I/O's, which ones to stay away from?

[ezmobee]

Re: I/O's, which ones to stay away from?

Volvo Penta is just the stern drive. The motors are still GM.

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: I/O's, which ones to stay away from?

Volvo Penta is just the stern drive. The motors are still GM.

Much older Volvo Pentas have Volvo motors, though. Anyone know when VP started using Ford/GM power, exclusively?

 

[45Auto]

Re: I/O's, which ones to stay away from?

There is just simply no friggin' way that an outboard is going to cost you more in repairs/maintenance over it's lifespan than an I/O.

My experience has been the exact opposite. Maybe it's different with the 4-stroke powerheads now, but I can't imagine how. Assuming they last just as long as an I/O, they have to be much more expensive to rebuild.

Only maintenance difference that's been apparent to me is a $100 set of bellows on the I/O once every 5 years. I/O oil changes vs pre-mix oil is probably about a wash. Lower unit oil all needs changing the same.

But the pressure lubricated GM engine in the I/O outlasts a 2-stroke powerhead by at least a factor of 2 to 1, and the 2-stroke outboard powerhead is at least twice as expensive to replace (a rebuilt 260HP 5.7L costs $1600 shipped to your house, what's a rebuilt 250HP 2-stroke cost?) which more than offsets the bellows maintenance cost. I have no idea how much a rebuilt 250HP 4-stroke outboard powerhead is, but I bet it's not cheap!!!

 

[ezmobee]

Re: I/O's, which ones to stay away from?

Only maintenance difference that's been apparent to me is a $100 set of bellows on the I/O once every 5 years. I/O oil changes vs pre-mix oil is probably about a wash. Lower unit oil all needs changing the same.

Yep, on $5k boats I'm sure that's all they'll need! Silly me.

 

[RogersJetboat454]

Re: I/O's, which ones to stay away from?

Much older Volvo Pentas have Volvo motors, though. Anyone know when VP started using Ford/GM power, exclusively?

Early 90's I believe.

 

[mnypitboat]

Re: I/O's, which ones to stay away from?

My experience has been the exact opposite. Maybe it's different with the 4-stroke powerheads now, but I can't imagine how. Assuming they last just as long as an I/O, they have to be much more expensive to rebuild.

Only maintenance difference that's been apparent to me is a $100 set of bellows on the I/O once every 5 years. I/O oil changes vs pre-mix oil is probably about a wash. Lower unit oil all needs changing the same.

But the pressure lubricated GM engine in the I/O outlasts a 2-stroke powerhead by at least a factor of 2 to 1, and the 2-stroke outboard powerhead is at least twice as expensive to replace (a rebuilt 260HP 5.7L costs $1600 shipped to your house, what's a rebuilt 250HP 2-stroke cost?) which more than offsets the bellows maintenance cost. I have no idea how much a rebuilt 250HP 4-stroke outboard powerhead is, but I bet it's not cheap!!!

I agree, but you wont convince anyone that is a die hard outboard guy. I have seen the bill on both, and I will keep my I/O for my runabout. Not only that, I can work on them. I dont have a bunch of carbs to work on, or I dont have to mix oil. Maintanance costs me the cost of oil, spark plugs, filters, and outdrive oil. My outdrive is 10 years old now and before I got it was never maintained, and its still going strong. I lost the engine last year due to a flaw in one of the head gaskets, but it lasted 10 years with a pinched gasket. Alternator is about $50 to have a local guy rebuild it, same with starters. Carbs are about $100 to have rebuilt and set up. I am not sure what everyone thinks is so expensive on an I/O to fix, and what exactly it is that is supposed to break more relative to an outboard. But that debate will go on and on. I would prefer 4 stroke outboards on an offshore boat, but for mine I like my basic GM 350. Oh, theres the bellows and gimbal bearing. OK so there is $120 in parts and about $100 install if you dont do it yourself. But like you said, every 5 years. Mine went 10 with me inspecting them every year.

Oh and I only paid $2100 for my 01 21ft Tahoe about 5 years ago. So I know for sure it was not taken care of, but it was a deal.

 

[Sparkinator]

Re: I/O's, which ones to stay away from?

At 5K, there are some deals out there, just be content to look for a while. I found my boat a couple of years ago for 4500. Its a Four Winns Horizon 190 with a OMC Cobra SX 5.0 V8. I wasn't going to give the guy much for it, because it had the 'dreaded OMC', but I later learned that it was the Volvo Penta partnership drive, that is basically a Volvo Penta SX.

Granted, mine is a Ford 302 engine, but I'm more than happy with the engine, given the amount I've invested in the boat. I changed the u-joint bellows and exhaust bellows and the shift cable. That's about all I've spent on the boat other than self-induced needed repairs.

Point being, just keep looking and tracking down boats that you hear about. You never know what you might find it leave no stone unturned. And, if unsure of anything, before you plop down the cash, run it by the forum. I'm sure you will get some opinions.

Good luck!

 

[Don S]

Re: I/O's, which ones to stay away from?

Much older Volvo Pentas have Volvo motors, though.

Volvo used Volvo 4 cylinder and inline 6 cylinder engines. The V6 and V8 Volvo's have always been Chevy except for a 2 year run of Ford (76-77) and that was it until 1993. Then things changed.

Anyone know when VP started using Ford/GM power, exclusively?

In 1994 when Volvo and OMC went into the joint venture, OMC brought along the Ford V8's again, but they only lasted through 96. Then Ford was dropped from the linup completely. In 98 OMC sold out completely to Volvo.
The 3.0L started in 1994 ending any Volvo gas engines being used.

As far as Bond'o request of his favorite engine/drive combo, here it is.

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: I/O's, which ones to stay away from?

Thanks for the timeline, Don. And that picture is hilarious!

 

[Tagerman]

Re: I/O's, which ones to stay away from?

I will say I looked at 2 identical boats both with a huge service history from the same shop at the same marina. Both were Carver 2157 Montego's one had the volvo/penta 570 (5.7l chevy) with the duo prop and one had the Merc 5.7l with an alpha one. I lake tested both and while the volvo/penta boat was faster on plane and quicker to get there it was $7000 and the Merc boat was $4500 (and not teal). I loved that volvo boat but I have always had Mercruisers and I trusted it and loved the price. Bottom line get what is the best deal, what you can find parts for, and go with one you (or your local mechanic) trusts. My .02 is that I had an 85 4winns 170 horizon with a pre alpha mercruiser outdrive on it and my local mercruiser shop got me brand new parts for it no problem. That is invaluable.

 

[slag]

Re: I/O's, which ones to stay away from?

Yep, on $5k boats I'm sure that's all they'll need! Silly me.

In the 3 years I've owned my 89 regal, all I've done to it aside from plugs/distributor/oil/filters, is the bellows and shift cable.

When the time comes, I'll press out the old Ujoints as well and put new ones in.