Search results

  1. greg82255

    Mercruiser Bravo 3 Grinding Nose Only When Turning Left

    Hi All, I have a 1994 Formula 252 bowrider with a 7.4 / Bravo III. Recently I have noticed a grinding noise when turning the steering wheel to the left. It very clearly only happens when turning left and nothing else. It doesn't matter the speed, in gear or not, always a noise when turning the...
  2. greg82255

    1994 Mercruiser 454 Stalls at idle, Sputters Under Load

    Hi All, I have a 1994 Formula 252 BR with its original Mercruiser 454/Bravo 3, about 860 hours. It's a quad jet carb but not sure who makes it (maybe Rochester?). The boat has run great (I've owned it 5 years for 100+ hours each year) up until beginning of this year. Took the boat out for the...
  3. greg82255

    Squeal/Squeak Sound When Turning Left

    Hi All - I have a 1994 Formula 252 with a Mercruiser 7.4/Bravo 3. Engine runs great, but when the boat is up on plane, I hear a pretty distinct squealing sound at certain points. When turning the steering wheel at any speed besides idle, the noise is the loudest. When I quickly jerk the wheel to...
  4. greg82255

    What type of Y-Pipe do I have?

    Hi all, I just bought a '94 Formula F250 with a Mercruiser 7.4/Bravo. The marina winterized and stored it for the winter as part of the sale, so I didn't get a chance to get the engine serial # before they put it away. I am wondering what type of Y-pipe I have on the back - whether it is oval...
  5. greg82255

    Merc 7.4/Bravo III Prop Question

    Hi All, Today I test drove/agreed to purchase a '94 Formula 252 with a Merc 7.4/Bravo III setup. I've never had a Bravo III before, and it has 26p props on it. The boat hit 51 mph at 5000 rpm. I am pretty sure this is higher than the recommended RPM range for a 7.4 (42-4600?). I am not...
  6. greg82255

    Burning Rubber Smell Comes and Goes

    Hi All, I'm running a pretty powerful 383 through a 1986 Mercruiser Alpha One setup. Alpha drive is brand new last year, U-joints and all. On the lake 2 weeks ago I noticed a burning rubber smell, shut off the engine, opened the hatch and saw a little white smoke, but couldn't see any issue...
  7. greg82255

    Mercruiser Engine knocks in neutral, goes away in gear

    Hi All, I have a '86 Mercruiser 260 setup with a custom 383 I built a few years back. The past 2 times I have taken the boat out, after a few hours of cruising, I have noticed that the engine is making a knocking sound in neutral. It only happens after a few hours of cruising and in neutral...
  8. greg82255

    Buying a new Alpha, Debating Changing the Gear Ratio

    Well, I just torched an Alpha drive by forgetting to put in gear lube. Rookie mistake. Now I am buying a new drive, but I remember a few guys talking about switching the ratio. It's a 383 stroker mated to a gen 1 alpha which was previously a 1.5 ratio. I've heard of a few guys going to higher...
  9. greg82255

    I think the old alpha drive finally broke....

    Hello, I am running a 400ish horsepower 383 through a 1986 gen 1 alpha drive. I was cruising around yesterday at about 30 mph, not too fast maybe 2500-3000 rpm and all of a sudden i lost power. The engine was still running, and revved like crazy, but I wasn't moving forward. I took the boat...
  10. greg82255

    Mercruiser/Alpha Water Circulation issues, Not the Impeller

    Hello, I have a recently rebuilt 383 stroker mated with a 1986 gen 1 alpha drive - same block as the original 5.7 from the same year. It was running fine when I winterized it last season, but I started it up for the first time last week and realized that no water was flowing through the engine...
  11. greg82255

    Engine won't turn over.. Seized drive?

    Hello, I have a friend who just bought a boat with a 1989 OMC 3.0L and Cobra drive. I've only used Mercs so I don't know much about these things, so I'm going to do my best to describe what happened. He said he changed the gear oil in the drive before he took it out to drive around for the...
  12. greg82255

    Tried out a few Props, I think I need a new one

    Hello, I have a Formula 206 Spider with a newly built 383. I have finished breaking it in and so far have been able to try two different props and need to find one that is going to work right. I have a 14.75 x 21" stainless Mirage prop and a 13.75 (I think thats right) x 25" stainless Laser...
  13. greg82255

    Just got a Laser II, Need Hub and Mounting Hardware

    Hello, I just finished a 383 build over in the Non-Repair I/O forum and was given a Laser II prop to try out with my new engine, but I noticed it came without a hub. I am wondering if someone can tell me what type of hub and thrust washer I need, and any other mounting hardware that needs to...
  14. greg82255

    Which Coupler Do I Need?

    Hello, I am building a 383 over in the Non-repair I/O section and I want to get a new coupler along with he new engine. I have too many other questions going on in my build thread so I wanted to start this one and ask just about the coupler. The original engine was a 1986 Merc 260/Alpha One...
  15. greg82255

    Here We Go: My 383 Stroker Winter Project

    Let me bring everyone up to speed if you weren't following my other thread in this forum. I am rebuilding my 1986 Mercruiser 260 and turning it into 383 stroker as one of my winter projects. The other thread contains some very useful information for anyone looking to build a 383 - I asked...
  16. greg82255

    Glued Something on with 5200, Now I need to Get it Off..

    Hello, I have a Formula 206 and someone told me last year to use 5200 to seal the thru-hull exhaust tips. Then I started doing research and I found out the stuff is impossible to get off. Now the tips need to come off. Big mistake. Does anyone have a good method for removing the tips and the...
  17. greg82255

    Any problems with cutting the exhaust Y-pipe?

    Hello, I had a 1986 Merc 260/Alpha One, but that block is currently at the machine shop and will be the base for my 383 build over the winter (see thread in the Non-Repair I/O forum). I am looking at different performance exhaust systems to use with the new 383, along with the custom silent...
  18. greg82255

    How Much Can I Disassemble before I Pull the Motor?

    Hello, I have a merc 260/Alpha One. I am looking to pull the motor this weekend to start a re-power over the winter. I don't have much time to work with this weekend, and my dad's friend is coming over with his massive tow truck at some point (not sure when..) to lift the motor out. I'd like...
  19. greg82255

    Building a 383 Stroker

    Hello, I have a 1986 Merc 260, looking to build a 383 over the winter and I have a couple of questions. I'd like to do all the work myself and treat it as a learning experience (I haven't built an engine before), and I'll probably have the help of someone who knows what they're doing once I...
  20. greg82255

    Loud "Clunk" When Shifting Into Gear

    Hello, I have a 1986 Merc 260/Alpha One, just winterized it and am thinking about all the things I need to do to it in the off season. There is a loud "clunk" noise when I shift into both forward and reverse. It goes into gear and stays in gear without any other problems, and it happens every...
Top