Time to ask of all you fine Mercruiser Experts.

[Boomyal]

This is one of those better late than never kind of questions. As ya'll know I have recently joined the black anchor crowd and want to know if there are anythings beyond the basic common sense that I should know.

How do Merc One outdrives hold up behind the most awesome power of a Ford 302. This question is aimed specifically to, what I assume, is the original 1976 drive on my new aquistition. From what I can tell, it is problably a fairly low hour unit that by all indications is in good shape. I understand that you can upgrade this to a later drive with very little effort but would rather not have to if all I really need to do is pay attention to the obvious basics.

I also know that 5.0 liter motors are being used behind much later drive variations, so was the Merc One that bad?

I'm not asking about basic maintanance items, including some of those specific to non-stringer type drives. Only interested in issues that might be particular to the Merc One.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Time to ask of all you fine Mercruiser Experts.

That Mod.1 will take the 188hp that little Ford is kicking out All Day Long..............

The Difference between the Mod. 1,+ the Alpha 1 is in the Way a bearing is Pre-loaded........

It'll take the Same Abuse as the Alpha,... For as Long as the Alpha............

Ya did Good Boomer,.......Paint it White if it makes ya Feel Better..........

 

[rodbolt]

Re: Time to ask of all you fine Mercruiser Experts.

I am with Bond-o
if kept maintained the mod 1 worked well with small motors.
myself I bought a 20' shamrock with a keel drive inboard setup and a 220 hp 351 ford thats fresh water cooled.
hope to take it out today. got the boat from the original owner and I have done all the maint since 2000 and have all the maint records from 93. the marina I worked for sold it new in 89 and its been dry stacked till may of 06.
got a new loadrite trailer with surge stainless disc brakes . 270.2 hours on the rig.
paid 6500 for it
there are decent deals to be had but you have to be careful.

 

[imported_rosco]

Re: Time to ask of all you fine Mercruiser Experts.

dont fix it untill its broken. my 2 cents.

probably wouldnt need to upgrade it either inless you plan on 250 hp or more.

just pull the prop and check the seals for dry rot or leakage every year when you change the oil and as long as you dont use it to till a garden on the sea floor, shouldnt have any problems.

about the trailer. umm, if you say its a good deal, im not gona argue. paid 3700 for an alluminum float on with disk brakes for a 28 foot formula new. 4000 to 4500 was the average price.

things may be differant where you live, unless you paid 6500 for the boat and trailer. then its a steal.

 

[Buttanic]

Re: Time to ask of all you fine Mercruiser Experts.

I had a Mod 1 behind a 351 233HP and never had a problem.

 

[Haut Medoc]

Re: Time to ask of all you fine Mercruiser Experts.

So it is an 888 then?
I thought was an 898......
You will be fine, I see alot of those drives still kickin' around here....
Mine wa sreplaced with a newer on before I bought the boat, but it spent it's entire life in salt water....
Welcome to the club ......JK

 

[rodbolt]

Re: Time to ask of all you fine Mercruiser Experts.

6500 for all of it, bimmini top and all curtains as well .
trailer even has the nice yellow stolz rollers

but getting back to the mod 1 outdrive.
its will handle up to about 240 Hp or so. keep the oil checked and changed I prefer the merc HP gear lube in them.
keep tabs on the manifolds and risers. the ones for the 302 merc's are getting difficult to find and expensive when you do.

 

[Boomyal]

Re: Time to ask of all you fine Mercruiser Experts.

So it is an 888 then?
I thought was an 898......
You will be fine, I see alot of those drives still kickin' around here....
Mine wa sreplaced with a newer on before I bought the boat, but it spent it's entire life in salt water....
Welcome to the club ......JK

It's twin sister is the 898 Haut. My good friend came by both boats, a 76 888 and a 78 898.

The 888 was mechanically great, the 898 had a freeze broken 305 Chevy. He is the el mechanico and likes chebbies. The 898 was cosmetically in nicer shape so he kept that one and passed the 888 off to me for the awesome price of 500.00.

This suits me just fine. I love doing the the cosmetic stuff, structurally the boat is sound and I think the Ford is the better motor as well.

As for the Club, Mercs don't lean left do they?

 

[Boomyal]

Re: Time to ask of all you fine Mercruiser Experts.

but getting back to the mod 1 outdrive.
its will handle up to about 240 Hp or so. keep the oil checked and changed I prefer the merc HP gear lube in them.
keep tabs on the manifolds and risers. the ones for the 302 merc's are getting difficult to find and expensive when you do.

Thanks rodbolt, I thought I might pop the risors off and see what they look like inside. But judging from the condition of the paint on both the engine and the outdrive, this old unit looks like it has very low hours on it.

 

[Don S]

Re: Time to ask of all you fine Mercruiser Experts.

Old engines, low hours, NEW can of black spray paint, and you still don't know what the inside of the manifold and risers looks like unless you open it up.

 

[Boomyal]

Re: Time to ask of all you fine Mercruiser Experts.

Old engines, low hours, NEW can of black spray paint, and you still don't know what the inside of the manifold and risers looks like unless you open it up.

That's what I plan to do Don. If for no other reason than the age. There is no sign anywhere on this boat that it has been used in the salt. The existing paint, is without a doubt, oem original.

 

[Haut Medoc]

Re: Time to ask of all you fine Mercruiser Experts.

No, they are Libertarian!d