Info on Mercruiser 7.4 V8 Bravo - UPDATE! THANKS!

[Jeff Quigley]

Currently have a 5.7 AlphaOne Merc. Great engine and tough as nails. No real problems with it. I'm looking at a trade and the other boat has an '89 Merc 7.4 V8 Bravo. How's this engine rate with you boaters with similar engines? Any common problems? It's pushing an '89 Regal Commadore 265.<br /><br />Would love to hear your feedback - positive or negative - to help me along. However, Merc haters ... please don't use this a slam session!<br /><br />Jeff

 

[Jeff Quigley]

Re: Info on Mercruiser 7.4 V8 Bravo - UPDATE! THANKS!

here's a pic... haven't been down to start it up yet. I should be going down in a week or so. Want to know what to look for.<br /><br />

 

[bigbrownbuku]

Re: Info on Mercruiser 7.4 V8 Bravo - UPDATE! THANKS!

check for a rusty sump and ask about riser/manifold age. pay the dough to get a tech to check it out with you.

 

[waterone1@aol.com]

Re: Info on Mercruiser 7.4 V8 Bravo - UPDATE! THANKS!

No real problems with a 7.4 or bravo in that year range. The pic you posted leaves a few concerns: 1) why is there rust trailing back from the thermostat housing onto the intake manifold ? 2)Unless it is just the pic, I do not see any clamp or other device to hold the engine multi-pin connector in place. 3) the wiring harness has several un-covered areas and I see a few crimp connectors that are questionable. 4) On the port side exhaust riser, just aft of the oil filter, the mounting bolt looks like the head is missing or stripped or ? 5) The green coroded nozzle on the engine compartment fire extinquisher make me question when this unit was serviced or re-certified last ?

 

[Reel Poor]

Re: Info on Mercruiser 7.4 V8 Bravo - UPDATE! THANKS!

That looks like a raw water cooled engine from the salt pond.<br /><br />If its all origional its probably about ready for replacement.<br /><br />Also if its a bravo 3, they had a lot of drive corrosion concerns. <br /><br />Looks like a lot of patch works been going on.

 

[Jeff Quigley]

Re: Info on Mercruiser 7.4 V8 Bravo - UPDATE! THANKS!

The image posted is much smaller the the original. If you want to see the larger pic, emial me at jeff.quigley@rogers.com and I will send it to you. It's an eight hour drive so I want to know what's what before going forward. Thanks everyone.

 

[waterone1@aol.com]

Re: Info on Mercruiser 7.4 V8 Bravo - UPDATE! THANKS!

The corrosion issue with the bravoIII drives were in the 1997-2001 time frame, Since this is a 1989, it most likely does not have a bravo III, unless it has been replaced.

 

[Jeff Quigley]

Re: Info on Mercruiser 7.4 V8 Bravo - UPDATE! THANKS!

Originally posted by waterone1:<br /> 2)Unless it is just the pic, I do not see any clamp or other device to hold the engine multi-pin connector in place.

Waterone1. Could I get you to give me more details about this so I can pass it on to the boat owner to get an answer? Thanks so much for your help.

 

[Jeff Quigley]

Re: Info on Mercruiser 7.4 V8 Bravo - UPDATE! THANKS!

Hey guys... I just want to say THANKS for all your feedback. I gathered all your questions and concerns from this forum (and another online forum) and posed them to the owner of the boat who wanted a straight trade for my boat. After our first few emails and telephone calls the deal was pretty much a go... but after I asked some questions like you provided above I got a short-and-sweet email this evening saying he wasn't interested in the trade. Hmmmmmm... I think he thought he'd been busted!<br /><br />Once again, THANKS!!!!! I might have saved myself from trading by boat for a handful of magical beans.<br /><br />Jeff