Need help on Identification of Mercruiser I/O

[Demolitron]

Hello,

Well, I walked away from a Mercruiser 470 powered boat! And then I stumbled into something nicer. I would like to have the community weigh in on this engine and drive.

Mercruise 205 Serial #:454761
Drive Serial #: A396855
Comes in a Four Winns 1985 19' openbow (Horizon 190 I think, can anyone weigh in on this?)

The owner started it for me. It had a VERY low battery and would hardly crank over, but it started up. Is that a good sign, that it started with very low cranking speed? It has been sitting for a year in his side yard. I put a VOM on the battery, and confirmed it was only about 11.5 volts. Otherwise I would suspect a problem with the starter.

I had them put it in fwd and rev, then tried to turn the prop to see if there were clutch dog problems. It would ratchet one way and then locked the other way. Seemed good to me.

Engine oil was slightly tan. The idle was smooth. The circulation water hoses felt warm and the bypass lines felt cold, so I think the cooling system is in order on a rudimentary level.


Thanks for your help.

 

[Demolitron]

Re: Need help on Identification of Mercruiser I/O

Btw, engine counter says 305...

 

[Don S]

Re: Need help on Identification of Mercruiser I/O

Better think about how you will change the starter, the oil filter, the spark plugs, remove the front motor mount lag bolt if you have to remove the engine or you have to adjust the engine alignment by raising or lowering the motor mounts and tightening them down.

 

[bomar76]

Re: Need help on Identification of Mercruiser I/O

"Engine oil was slightly tan."

Run away.

 

[Demolitron]

Re: Need help on Identification of Mercruiser I/O

"Engine oil was slightly tan."

Run away.

Thinking about that statement, could you mean they changed the oil just before listing it for sale to hide something?

 

[JustJason]

Re: Need help on Identification of Mercruiser I/O

as with buying any boat... let the owner take you out on the water with it. If he won't or cant... find another boat.

Running/cooling problems won't show up on a hose unless its total crap

 

[Demolitron]

Re: Need help on Identification of Mercruiser I/O

Hello,

Well I took the boat out today and it ran very well. I had a IR thermo with me but left it at the dock... =( But I could comfortably hold my hand on the exhaust manifolds, all hoses, and a few places on the engine block itself. We went around 10 miles at full speed and it never acted up. It started up cold in about 5 seconds and a hot start takes less than a second to start.

It shifted really smooth without any clunking and what not. The charing system seems to work well, it read about 13.5 volts at idle. The trim works well. The bellows are leaking however! Boat's been dry for a year and HE SAID it didn't leak last time out. Stored with the drive all the way up for a year could do that. I talked him down on his price for the cost of a transom kit plus a little for my time. As a side note, the bilge pump works great too. =)

Engine oil was clean after the test run, no milk, not black, anything else that would be a tell-tale for trouble? Lower unit oil looks like deep green/blue oil, smells like typ. gear lube, no milky color, no water. Again, anything else that's a tell-tale?

Now, here is my main question, with the serial number of the drive and engine I fist posted can anyone confirm that I need the follwing service manuals?

#7 90-12410 1983-1993 Engines - GM V6
#6 90-12934--2 1983-1990 Sterndrives - R, MR, Alpha One & Alpha One SS

Also, does iBoats carry them?

And a transom kit # would be... I assume that the first digit on the serial number goes from 0 to 9 to A and up, so my drive would require this kit:

Sierra 18-2601 Transom Seal Kit

I'll be tearing it down as soon as I get the manuals. I'll also be checking everything out that I can while the drive is off...

Thanks for your help.

P.S. The sides of the engine compartment are removable, so I've got a lot of room on the sides and about 8 inches in front of the engine to work.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Need help on Identification of Mercruiser I/O

I'll be tearing it down as soon as I get the manuals. I'll also be checking everything out that I can while the drive is off...

Ayuh,.......

Click Here for manuals #6, for the Drive,+ #18 for the motor......