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  1. Rick Stephens

    5.7V8 with a 1.84 alpha one gear ratio

    Recommended gear ratios make sense, same as rejetting. A little higher ratio gives more RPM for less horsies at higher altitudes. You will not stress the gears any more than you would with a different ratio and prop. What wipes gears is over 300HP and broaching your prop under power. Well...
  2. Rick Stephens

    Lower gear oil on Alpha One holes sealed

    Pop the top cap off the upper gear case. See what is in there.
  3. Rick Stephens

    Oil coming from exhaust riser rubber coupling

    New motor won''t be that high without there being oil or water in the cylinders. What did the plugs look like?
  4. Rick Stephens

    Cold water coming out the prop and not much out ports

    This could be something as simple as the rubber hose between bell housing and transom plate is off. One more test: now that the drive is off, take a cutoff garden hose and shove it into the water passage hole in the bellhousing. Have someone hold it while you turn the water on, then fire up the...
  5. Rick Stephens

    5.7V8 with a 1.84 alpha one gear ratio

    I agree here. And without having much reservations about a 23 inch prop being a huge handicap. There is going to be little difference between a 5.7 on a 1:1.84 with a 23 inch prop and a 5.7 on a 1:1.47 with a 19 inch prop, all else being equal. Maybe a little less efficient on top end, but later...
  6. Rick Stephens

    Cold water coming out the prop and not much out ports

    I always recommend that you pull the hose off the thermostat housing on the port side that comes from the transom. Hook up muffs with that hose hangin there and fire up your motor. If you get good flow it should be able to fill a 5 gallon bucket in 30 or so seconds, then the impeller is doing...
  7. Rick Stephens

    Cold water coming out the prop and not much out ports

    Probably not.... this your system?
  8. Rick Stephens

    Cold water coming out the prop and not much out ports

    Does your thermostat housing have the spring loaded check balls?
  9. Rick Stephens

    5.7V8 with a 1.84 alpha one gear ratio

    A four blade typically drops RPMs around a 100. The choice is based on how you want to run your boat. If you want better slow speed handling and hole shot, then a 4 blade is great. If you want most top end possible, then a stainless three is your target. You are going to be trial and error with...
  10. Rick Stephens

    5.7V8 with a 1.84 alpha one gear ratio

    You haven't had it in the water yet... stick a 25 inch aluminum cheapie on it and test it out. See what your RPMs are at WOT. Then you might just plan on a different upper gear case for it if it seems that will be needed.
  11. Rick Stephens

    Bell housing gasket

    You can goop it up. Clean it all up and replace the gasket soonest though.
  12. Rick Stephens

    Cold water coming out the prop and not much out ports

    Always follow the service manual. You need #`14 for a Gen2.
  13. Rick Stephens

    Cold water coming out the prop and not much out ports

    He who learns the most before dying, wins.
  14. Rick Stephens

    Cold water coming out the prop and not much out ports

    I can see where the water pipe not being installed correctly would just dump all the water out the prop, no where else for it to go. I'd probably confirm that by pulling the 'in' water line off the thermostat housing and turn on water to muffs then fire the motor up. If there is water getting...
  15. Rick Stephens

    1992 Mercruiser 4.3 Alpha One Gen II has water in oil after rebuild.

    To pressure test a block cooling system: 1) Remove hoses to manifolds and plug them. 2) Remove the 'IN' water hose, that comes from the transom, at the thermostat. 3) Either plug the open thermostat port or use it to make up a connection to a schrader valve. 4) Apply max 15 pounds pressure...
  16. Rick Stephens

    1992 Mercruiser 4.3 Alpha One Gen II has water in oil after rebuild.

    Sorry to say that a cracked block or head is the most likely culprit. There are many places a crack can be that cannot be seen with magnafluxing. Years back I went through the same kind of thing, had a lot of water in a motor that I purchased in a partially refurbed hull. It was a brand new...
  17. Rick Stephens

    350/5.7 Exhaust valve seal leak + low compression

    A leak down test would tell you. A vacuum gauge will also show a loose or leaky valve guide with a needle twitch.
  18. Rick Stephens

    Throw out the one piece manifolds and water pump?

    Extra hole often used for a heater.
  19. Rick Stephens

    Driveshaft Gear Rotational Torque

    Merc engineers changed it to the rolling torque method from the plain old spacer and torque to value. My bet is that more heat is generated at the higher torque setting used on the older spacer torque units and in the long run this caused more bearing failures than were acceptable. Rolling...
  20. Rick Stephens

    Mercruiser 3.0 135hp. Crank and rods

    Been too many years since even discussing how to set up a motor for propane. A quick search says that may be your answer. LPG has high octane but lower energy than gasoline. Upping compression will equal the mileage that the typical low octane 8.5:1 automotive engine got when converting to LPG...
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