Logo
FULL SITE MENU

260 engines

A

atilla_boy

Regular Contributor
"I'm looking at purchasing

"I'm looking at purchasing a 30 foot carver yacht with twin 350 merc's 260hp they need new (Iguess you call them bell housing's) there the part that attaches to the transom. I guess the previous owner left them sitting in salt and they are so corodded they almost have holes all the way through them. the place that is selling the boat is willing to give me ones to replace them and is willing to let me work on this boat while it sitts in his yard. he is an older guy, the owner, and has been aroung boats all his life. he said that he would deliver it after its fixed and will let me use any tools I need that I don't have like an alignment tool etc.. the boat is in excelent shape but the bellows were leaking..So my questions are how good and reliable are the 260 engines in general, and since the bellows were leaking will that affect the transom? He has the outdrives already removed and I turned them manually and they look fine to me. I have replaced many impellers with much success. I was a mechanic in the USAF so I am mechanically inclinded so as far as fixing it , And yes I DO have them manual. Sorry for the long post but this boat will put me back about $15,000 plus my old 226 Galxy Cuddy cabin and I would like to hear about these issues from people with experience with these motors"
 
"Hi John
I have a couple of y

"Hi John
I have a couple of years with a 1988 5.7 260 with Thunderbolt ignition.
For what it's worth it runs like a swiss watch and is not too terrible on fuel,,, if you stay off the four barrels. Engine has about 350HRS and uses no oil. Good luck with your decision.
Ken"
 
""since the bellows were l

""since the bellows were leaking will that affect the transom? "

You don't say how old it is. I would be inside the engine compartment probing around w/a moisture meter and a small hammer for sounding to make sure the hull, stringers, engine mounts and transom are solid.

All the Chevy 350 truck engines I've had were solid workhorses."
 
"Well this is a big job, Been

"Well this is a big job, Been there and done that.....LOL

Both engines have to be removed. Both outdrives have to be removed and presser checked and serviced.

Both tansom assemblies have to be removed and rebiult. While they are off you can replace all bellows and all parts that need replacement.

THis is my guess on parts needed

Gimbal ring, ujoint bellows, shift cable, shift cable bellows, water hose, sterring pin, steering link arm, trim sender, trim limit,gimbal bearing ansd gaskets, bellows adhesive, Transom gasket/oring (ALL TIMES 2)

What about the bell housings? New gimbal hindge screws?

Based on your desciption I would bet you will need to replace almost all parts.

BIG BUCKS.~ 2500 to 3500 for both

If you feel you can handlethis then go for it.

Good luck and I hope you do not have to do it outdoors!!"
 
"The guy selling this 30 foot

"The guy selling this 30 foot 1989 carver is a marine repair shop and will give me all the parts I need to fix this boat except the bellows and gaskets wich he will sell me at 50% off retail, due to the purchase from him. I think he only wants 50% because thats what he pays for them. He says he is willing to do all the work and have it delivered for another $10,000. So I will do the work, with his help if I need it and save the $10,000 for fuel. He is also willing to let me use any speciallty tools that I need also. the bellows only leaked for a day or to and the owner had it pulled out of the water. I know this cause I talked to the guy at the marina wherre it was kept. he said the owners were on the boat one day and then a day or 2 later the marina called the owners. They said that the bildge was running constantly. So the owners had them remove the boat from the water and check for leaks. thats when it was discovered..

Ghost he has the boat in a wherhouse on site as we speak due to the fact he was going to pull the engines with a overhead crane thats in his shop/wherhouse

Guy how do you get to all those areas with both engines still installed. I did already take a rubber mallet to the whole underside and back of the boat. everything seems really strong. I pulled every access panel up that I could find and everything was dry and solid. I still need to check a few more things but not related. I found the owners log and there is maintence reciepts all the way back to 1997. thats where i got the number to the marina where it was kept.

The marine shop where the boat is is a locally owned father and son business that has been open since the 60's so they are well known and well like guys. I think thats why I am wanting to deal with him. Plus he can get me financed for only $1,100 intrest nothing down, except the trade of my old boat, and $500 a month. He told the loan officer, or who ever he deals with that my boat is worth $7,000 but its only worth $4,000 and he jacked the price up $3,000 to make it look like I had more down.. He is really working with me on this...gotta love the small town type business."
 
