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  1. Rick Stephens

    1992 Mercruiser 4.3 w/ balance shaft and 1 piece rear main seal swap to newer year Vortec.

    Gaskets are interesting... I have a frankenmotor, pre balance shaft with Vortec heads. Steel oil pan and timing cover, 8 bolt intake and Vortec valve covers. There is no kit that has all the right gaskets. So it is mix and match time and the hunt was on to find bottom end oil pan and timing set...
  2. Rick Stephens

    Engine rpm is not stable below 2000 rpm

    There is no kit that directly takes you to the correct calibration. The 1485 is way too lean for anyone I ever talked with. I spent a bit of time trying individual rods, jets and springs until I found what worked for me. A number of others have used this final setup successfully. And nola mike...
  3. Rick Stephens

    Engine rpm is not stable below 2000 rpm

    Your results may vary, several of us on the forum found the 1409 with the 1485 V6 metering kit installed to be severely lean in low through mid range. I had to jump the jets, rods and springs up to find safe enough margins not to burn holes in pistons.
  4. Rick Stephens

    Water in oil pan!!

    Just know that boats and cheap are two words that don't go well together.
  5. Rick Stephens

    Water in oil pan!!

    No one can answer that without knowing what is cracked blown or open to rain.
  6. Rick Stephens

    Have an 87 fourwinns that has not been used in 6 years Engine appears frozen

    Take the pulley off the harmonic balancer and then screw the bolts back in and use a bar on those bolts to gently pry directly on the crank. Never put a socket on the crank nose bolt, you'll strip it out and ruin a crankshaft. As noted, pull the drive to be certain it isn't a drive problem. You...
  7. Rick Stephens

    1992 Mercruiser 4.3 w/ balance shaft and 1 piece rear main seal swap to newer year Vortec.

    Simplest is replace with the same block but with Vortec heads and intake. That's what my motor is. The later block will not have a mechanical fuel pump mounting location, so you have to wire in electric fuel pump and do so CORRECTLY to be safe. Newer Vortec motors all ran serpentine belts...
  8. Rick Stephens

    Oil Pressure Below Mercruiser Limits Per Manual

    If it wasn't Plastigaug'd, it needs to be. Too much money there not to pull the motor, pull the pan and check clearance.
  9. Rick Stephens

    Carbed Mercruiser 260 5.7L Missing Above 4000 RPMs

    Looks like that carb has all the protective coating washed off it. Edelbrock says only use Simple Green to clean their carburetor and never carb cleaner or a tanking. Whoever did the rebuild doesn't know Edelbrock. Too bad, they are really nice carburetors.
  10. Rick Stephens

    2001-2008 MerCruiser 4.3L MPI Engine Repair Manual

    http://outdriveshop.com/mercruisermanuals.html
  11. Rick Stephens

    Water on piston (Hydrolock)

    Any possibility you had rain water get in via carburetor?
  12. Rick Stephens

    I need Alpha One Gen II help

    The SEI is chineesium,... that said, they are a full on copy of the Merc original. In my own experience, other than the crappy paint they work fine and are worth the money. No way you are gonna be able to rebuild a drive yourself without spending more on just the tooling than the drive is...
  13. Rick Stephens

    Mating Engine to Mercrusier problem

    That is NOT a Vortec. 12 bolt intake is not Vortec, 8 bolt intake is Vortec. 1995 and newer is Vortec. 1 pc rear main.
  14. Rick Stephens

    Water in gear lube

    Pro shops tend to cut and break out the carrier and replace it, costs less than the usually wasted effort to unscrew it.
  15. Rick Stephens

    Starting a long sitting, 2003 Mercruiser 3.0 alpha one, with a gen 2 sterndrive.

    Initial change is enough. Start and run it like you stole it.
  16. Rick Stephens

    Advice needed on sterndrive replacement

    OEM Merc ain't.
  17. Rick Stephens

    Advice needed on sterndrive replacement

    I ran a new SEI for a bit. They are fine.... with the caveat that the paint chips off easily. Support was superb with Justin doing all the technical advice. Just note that SEI is chineesium made copy with all that implies.
  18. Rick Stephens

    Water in gear lube

    Some of those seals likely require special tools upping that price a bit. I'd want to find my leak. When I dunked a drive, I had to turn and manipulate the input and propeller shafts to find the leak. I ran 10 psi and 15 psi, never higher. The oil seals under pressure push tighter to the shaft...
  19. Rick Stephens

    New motor knocking???

    I've seen assembly lube look like that. Run some 5-30 in it and I'll bet it stays clear.
  20. Rick Stephens

    Water in gear lube

    I once had to dunk a drive in a water trough to nail down a leak.
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