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new boat owner, needs help

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Ken Brimage

New member
Hello everyone,

I am a new boat owner and i know a little about boats. I have recently purchased a cobia with a I/O system and this boat has a heat exchanger....no idea what that is. i looked it up on the net and i am getting no were...i have a friend who has a boat and its his first boat also so the help i thought i would get is not happening. If anyone could share some info about what it is that am now the new proud owner of, it would be greatly appresheated...
 
Ken Brimage said:
Hello everyone,

I am a new boat owner and i know a little about boats. I have recently purchased a cobia with a I/O system and this boat has a heat exchanger....no idea what that is. i looked it up on the net and i am getting no were...i have a friend who has a boat and its his first boat also so the help i thought i would get is not happening. If anyone could share some info about what it is that am now the new proud owner of, it would be greatly appresheated...
Click to expand...

Ayuh,.... Welcome Aboard,... What motor,..?? What outdrive,..?? They ain't all the same,....

Serial numbers would help,...
 
its a mericruser 3.7.....4 cyl....the outdrive......um no idea....i dont have a manual for the boat and i dont know were to find this information at. the boat is about a hour away from my house so running and getting it is not very simple.....the boat is a 1985 cobia 195 vbr.....the motor runs....the prop spins....that about all i know....this is my second boat, my first boat i purchased was a bayliner cierra....block was busted, floor and beams were rotted, interior was great though....i paid 5 grand for it and gave it away 3 weeks later, i was taken advange of...so on this boat, i checked the engine, i checked the floor, i checked to make sure the out drive worked....so now its what do i have...lol....
 
Just a little more info i have found out via you tube. I seen you need to change all fluids....so i just purchased out drive oil, that now i am seeing may be the wrong kind, engine oil, that also may be the wrong [email protected] am just trying to have a proper running vessel that is properly taken care of. the season is coming up and i cant wait to get out there. i can drive a boat with no problem. i can launch and retrive alone...that from borrowing my buddy boats. Seems like i need to slow down and wait for replys befor I get myself into a serious pickle...so any help would be appresheated...
 
Ken Brimage said:
its a mericruser 3.7.....4 cyl....the outdrive......um no idea....i dont have a manual for the boat and i dont know were to find this information at. the boat is about a hour away from my house so running and getting it is not very simple.....the boat is a 1985 cobia 195 vbr.....the motor runs....the prop spins....that about all i know....this is my second boat, my first boat i purchased was a bayliner cierra....block was busted, floor and beams were rotted, interior was great though....i paid 5 grand for it and gave it away 3 weeks later, i was taken advange of...so on this boat, i checked the engine, i checked the floor, i checked to make sure the out drive worked....so now its what do i have...lol....
Click to expand...

Ayuh,... I wish I had Good news for ya,... but I don't,...

You have an ole 470 Merc, 'n most likely an Alpha 1 drive,...
The drive is a good solid drive,...
But,...
The motor is a Merc creation, that went outa production a few years after yer's was built,...
'n Merc has been tryin' to forget about that redheaded bastard step-child ever since,...
Many, Many parts for it are NLA,...
No Longer Available,....

The drive likes a 75W-90 Syn-oil,...
The motor will run on 'bout any oil ya pour into it, so long as it's clean, 'n fresh,...
 
All man!! lol....dang i cant get a decent boat!
Any advice for this motor as far as keeping it running nice until it craps out on me? Another thing i noticed, it has green antifreeze in it. I dont think thats right....but they told me i have a heat exchanger and its suppose to....i had it a week or 2, and when i test drove it, it ran well....so we will see...im hopeing i have told you the wrong information and its not that motor! thanks
 
MikDee said:
All is not lost, those were pretty good engines developing between 170-200hp with up to a 4bbl carb, but they have their issues. If maintained well, you'll get some good use out of them. They used a 4cyl cast iron Ford head, & an aluminum Mercruiser block. They used a closed water cooling system with antfreeze/seawater (separated) running through a heat exchanger for cooling. The pistons are huge on that engine, 4-1/2" I believe. Read up on the few issues with that engine, stay ahead of them, and you'll be OK, as long as you can find any special parts specific to that engine. Good Luck, Mike D.
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Mike D.

thanks for the advice, so far i have heard the chargeing system on them are crap. I think im going to go with one off a chevy motor and get a special adapter made for it....
 