"i think ghost is saying pull

"i think ghost is saying pull motors due to rebuilding transom assemblies, not sure though he'll have to answer.

John--
How does everything else look mechanically? How do the motors compression test, are we sure this is all the boat needs? really sure? This boat sounds like it's a bit of a stretch financially and mechanically, and i'd hate to see you into it up to your armpits when the alligators come out. It's gonna be alot of work(not technical work-- gut busting, arm wrenching, hand scraping work) It does sound like it will be a sweet float once it's fixed if that's the only problem with it. If the saltwater corroded the gimbal/bell housing, what else did it get to? Those are pretty tough housings. Just thought i'd throw that out theree.

--chris"
 
""Guy how do you get to al

""Guy how do you get to all those areas with both engines still installed."

John:

Get to what you can reach in the eng. bays. Sounding the hull and stern was an excellent move. If the bays are relatively clean and not stained, that should give some indication of the condition. I'd use a broom handle w/a metal thread on the end to sound what I could in the eng. bays. You'll know right away if you hit a soft spot."
 
"chris---ok there is a reciept

"chris---ok there is a reciept in the log book of a recent compression test and the lowest of the 16 was 163 and the highest was 172. the reciept date was at the begining of this year.

Guy---I'll try the broom handle this for sure. I never would have thought of that. the only thing I don't like about the boat is that the hourmeter was an option that was never installe so I will probably be removing the engines and doing a once over on them. just checks and tune ups unless there is a problem I will leave them alone. Thought that maybe while I had the engines out, if I purchase this boat, I will be painting the bildges and checking everthing around.


So I guess the engines are good motors huh, hope so anything ya'll can think of that I mey have missed please feel free to ring in here....this is my first BIG boat. I have had plenty of smaller boats, all with merc 4 cyclinders. So moving to this yacht with twin v-8's is a big change. plus I have to learn how to drive/capt. a boat of this size. I even though about taken a CG course and getting my lisence...

never had any bad luck problems just bad maintenence practices from previous owners. My wife says I'm a PITA about the saying "clean to win" and "There can never be too much preventive maintence""
 
oh yeah is there anything spec

oh yeah is there anything specific I should look for with these motors before I purchase this boat. things like with the 470 with the circulation pump seals that I have changed many time on many different motors? etc....
 
"Let me hand you a grenade w/t

"Let me hand you a grenade w/the pin pulled!

How is(are) the fuel tank(s)?
whistle.gif
"
 
"Those engines are great old w

"Those engines are great old workhorses John; and they are easy to service and get parts for compared to some others. That is the good news about this boat.

Others may disagree, but here are my idle-minded thoughts on the project:
-I think you are taking on a huge job that will take most of your spare time for a lot longer than you think. Personally I would head for the hills. But that's just me.
-I imagine the owners heard the estimate of repairs and promptly decided to get rid of it, especially if they were not using it all that much.
-I think you would be well advised to pull the engines and do it right, as you are planning.
-I think you can figure on some hidden surprises that will cost more than you think. You could easily rack up several thou in parts depending on what else you find
-not everyone wants a boat with two gas guzzling V-8's at todays gas prices. The resale value of the boat should you decide to sell it in a year or 2 may not be there.

Call me cynical, but those are my thoughts.
Rod"
 
I don't see the purpose in

I don't see the purpose in buying those when the owner is going to give them to me with the purchase of the boat. he already has two of them lying in the boat ready for me to put new bellows in and then install.... So why would I buy two more????


as for hidden problems I will NOT purchase this boat without a serveyer's opinion first I was just woundering what ya'll's opinion was before I spend the money on the serveyer...Like those engines are know for _______ so I would check that out before you buy it etc...
 
"John;
Gotcha now; sorry I mi

"John;
Gotcha now; sorry I missed that.
I somehow thought that you were going to have to buy all new Merc parts at dealer list price; and I figured by the time the smoke cleared it might get to be a lo-o-o-o-o-o-n-n-n-g list.

