1986 bayliner capri BR volvo penta 270 leg

[blaze_86bowrder]

Hi there
Im new to boating this year and i recently purchased an 86 capri bowrider (18' or 19')with a volvo penta 3.1L engine , 125q a carburator. Just writing to get some feedback on this boat, maybe some things i should be aware of or to watch out for and some good sites for parts and such.

Other than the upholstery wich is in bad condition the boat seems fine. I had it winterized and the mechanic said it had good compression. I paid $1700 for it in december.

Also how do i find the model number, i believe its a 19' but on the title it state 18' . I measured and it was more like 20' so im scratching my head.


thanks

 

[BAYLINER185]

Re: 1986 bayliner capri BR volvo penta 270 leg

If its more like 20 feet it could be the 19 footer as my new 18 foot ( 185) is closer to as big as my old 19 footer was and my old 19 footer was almost as long but not as wide as the new 205.

Boat #'s are a little bit exaggerated....They are usually stating a length that is larger then the boat really is by anywhere from a foot or 2.


Not sure but I think my 07 185 has that stated in the VIN on the transom...It will have stamped in numbers on the very back and right stop side of the transom. The last two numbers are the year.

I think for your 1st boat you will have a lot of fun with that bayliner. BAYLINERS were a little cheeply made in those years but have improved drastically. You may find your self doign a complete remodel any way so cheeply made wont be a factor. The price you paid was outstanding!

You should read the forums and read up on the things you should be replacing now though.

Water pump impellar, gymbal bearing and U joints is where I would start. I never knew abotu that stuff 10 years ago on my old boat and who knows what condition they were in. I did just buy a cruser and it needed all theses things replaced. For your 1700.00 purchase it wouldnt hurt to put a little more into it and have that stuff replaced if needed. At least the water pump impellar unless you know it was done recently.

 

[blaze_86bowrder]

Re: 1986 bayliner capri BR volvo penta 270 leg

Thanks for that info !
the impellar was replaced but with one from a volvo car (the mechanic who serviced the boat said that was ok and way cheeper) I hope this is ok.
as far as the gymbal and joints go, they were regularly lubricated and look and sound fine so i should be good to go.
how about engine flushers? i found one made by TEMPO and a similar one by MOELLER...is this the best one for a 270 leg? i noticed that the intake notches are right on the front of the leg which seems like it would be tricky to have one of these seal right to it.

 

[gcboat]

Re: 1986 bayliner capri BR volvo penta 270 leg

I think either one of the muffs will work fine. Just keep an eye on them so they don't slip off.
As far as parts are concerned you need to remember that there are certain items that need to stay "marine" if they ever should fail. Starter for one, alternator, air breather ( needs to be metal mesh or equivalent - no paper )
and probably a couple of other's.
BAYLINER185 gave you some good info on the forum's here ( and other places). Full of good info and ideas. Never be afraid or embarrassed to post a question - that's what these forums are all about. There is guaranteed to be someone out there that has had the identical problem you need an answer to, so just go for it.
Enjoy your boat, go slow at it until you really get to know her and if indeed a first time boater maybe look into a boating course. USCG Auxilliary offers free classes.
Remember, safety is not an alternative.

 

[Mike H]

Re: 1986 bayliner capri BR volvo penta 270 leg

Thay make muff for volvo 270 275 280 drives with a strap thats
holds them on tite. there isnt a gymbal bearing in the volvo drives

tip store the drive down all the time the bellos like it

dose it look like this

 

[CapriRestorer]

Re: 1986 bayliner capri BR volvo penta 270 leg

I would say that you bought a really nice first boat ( I like the style of those late 80s Bayliners). One thing you should definately know about them is that the floors tend to rot relatively fast (Like Bayliner 185 said, these boats were made sort of cheaply). I would really watch the floor for any moisture after you have used it (I would also put a boat cover on it whenever you are not using it). The floors are relatively thin, so the boat will go faster than a normal bowrider with the same engine. My friend had a 1983 Bayliner Capri (the one that is in my avatar). He let it sit uncovered for the good part of one summer, and the floor was already soft by fall. The floor won't rot if you cover it, just if you let it get rained on constantly, which is really the case with any boat.

Hope this helps!!

 

[JAL51974]

Re: 1986 bayliner capri BR volvo penta 270 leg

that sounds like my same boat.
That engine is a bit tough at cold start: get familiar with the throttle, mine pulls out then you can pump it twice and set it 1/4 throttle to turn on the ignition, let it warm up a while before putting it in gear though.

Ditto on the floors watch out for rot.

the outdrive has a tendency to float up in reverse if some of the lockdown mechanism parts are worn out or even if really rusty...look that over, clean and use spray lubricant on the locking mechanism.

have fun and be safe.

 

[tonyg11780]

Re: 1986 bayliner capri BR volvo penta 270 leg

Something caught my eye...

You said:
the impellar was replaced but with one from a volvo car (the mechanic who serviced the boat said that was ok and way cheeper) I hope this is ok.

Now I have been a mechanic for years. But never heard of a car with an impeller...Im assuming the mechanic replaced the water pump on the front of the engine. That is different from the lower sea water pump in the lower unit. May want to check on that...

And also, as far as the floor is concerned. The floors tended to rot first around the ski hatch in the floor. I have seen this in sooooo many late eightys bayliners. I am going to leave that feature off of my resto just as a preventative measure...

Tony

 

[JAL51974]

Re: 1986 bayliner capri BR volvo penta 270 leg

I wondered about replacement of the impellar with one from a car? That 270 drive does not have any pump mechanism in the outdrive itself-seawater is sucked into the drive, through a system of piping, to the heat exchanger unit, then out the piping to the exhaust. The water is pumped via a small pump located on the front of the engine in front of the pulley, that is where the impellar is located. The engine drives that impellar which pumps the water. I don't think there is anything similar on a volvo car engine?

 

[tonyg11780]

Re: 1986 bayliner capri BR volvo penta 270 leg

Ok, I was mistaken. I admit, I know more about mercruisers than volvos.

 

[slia67]

Re: 1986 bayliner capri BR volvo penta 270 leg

I use duct tape to secure my muffs on my outdrive. (idea borrowed from another forum) There is also a hole on the very bottom of the outdrive that needs to be covered or sealed if you are going to run it on muffs.

Doug

 

[JAL51974]

Re: 1986 bayliner capri BR volvo penta 270 leg

good tip Slia I do the same!

 

[no704]

Re: 1986 bayliner capri BR volvo penta 270 leg

I have the same boat, make sure your bellows are sealed up good, Im in the middle of replacing my intermediate bearings cause of a leak last season.

 

[Ranlinsch]

Re: 1986 bayliner capri BR volvo penta 270 leg

I have an 86 Capri as well that I work on from time to time. The main problem I'm having is getting the cooling system to seal where the fresh water lines attach to the heat exchanger. I bought new seals from Volvo but I'm still not having any luck. I installed a new core which is when I removed the lines which I've since not been able to seal.

Any suggestions?

 

[JAL51974]

Re: 1986 bayliner capri BR volvo penta 270 leg

did you get them to seal yet?

That should be the fresh water line that goes on the left side of the engine from the heat exchanger and goes to the exhaust manifold. It only has a rubber washer-seal that needs to be in good condition to make the seal work. could use some permatex #2 maybe to help seal it? The metal part that rests on top of that rubber washer needs to fit flush too when bolted down to make the seal work.

Joe