Due to ease of install and costs, I went with a turn-key 350 Vortec SBC from Michigan Motorz that will bolt up to my 280 outdrive with no fuss. Not as good as a stroker, but should be improved performance and longevity over the stock 350. It should be here by the end of next month.
I'll throw...
Busch NA is my go-to, much better tasting than I remember real Busch being. Athletic orange container IPAs are great but more expensive, and Sam Adam's 'Just the Haze' are good when I can find them. Shiner Bock makes an NA too now.
Correct on the beam, ~5500lbs dry weight.
General consensus on the Bayliner forum is that these boats are underpowered with the stock 5.7 (260hp). I definitely needed more power in a following sea with 6 guys and coolers on board.
I'll keep my eye out for a good deal on any duoprop unit...
I actually just rebuilt the transom a couple months ago, but yeah you make some good points. I'm seeing that Mercruiser does sell an adapter plate for the larger VP keyhole. Bravo III dual props would no doubt push this boat better than my SP.
Looking back at my notes from two years ago, hot compression numbers were:
8: 148
7: 156
6: 130
5: 148
4: 130
3: 145
2: 150
1: 154
The Volvo book claimed that numbers within 15% are acceptable, so I went with it. Luckily, I really only spent time and money refurbishing the 280 outdrive, which...
On the bright side, I ran out 25 miles last Friday in 4-5 foot seas. The bigger trim tabs let me stay on plane at 19 mph and the V hull cut through swells extremely well with a dry ride. The trolling motor has a deep enough shaft to spot lock well in rough seas.
We caught a bunch of snapper...
Well, the motor crapped out on me. Cylinders 4 & 6 were a little low to begin with, and 3 & 5 were a hair low too. The motor began to fall flat and died for good Saturday with no obvious signs of overheating, but I had to run it hard for an hour to keep on plane in a following sea after...
Sounds like a plan, and thanks for the advice. I ordered the oil pump primer tool, should be here tomorrow. This is my first time going past the valves in any engine, so sorry for any dumb questions.
So hypothetically, I'm trying to put together costs on fixing what I have versus getting a...
@alldodge I did not see any milky oil right after the engine shut off, is it possible that little water made it into the crankcase? I'll drain and change the oil this afternoon to get a better look.
The cylinders and pistons made me hopeful that the block may be still good, but I'll defer to...