If you have good used complete transom assemblies you are most of the way there. I thought you said you had new gimbal rings, which is a long way from complete transom assemblies.

The main leakage problem may turn out to be a hole in a driveshaft bellows or some such thing.

Whatever you decide; good luck!

Rod"
 
"TSB,

When rebiulding the t

"TSB,

When rebiulding the transom assemblies the motors have to come out in order to remove the assemblies themselves.

. To work on the bell housing there is only need for the special 12 point hinge screw "tool"."
 
"Kghost,
I,m sorry,
I seen

"Kghost,
I,m sorry,
I seen the part that said bell housing,and missed that part (attaches to the tramson).You are correct."
 
hey ghost wont I also need an

hey ghost wont I also need an alignment tool to reinstall the engines....

also what about the exhaust?? if the transom assem. are so correded I think the the exhaust will probably not be in good shape. is there a way to check these with removing them??

Also can I start the engines if I hook up a water hose to the hose that comes from the impeller ??? shoiuldn;t that act like an impeller and feed the engines... I just want to do this to see if they will start. I assume that I will have to put a little gas directly in the carb due to the lenght it been sitting they are probably gummed up....
 
"John:

The water hose will

"John:

The water hose will work. Careful priming w/gas; use a spray bottle w/th nozzle in the stream position, fire ext. at the ready.

Your right about the rust from salt water. Gotta take it apart to check the parts. I buy replacement parts in the months of Dec. & Jan. since inventories are being reduced esp. on eBay. I bid w/45 secs. left so there is no bidding war."
 
"John;
When you pull the engi

"John;
When you pull the engines you can get to the exhaust Y pipes to check them out. They unbolt from the front transom plates.
While you are at it I would remove and check the exhaust manifolds and risers thoroughly.

You can hook up a garden hose directly to the stat housing for testing. Before startup run the water at a medium flow until you get good flow out the exhaust elbows.

A little shot of gas in the carbs ought to prime them enought to get them running. Hope they check out OK for you.

And yes, you will need to borrow the shop's alignment tool when re-installing the engine.

Rod"
 
so the best way to check the r

so the best way to check the risers is just remove and inspect them manually.. OK anything else I should check on the engines while I have them out???
 
"Oil pan cond. and gaskets, sa

"Oil pan cond. and gaskets, same for timing covers and valve covers; examine eng. couplers, starter bolts--check to see if they are siezed and fix them now."
 
what do you mean by pan condit

what do you mean by pan condition??? like corosion or leaks?? the engines are not seized and I know this cause I did the gas in the carb thing..both engines fire and run for a second with no ncks or any other strage noises..
 
""pan condition??? like co

""pan condition??? like corosion or leaks??"

YES; since it was used in salt water environment. If there is some rust on the pans, remove it, prime and repaint while engines are out so you won't have a pin hole down the way. Zinc chromate primer is what you want to use."
 
"John:

The last time I boug

"John:

The last time I bought some it was in a pt or qt can, can't remember. Check w/a hardware or paint store or auto refinish supplier. Scrape off the loose rust, use a spray can of "rust converter" on it then prime it."
 
ok well it looks like the boat

ok well it looks like the boat/miniyatch is about to mine. I was reading this thread and Rod you said something about hooking the garden hose directly up to the T-stat housing to see if I get flow before starting the engines. Where do I hook the garden hose up? in the hose that comes from the heat exchanger....sorry I'm a little confused???
 
"John;
The one you want is th

"John;
The one you want is the hose that comes from the outdrive to the exchanger. That would be the raw water inlet hose. It should come up the port front side of the engine and connect to the port end of the exchanger on the bottom.
Disconnect the hose at that point and connect up the garden hose there.

You can get a flush attachment at any auto parts store that adapts to several different hose sizes and has a garden hose attachment on the other end, plus a shutoff valve. This would work well for your testing I think.

Actually if they are FWC (exchangers), and you are only going to run them for a minute or two you don't even need a water supply if the drives are off. Don't run too long as the exhaust manifolds will get very hot without water flow. But a short run just to check them out won't hurt squat. This assumes the FWC side is filled with water/anti-freeze mixture.

You did say the drives are off, right?

Rod"
 
Back
Top