You should get a manual, clymers is ok. First you have to take the outdrive
off. You can't take the engine out with the outdrive on. It has in input
shaft that slides into a coupler on the back of the engine bolted to the
flywheel. You take the outdrive off the back by detaching the 6 nuts on
rear of the top section and the two hydralic rams. Make sure it is in
forward gearl. Pull it straight out. It's heavy so have someone help you.
You leave the bell housing on the engine when you pull it. There are two
long bolts on the rear sides of the bell housing. Remove those. Remove the
nuts on the side engine mounts. If you're doing a long block any v6 gaskets
will do. The main difference in the gasket sets for maribe is ss head
gaskets. The egine is heavy cause you have it plus the flywheel, coupler,
and bellhousing. You need a lift high enough. When you put it back
together you will need an alignment tool to adjust the engine position so
the outdrive lines up correctly. That's why the side engine mounts are
adjustable up and down.

Cracked block usually means it was not winterized so remember that at the
end of this year :-)

"Ookie Wonderslug" wrote in message
...
I recently bought a 19ft Stingray SS in pretty much perfect condition
except for the engine. It has a cracked block. I've ordered a
replacement long block 4.3L marine engine. It should be here in a
couple weeks.

I've never replaced the engine in a boat before. It looks pretty
simple and straightforward. But I have never seen how the outdrive
attaches to the engine. Does it have a torque converter or something
back there that just slides out? How are the engines and stern drives
connected? If I undo the bellhousing bolts it should just pull apart,
right?

Any special advice or tips that would help me along?

And where do I look for the replacement gaskets? Is that something my
local boat dealer could get for me? I would suspect so, but it never
hurts to ask.

Last of all, what should I use to actually remove the engine and place
the new one in? The boat is way too high and big to use an engine
hoist. It's not really possible to make a crossbeam and raise it that
way since I have no access to large enough poles and wouldn't be able
to put them in straight and all anyway.

Would a rented backhoe type tractor do the job? How much does a 4.3L
marine engine weigh anyhow?

TIA