Twin Mercruiser 470 engines - walk away?

[tmh]

Hi, looking for a boat for a friend who loves to fish and cruise. I saw a GREAT looking 1988 ??? 28' Sea Ray Sundancer that the current owner had retrofitted for fishing. GREAT job, looks like new, right price.

However, it has twin merc. 470 170hp engines which i have read here are problematic. I just want to understand what makes them a problem. Is it hard to find qualified mechanics for them? parts? Failure rate?

This boat is worth $18K and is going for $11k in a "need to sell" situation. Does the negatives of that power package outweigh the value of the boat?

 

[Bondo]

Re: Twin Mercruiser 470 engines - walk away?

I just want to understand what makes them a problem. Is it hard to find qualified mechanics for them? parts? Failure rate?
This boat is worth $18K and is going for $11k in a "need to sell" situation. Does the negatives of that power package outweigh the value of the boat?

Ayuh,... The Problems are All of the above...

The hull will also be a Problem to repower because nobody is using In-line motors,+ there's usually Not enough space between them for V-motors...

Personally,... I wouldn't pay 1/2 of the desperate asking price...

 

[Fishermark]

Re: Twin Mercruiser 470 engines - walk away?

Does the negatives of that power package outweigh the value of the boat?

Most would say the answer to that question is "yes." In fact, I wouldn't be surprised to see someone say you should not walk away, but in fact, run.


EDIT: Bondo beat me to it!

 

[ziggy]

Re: Twin Mercruiser 470 engines - walk away?

here's something ya might wanna read...

http://www.sterndrives.com/470information/470coolantleakrepair.html

 

[mkast]

Re: Twin Mercruiser 470 engines - walk away?

Think about everything that can and will go wrong with this "Sea Ray"
"Twin 470" boat.
YOU will be blamed for ALL of it!
Your friend asked for your help, after he shells out the money, everything that isn't PERFECT, you'll hear, "You should have known!"

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: Twin Mercruiser 470 engines - walk away?

tmh, that boat is not even worth $5000. So unless the owner will take $3500 for it...

RUN AWAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[tmh]

Re: Twin Mercruiser 470 engines - walk away?

yeah, got it. Pretty straight answers .....Avoid that engine. Thanks, I will.

 

[straubtech]

Re: Twin Mercruiser 470 engines - walk away?

I'm not a fan of the engine nor merc's prices on its parts but if anyone has one of these this was Fords industrial engine in gas for Backhoes for many years. Merc just marinized it.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Twin Mercruiser 470 engines - walk away?

but if anyone has one of these this was Fords industrial engine in gas for Backhoes for many years.

Ayuh,... Welcome Aboard Straubtech,....

From your other posts it appears you're the guy from the Cam company...

I think you'll find you've confused the 470 with Another motor...
Ford built alot of industrial motors,.. But the 470 Ain't 1 of them...

The 470 is a Mercruiser motor, that uses the Ford 460 Head,...

Merc. built them for only a few years because of their Problems with them,...
The open deck aluminum blocks, the Charging systems,+ the Cam Seal are the Problems that come to mind...

 

[straubtech]

Re: Twin Mercruiser 470 engines - walk away?

Ayuh,... Welcome Aboard Straubtech,....

From your other posts it appears you're the guy from the Cam company...

I think you'll find you've confused the 470 with Another motor...
Ford built alot of industrial motors,.. But the 470 Ain't 1 of them...

The 470 is a Mercruiser motor, that uses the Ford 460 Head,...

Merc. built them for only a few years because of their Problems with them,...
The open deck aluminum blocks, the Charging systems,+ the Cam Seal are the Problems that come to mind...

Your board name is funny because one of my very best friends nick name is Bondo. . . full name is James Bond. He is can fix anything and a very talented guy.

I was taught also that it was a Merc engine when I was working for a marine repair shop on Lake Cumberland many years ago. We hand a string of about 7 of these that we had to rebuild, that "merger" of intake and cooling was a poor design. I had spent 4 years in a machine shop prior to the boat gig so I used my old boss for the machine work. We found the engine in a Clevite Agricultural Engine Kit catalog. I will try and get the kit number if you like.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Twin Mercruiser 470 engines - walk away?

We found the engine in a Clevite Agricultural Engine Kit catalog. I will try and get the kit number if you like.

Ayuh,.... Don't get me wrong,..
I'm not saying that it has never been used in anything but a merc. application,..
Although I can't feature Why,...

I'm saying it's a Mercruiser Motor........
Not a Ford endeavor, just a few of Ford Parts...

Your board name is funny because one of my very best friends nick name is Bondo. . . full name is James Bond. He is can fix anything and a very talented guy.

Ayuh,.... Too Funny,.... I've been Bondo since pre-high school,..
I also have a cousin named James,... James Bond....

For a good many years I used a line that went,...

"Ayuh,... You've heard of Bond,.. James Bond,.. 007,.. Licensed to Kill.....
Well,.. I'm Bond,.. Bill Bond,.. 006,.. Licensed to Thrill"......

Funnier yet,...
I've been slinging a 9/16" endwrench since most folks found a baby rattle.........

Tell Bondo, I said Howdy,....

 

[straubtech]

Re: Twin Mercruiser 470 engines - walk away?

Bond-o,
I will get one of my warehouse customers to look the kit up. This goes back to '91 to '94. The complete master kits for these things cost as much as what Merc wanted for just the pistons.

Your right I don't know why. It was "unique" little beast but after the GM 4.3 V-6 proved itself Merc sure did get rid of it quick.

My Bondo's wife will introduce herself on the lake as "Pu$$y Galore".

If your ever in NE TN and/or find yourself at the Bristol race the other Bondo is about 10 miles from the track.