????

I think he was just exaggerating.....

 

[backwater dawg]

Re: Mercruiser 5.0 ??

Like I said in the Regal forum---my 1988 Regal 280--same basic boat--mine came with 260's and I would'nt want any less power--I'm not concerned about top end--but I want more than a 25mph cruise speed--mine cruises very nice about 32 mph at about 3200rpm--just out of the 4 barrels and just fast enough to really be up on plain--less drag--better fuel milage--if you can call 1.25 to 1.5 good---Best advice--bring 4 of your big beer drinking buddies for a ride and see how it handles "the boys"---good luck