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  1. 6

    Shell Rotella rebates

    I know that quite a few people here use Shell Rotella oil for their boats (me included). I am going to buy some for my 5.7L, and I noticed that it has a rebate from Shell going until the end of October. You do have to buy it from a participating retailer, the list is on the Shell web site. I...
  2. 6

    Distributor Cap Issues

    I'm trying to replace the ignition parts (dist cap, points, etc) on my 1981 Sea Ray 260 with MCM 260 (5.7L) engine. I bought the boat 3 years ago and haven't replaced any ignition parts yet. The previous owner says that a new crate engine was put in. All sources I can find say that this...
  3. 6

    Bennett Trim Tab switch upgrade

    Hi: I have a 1981 Sea Ray 260 that I bought 3 years ago. The boat has a Bennett hydraulic trim tab setup that is pretty old. The old-style switch is starting to malfunction (physically broken) and one of the actuators is intermittent. I will troubleshoot the actuator problem (thanks to...
  4. 6

    Merc vs Sierra Ignition Parts

    I have a 1981 Sea Ray 260 with the MCM 260 drive. I bought the boat 3 years ago but have used it very little ( it went out a couple dozen times total). This year I want to replace the ignition parts (points, condenser, rotor, dist cap, plugs, plug wires) in anticipation of using the boat a lot...
  5. 6

    Bell Housing Gasket

    Hi guys: I am getting ready to put the outdrive back on my Alpha Gen 1. I have been reading the posts and several people have mentioned that they prefer the aftermarket gaskets that are wider. What brand of gasket are they referring to? I'm not even sure what brand I used in the past, there...
  6. 6

    Winterization Question

    I have a 1981 Mercruiser MCM 260 (5.7L). Last year I pulled the thermostat out so I could pour antifreeze into the engine after I drained it. I wanted to replace the thermostat anyways as I didn't know how old it was (turns out it was fairly corroded). After draining, I connected my shop-vac...
  7. 6

    Coolant Hose Sealer?

    I removed the thermostat housing and the hoses attached to it. The cast surface where the hoses slide onto is somewhat rough after I wire brushed the rust off. Should I put some sealer (RTV,etc) between the hose and cast nipple or will it seal with just the clamp? Steve
  8. 6

    Oil Viscosity

    I have a 1981 Sea Ray SR260 Sundancer with the 5.7L engine. I bought the boat last year and the previous owner said he replaced the engine with a crate motor about 8yrs ago (There is a Jasper Engines label on the motor). I have looked through old posts on engine oil viscosity and they said to...
  9. 6

    Thermostat Gasket Sealer

    I have a 1981 Mercruiser 260 with a 5.7L V8 (Edelbrock 4-barrel). As per previous suggestions on this forum, I am replacing the 140 degree thermostat with a 160 degree thermostat (freshwater only for my boat- Lake Ontario). I have some Permatex Aviation Form-A-Gasket (#3 I think), can I use...
  10. 6

    Cleaned Up Wiring Mess Finally

    Last Year I bought the 1981 Sea Ray 260. It was maintained very well exterior, interior and mechanically. However, the add-on electrical circuits were done sloppily. This year I said it wasn't going in the water until I rewired the messy part. being an electrical engineer that has worked on...
  11. 6

    Muffs

    I have never run on muffs before (1981 Sea Ray 5.7L, Alpha 1 Gen 1). This is my first boat ever and just bought it last year. I am doing a bunch of maintenance and de-winterizing soon and would like to run it at home. Is there a step-by-step checklist on running with muffs? I don't want to...
  12. 6

    Thermostat

    I have a 1981 Sea Ray 260 with a Mercruiser 260 5.7L V8 and Alpha 1 Gen 1 (SEI) outdrive. The previous owner says the engine is a replacement crate engine. Last fall I winterized the engine and removed the thermostat cover and thermostat so I could fill with AF. I want to replace the...
  13. 6

    Marine Terminal Kit

    I am going to redo the DC wiring on my 1981 Sea Ray 260. The current wiring is really sloppy and I am OCD about electrical wiring being neat and organized (and safe). There are two batteries and both have a bunch of ring terminals attached at the battery stud (6 on one, 4 on the other) with a...
  14. 6

    Engine Room Camera

    This months Boat US magazine had an article on engine room camera installation. I like the idea of having one, so I want to install one. The article said to make sure the camera is Coast Guard approved for non-ignition of gas vapors. An internet search shows that most people just used a car...
  15. 6

    Engine Hatch Cover

    Hello: I have a 81 Sea Ray 260 that we bought last year. It needs a new engine hatch cover and fuel tank cover. The covers are both part of the floor and get walked on (and wet). The current cover, which looks original, is basically plywood with a thin veneer on top which looks like teak. It...
  16. 6

    Winterizing Drain Plugs

    I am going to winterize my MCM 260 Mercruiser for the first time. I see the two drains on the block (one on each side). The manifolds each have 3 small (1/8" NPT?) drain plugs at the bottom. There are also 2 or 3 large (3/4" NPT?) plugs in the middle of one of the manifolds. Do these have to...
  17. 6

    Storing Boat at home

    I am thinking of storing my 1981 Sea Ray Sundancer 26' boat at home. It's in a slip on Lake Ontario now. I don't have a trailer, but I would have a boat mover with a hydraulic trailer take it to my house (10 miles away). I see how they are stored at the marina on a stack of wood on the keel...
  18. 6

    Kill Switch?

    My 1981 Sea Ray 26' Sundancer doesn't have a kill switch with lanyard. Should I add one? Some net posts suggest that they are more important on smaller boats with lower sides. Steve
  19. 6

    Safe-T-Alert SA-10XL?

    Has anyone bought the Safe-T-Alert SA-10XL fume, fire and flood detector? I searched the forum and didn't find anything http://www.iboats.com/Safe-T-Alert-Gas-Vapor-Alarm-Fume-Fire-Flood-Bilge-Water-Detector-Surface-Mount-Black/dm/view_id.1956430
  20. 6

    Carburetor Port

    Here are a couple of pictures. This one shows the hard line from the carb turning into the hose and then the filter: This one shows the new pump in place: Steve
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