Help identify Merc outdrive

[captmello]

I'm looking at buying a boat. The owner didn' know what an outdrive was when I emailed. I explained what it was and asked for a serial number.

Came back with: 6049005 power trim

Does this mean anything to anyone? The boat is an 82 century 19' w/5.0 228 merc.

I'm trying to determine if its an alpha or prealpha.

thanks

 

[Don S]

Re: Help identify Merc outdrive

The words "Pre alpha" means any drive that came out before the Alpha I did in 85. So yes, your 82 would be considered a pre-alpha.
In reallity, it's a 1 drive (One) and not an R, or MR, which was also Pre Alpha.
Manual #4 covers that drive.
http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=251571

 

[captmello]

Re: Help identify Merc outdrive

In reallity, it's a 1 drive (One) and not an R, or MR, which was also Pre Alpha.

Thanks Don.

How do these drives compare to other drives in terms of durability and reliability. My history is with Volvos. Never had a Merc.

 

[Don S]

Re: Help identify Merc outdrive

My history is with Volvos. Never had a Merc.

You have now taken a step down. It will never act like your Volvo.

 

[captmello]

Re: Help identify Merc outdrive

You have now taken a step down. It will never act like your Volvo.

Does this refer to all mercs or the pre-alphas specifically. I have read many threads and most seem to give the overall edge to Volvo as you have.

The Volvo's I've had have been older, old 270 and less old 275 and have worked good with the exception of the usual tilt and trim limitations and the reverse locks never working right.

Do the old mercs have common issues I should be aware of that make them a step down or is it overall quality?

At this stage of my boating life i'm limited to buying older boats and using my mechanical ability to keep them going. Are the mercs harder to maintain and fix?

 

[Don S]

Re: Help identify Merc outdrive

All the Alpha style drives, from the one drive on up to the Alpha I Gen II's have basically the same internal design and shift mechanism. It has a dog style clutch and it's very common for the lower shift cables to fail. They get a little stiff from corrosion and rust and the engine will die when you shift out of gear. Do a search on this forum for lower shift cable, it's a very common topic during the spring and summer. The 270's and 275's had cone clutches, matter of fact that same cone clutch setup is used in all of todays Volvos. No lower shift cables, and smooth shifting without the clunks and ratchiting of a dog clutch.
The Alpha style drives are probably to most common drive out there, parts are available oem and aftermarket. One part that is NOT available is the shift interrupt switches. I have run into a couple of bad ones on the one drives this past summer, luckely I was able to find a couple good used ones in the scrap pile, but they are gone now. This winter I was planning on finding a way to replace these switches with another type of switch.
You can also get an aftermarket complete NEW drive for the Mercs from SEI for 1200 to 1400 bucks with a 3 year warranty, not something you can do with a Volvo.

 

[achris]

Re: Help identify Merc outdrive

...This winter I was planning on finding a way to replace these switches with another type of switch.....

I'd start with the 'Cherry Switch company'....

http://www.cherrycorp.com/