"Tim" wrote in message
...
On Apr 23, 12:42 pm, wrote:
I've been following this thread from the start but, even though I've
owned several sterndrives over the years, I'm a bit lost with the
mounting probs and brackets etc. The engines in mine were just
converted auto engines with a belt driven water pump already bolted
onto the front of the block as per usual.

But these arn't your typical car engine convert. From what I gather,
this was some concoction of Mercruisers own design where they took
half of a ford 460 (sor of) and made their own rig. The alternator is
actually in the front harmonic balancer. Not an alternator like you
would know. and was energized by spinning magnets around a stator
coil. Very similar to an outboard or a Briggs & Stratton. compact,
but no power, and extremely expensive. Reliability for the charging
system was iffy, too. Plus, no belt drives, only one for the power
steering.

googly.


honestly, you'd have to see one to appreciate it.

It's pretty hard to appreciate that system.

I helped a neighbor repower his 1988 21' Chris Craft Scorpion. It had a
small block Chevy V6 in it. It was a Mercruiser. After the huge
disappointment of what a new Mercruiser engine would cost ($6K+), he
decided to buy a rebuilt chevy car engine from Autozone. The cost was
$899. He removed the freeze plugs and installed brass ones. He then
replaced all the gaskets with Mercuiser stainless steel. He transferred
the risers, carb, fuel pump, etc. This was about 7 years ago. He still
has this boat today.

Jim Rojas


Jim wrote:

"Tim" wrote in message
...
On Apr 23, 12:42 pm, wrote:
I've been following this thread from the start but, even though I've
owned several sterndrives over the years, I'm a bit lost with the
mounting probs and brackets etc. The engines in mine were just
converted auto engines with a belt driven water pump already bolted
onto the front of the block as per usual.

But these arn't your typical car engine convert. From what I gather,
this was some concoction of Mercruisers own design where they took
half of a ford 460 (sor of) and made their own rig. The alternator is
actually in the front harmonic balancer. Not an alternator like you
would know. and was energized by spinning magnets around a stator
coil. Very similar to an outboard or a Briggs & Stratton. compact,
but no power, and extremely expensive. Reliability for the charging
system was iffy, too. Plus, no belt drives, only one for the power
steering.

googly.


honestly, you'd have to see one to appreciate it.

It's pretty hard to appreciate that system.

Jim Rojas wrote:
Mercruiser engine would cost ($6K+), he
decided to buy a rebuilt chevy car engine from Autozone.

At one time here, the auto parts stores were selling as many short
blocks to power sterndrives as they were to power cars. I replaced one
in about 1976, the store replaced the freeze plugs, no charge, and the
last time I saw the boat (maybe 8-10 years ago) that replacement block
was still going strong. All I did was unbolt everything from the
original (cracked) block, bolted it onto the rebuilt short block, and
I was good to go. I don't remember what the short block cost but it
wasn't much,

Rick