Search results

  1. C

    thermostat housing question #1

    I?m putting together the thermostat housing on my 1985 Mercruiser 260 hp. Raw water cooled (not a closed cooling system). Boat didn?t have the housing when I got it, so I?m not sure exactly how a couple of the parts go together. 1st question is concerning the thermostat sleeve. It?s the...
  2. C

    what's this thing that's attached to my alternator?

    1985 Mercrusiser 260 (5.7 liter) I’m going to try to post a picture of it to give you all some clarity. But, I’m trying to figure out what a particular part is on my engine. It’s a light blue canister looking thing. It has a red wire going to my alternator and a black wire going to the...
  3. C

    thunderbolt ignition

    My 5.7 liter Mercruiser has the Thunderbolt ignition. Is their difference between the Thunderbolt ignition versus a standard ignition with the points, rotor, condensor?
  4. C

    gaskets/sealers

    Is there a link anywhere that shows which gaskets need a sealer and which ones go on dry? As I put together my mercruiser 350 longblock, I know that I'll be needing to put on the: Intake manifold Timing chain cover oil pan water pump carb exhaust manifold thermostat housing any others? and I...
  5. C

    intake manifold questions

    I received my new 350 long block (pre-1986 Mercruiser 260) from Rapido Marine. I’m very please with the service & you can’t beat the price. (I'm going to be asking a lot of questions over the next couple of weeks) Anyway, my current intake manifold is pretty rusted & corroded looking. So, I’m...
  6. C

    engine block #

    Hi everyone, 1985 Searay w/ 260hp mercruiser (chevy 350) I was finally able to get my engine block clean enough to read the engine block #. It is 10066038 or could be 10066036 (can’t really read that last number, I think it’s an 8, but is shaped like a 6 that has the top half of the 6 loop...
  7. C

    truck long block vs marine long block

    Hi everyone, As I start my project of replacing the engine in my 1985 Searay (mercruiser 260), I think you will be hearing a lot from me. (I’ve already pulled my engine) In shopping for the replacement engine, I found the best deal for a remanufactured marine chevy 350 long block is through...
  8. C

    2 bolt main vs 4 bolt main

    Hey everyone, I’m pricing replacement engines for my 1985 26’ Searay. Currently has a Mercruiser 260 (350 chevy). The shop is quoting me an extra $100 if I want the reman engine to have a 4 bolt main versus 2 bolt main. The boat is already underpowered with the 350 chevy motor in a 26’...
  9. C

    Motor Mount

    Hi everyone, 1985 Mercruiser V8 260hp. I'm going to be pulling the motor out soon and have a question about the motor mounts. I see that there are 3 different ways to unbolt them 1. Take out the bolts that go into the stringers. 2. Take out the bolts that go into the block. 3. take off the...
  10. C

    3 mercruiser engine swap questions

    Hi everyone, 3 mercruiser engine swap questions: 1. I know that mercruiser’s are designed to be the ‘plug and play’ with the wire harness on the one plug. Are all of the plugs universal with each other – like, will a 3.0 plug match a 4.3 plug and a 5.0 and 5.7? Could you plug a 3.0’s plug...
  11. C

    Rear main seals/engine swap

    I have a 1985 boat Searay with the original 260hp mercruiser motor (350 chevy). I’m under the impression that my motor would have the 2 piece rear main seal and that the motors starting in 1986 have the 1 piece rear main seal. 2 questions: 1. Am I correct to assume that the 1 piece rear main...
  12. C

    How many coats of paint?

    When painting the hull (sides) of a fiberglass boat with topside paint, using the ‘roll and tip’ method, how many coats of paint should it take? And, do I sand in between coats?
  13. C

    Painting a fiberglass hull

    Hi everyone, I’ve read through a bunch of threads and still can’t make this out -- without getting into too much detail… If I want to paint the gelcoat, exterior sides (not cockpit sides) and topside of my fiberglass ski boat, can I just use marine topside paint for all of it? Just do the roll...
  14. C

    Alpha One Trim Cylinder

    Hey everyone, Mercruiser Alpha One outdrive. One of my trim cylinders leaks a little bit of fluid out of it through one of the seals. Don’t think it helps out in lifting the drive either (I think the other side is doing all of the work). Is it possible to rebuild the trim cylinder? Are...
  15. C

    mercruiser engine swap question

    If a boat has twin mercruiser 470 or 485 or 488 engines, can the engines be replaced with the Mercruiser 3.0 liter motors? Aren’t the mercruiser 470/485/488 the true mercruiser engines that were put out by mercruiser…(the engines had ford parts in them though). What would it take to swap...
  16. C

    boat with water heater

    5.7 liter mercruiser.. My boat has a water heater that uses water from the engine to heat up the the water in the water heater.<br /><br />1. Would a boat that circulates water to the water heater run cooler or warmer than an engine that doesn't? <br /><br />2. If the water heater has a clog...
  17. C

    another gel coat question

    I'm asking this because I've never used gel coat..<br /><br />When using gel coat, what is it's consistancy?<br />For example, is it real thick whereas if you apply it to a non-smooth surface, the gelcoat will fill in the rough spots and will still come out real smooth? Or is it more like paint...
  18. C

    Will this work?

    I’m going to try to make a panel for a spot in my boat’s cockpit. I want it to look like it is fiberglass and from the manufacture, but I don’t want to mold it out of fiberglass.<br /><br />Will this work?<br />Take a piece of thin plywood, sand the plywood smooth, paint the plywood with...
  19. C

    yellowed fiberglass

    Hey everyone,<br /><br />I removed a panel from the side of my cockpit (wood covered in vinyl). I want the bare fiberglass to show instead of the vinyl. The normally white fiberglass underneath where the panel was has yellowed. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to get the yellowed...
  20. C

    need truck bedliner info -& opinions

    I'm going to be taking out the carpet that is stuck to the sides in my cockpit area. I'm debating on what to replace it with. I don't want to put carpet. Should I put a gelcoat over it? I've been reading about people using truck bedliner. Would something like that work well?<br /><br />Where...
Top