1996 Mercruiser 5.7 with alpha one

[beanz2166]

I just bought my first boat. It has a 1996 Mercruiser 5.7L motor. Ive never owned a boat before, but IM pretty good with a wrench and I bought the manuel for the motor off here. Now my question is before I put the boat in the water, what things should I look for/change/checkout on the motor and outdrive? I like to try and do most of the work myself. Im just stubborn like that I guess. thanks in advance

 

[Bondo]

Re: 1996 Mercruiser 5.7 with alpha one

I just bought my first boat. It has a 1996 Mercruiser 5.7L motor. Ive never owned a boat before, but IM pretty good with a wrench and I bought the manuel for the motor off here. Now my question is before I put the boat in the water, what things should I look for/change/checkout on the motor and outdrive? I like to try and do most of the work myself. Im just stubborn like that I guess. thanks in advance

Ayuh,.... Welcome Aboard,... Start Here,...

More Great Info like that can be found in the Adults Only section, pinned to the top of this forum,...

Enjoy,....

 

[tpenfield]

Re: 1996 Mercruiser 5.7 with alpha one

Welcome to iboats . . .

being good with a wrench and having the manual are great starts. I was about 8 years ago where you are today . . . had my first power boat, but was used to working on cars, mostly. I had other boats, but never a I/O, so things were a bit foreign at first.

Check my signature below for some documentary web sites that I have made about the boats that I have owned (so far).

One of the first things that I did was to read the manual, so it gave me an idea for what things were, how they worked, etc. Things that you will want to check/replace, etc are:

Impeller (if you have an 'alpha' drive the impeller is in the outdrive . . .)

Oil Change - and then every 50 hours or annually

visual inspection of the joint between exhaust manifold and 'elbow' for rust, seepage, etc

Replace fuel filter (unless you know it is newer)

New Outdrive anodes

Remove the outdrive:

-- Check the engine alignment

-- Grease the u-joints

-- Grease the gimbal bearing

-- Inspect the bellows

Replace the outdrive

Check trim system for proper movement & limit as well as gauge function

Check the 'pitot' tube and hose for clear passage and speedometer function

The list goes on, but that is a good start.

Welcome to boat ownership

 

[beanz2166]

Re: 1996 Mercruiser 5.7 with alpha one

Welcome to iboats . . .


Impeller (if you have an 'alpha' drive the impeller is in the outdrive . . .)

Oil Change - and then every 50 hours or annually

visual inspection of the joint between exhaust manifold and 'elbow' for rust, seepage, etc

Replace fuel filter (unless you know it is newer)

New Outdrive anodes

Remove the outdrive:

-- Check the engine alignment

-- Grease the u-joints

-- Grease the gimbal bearing

-- Inspect the bellows

Replace the outdrive

Check trim system for proper movement & limit as well as gauge function

Check the 'pitot' tube and hose for clear passage and speedometer function

Welcome to boat ownership

TPenfield, thanks for the advice. Is all these steps covered in the repair manual? Does the repair manual cover any special tools I will need? Also what kind of grease will I need? Thanks again for you help

 

[tpenfield]

Re: 1996 Mercruiser 5.7 with alpha one

TPenfield, thanks for the advice. Is all these steps covered in the repair manual? Does the repair manual cover any special tools I will need? Also what kind of grease will I need? Thanks again for you help

I have found that the repair manuals cover dis-assembly and re-assembly of the various systems as well as some testing. some of the maintenance procedures are covered, but not necessarily all-inclusive. so, you will have to put together an overall plan, based on the particular condition of your engine, outdrive, etc.

Tools - You will find that with Mercruiser, there is a 'special tool' for everything. I have found ways to do without many of them. Probably the most useful special tool is the engine alignment tool.

Grease - There are some who will tell you about all the different greases to use, etc. . . . I use a high quality marine grease for everything, boat & trailer alike. I would avoid using regular automotive grease, as it does not stand up well to water. Mercruiser probably recommends as many types of grease as they do special tools . . . I have also found along the way things to grease that you would normally not think to grease, but it makes for ease of maintenance and dis-assembly as needed.

Knowing your boat's engine and systems at a detail level will help you out on the water, as you will tend to head off problems and/or be able to fix problems that might otherwise leave you stranded.

Anyway, check out the stickies in the "Adults Only Section" for some guidance and feel free to post questions and pictures along the way.

 

[achris]

Re: 1996 Mercruiser 5.7 with alpha one

TPenfield, thanks for the advice. Is all these steps covered in the repair manual? Does the repair manual cover any special tools I will need? Also what kind of grease will I need? Thanks again for you help

The OEM manual covers all special tools and is very specific about which grease to use and where to use it...

All maintenance, including a maintenance schedule, is also covered in the OEM manual....

Chris......