Swapping merc outdrives???

[Darol Wester]

A friend has a 1974 Cobalt ski boat with a 6 cylinder Chevy/160 merc, and the outdrive is not well. He also has a boat someone gave him that's from the middle/late 60's, maybe later, I'm just guessing, that has the Ford 302/888 merc setup and the outdrive is working. Are those outdrives interchangable or is there a spline difference at the crank or any other differences that would toss that easy fix?

 

[series60]

Re: Swapping merc outdrives???

A friend has a 1974 Cobalt ski boat with a 6 cylinder Chevy/160 merc, and the outdrive is not well. He also has a boat someone gave him that's from the middle/late 60's, maybe later, I'm just guessing, that has the Ford 302/888 merc setup and the outdrive is working. Are those outdrives interchangable or is there a spline difference at the crank or any other differences that would toss that easy fix?

Gear ratios are probably different. Any chance you have the serial numbers from both drives?

 

[Darol Wester]

Re: Swapping merc outdrives???

Gear ratios are probably different. Any chance you have the serial numbers from both drives?

Here ya go. The ski boat is 3851871. The bigger boat is 3784669.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Swapping merc outdrives???

Are those outdrives interchangable or is there a spline difference at the crank or any other differences that would toss that easy fix?

Ayuh,... The Gear ratios are Very different, 'n the input shaft on the I-6 is shorter...

 

[Darol Wester]

Re: Swapping merc outdrives???

Ayuh,... The Gear ratios are Very different, 'n the input shaft on the I-6 is shorter...

Is the ratio difference in the top or bottom unit or both? Just thinking of swapping tops or bottoms if that would work. We could change out the input shaft with the other I'd guess.