1500 rpm lose with new upper sterndrive unit

lime4x4

Lieutenant Junior Grade
Joined
Apr 25, 2007
Messages
1,040
just got a new upper unit for my 86 searay 268 weekender with a 260hp mercruiser 350 engine. Short story on the boat. I bought the boat from a private seller. the boat would hit 5000 rpm at wot with a 14.25X17 ss 3 blade prop.The boat would hit a top speed of 9 mph after trying many props found out the boat had the wrong ratio drive 1.98. So i ordered the correct 1.47 ratio drive. Installed the drive and broke it in and changed gear oil. Now with the same prop i'm only able to hit 3500 rpm at wot but now the boat moves at 19 mph the boat still doesn't plane yet but it's at the brink of planing if i can get some more rpm's out of the drive it will plane.I know it's not an engine issue cause i was able to hit 5000 rpm prior to the drive replacement.this engine was just rebuilt and only has 20 hours on it. Supernova and his family was on the boat last night and we were trying different props with no luck at a higher rpm. We verified that the secondaries were opening and the engine was running properly. I'm at a lose here? Could something in the new upper sterndrive be that tight yet?
 

blh1972

Seaman
Joined
Apr 15, 2007
Messages
59
Re: 1500 rpm lose with new upper sterndrive unit

Something is not right........
I have the same boat and I hit 4800 rpm with the same prop you have and gps says I'm traveling at 28 knots.
Takes about 3500 to get it up on plane. My engine is a 350 with vortec heads and intake and mercruiser grind camshaft.
 
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