I'll jump in on this thread, too, having purchased a lemon or two over the last 50 years. First, try to find an owners/operators manual. That will give you the maintenance procedures and fluid specifics, which you should closely follow. The heat exchanger concept is very solid in that it keeps sea water from corroding the block of the engine. You likely will have two water pumps- one to circulate the treated coolant through the block and head, and the other to circulate sea water through the exhaust system. The raw cooling water is drawn into the engine through a large hose from the out drive. That hose and its connections need to be checked often. The failure of that hose is responsible for the vast majority of I/O sinkings. The good news is that if the engine does give up the ghost in the future, if is not that difficult to change out with a better engine - new or rebuilt. One other thing, I do not think it is wise to try to adopt an automotive alternator to a marine engine. Marine certified alternators are specifically designed to suppress any sparks that could ignite fumes in your bilge. And that brings up one other thing - be absolutely religious about turning on and running for at least a minute the bilge blowers before trying to start the engine.
 
Forgot to mention that you ought to go to the Merccruiser forum on this site. Go to the top of this page, click on "Forum Home" at the top right, then click on Merccruiser forum. Post questions and do searches on your engine.
 
This is the best advice you will ever get.

Clean the boat and sell the boat. Sorry.

 Have a professional look at the next one you purchase.
 
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I thank you guys for all your help!!! Chris you mentioned something about car parts.....I dont think they are useing car parts....i went to a boat dealer and that is the way he described it to me...a chevy motor part.....i thought he ment that chevy made motors for boats...but i will check on that....grand total for the changeout is $546 bucks....the fabrication is i think 250...the part is 200....and 1 hours labor...thats what i was told...i dont know if its smart to do.....i just ask and follow people who know alot more than me. so check if it is a car part.....I know that car and marine parts are the same but not the same....same name, same procudure, but they dont operate the same, like sparts and things like that....but thanks again guys....

Ken Brimage
 
Ken Brimage said:
I thank you guys for all your help!!! Chris you mentioned something about car parts.....I dont think they are useing car parts....i went to a boat dealer and that is the way he described it to me...a chevy motor part.....i thought he ment that chevy made motors for boats...but i will check on that....grand total for the changeout is $546 bucks....the fabrication is i think 250...the part is 200....and 1 hours labor...thats what i was told...i dont know if its smart to do.....i just ask and follow people who know alot more than me. so check if it is a car part.....I know that car and marine parts are the same but not the same....same name, same procudure, but they dont operate the same, like sparts and things like that....but thanks again guys....

Ken Brimage
Click to expand...

I never mentioned anything about "car parts".
 
Hi everyone,

Just wanted to give the guys who helped me a update....well i got the new seats/ carpet in...new radio and all the bells and whisles.....runs like a dream also. so it looks like my season is going to be a great one! thanks again!

Ken
 
Good for you! Just learn everything you can about the boat, motor, and outdrive. At some point in time you will be stuck on the water. Most times, it is something you can fix on the spot if you know your boat.
 
A BIG ditto on Chris' recommendation - Tow Boat US is worth the money. Only had to use it once in the last 15 years or so, but well worth the money and piece of mine.
 
agree with Chris and Bondo....you got it all pretty with new seats and everything so sell it while its running...you are going to take a hell of a beating on it if it breaks and you cant get parts etc...a boat with an engine down is not worth much... sometimes,depending on experience with boats etc, it pays to pay a professional up front to help you get into the right rig....at least get one to inspect the rig before you buy it..just my opinion but i am 75 years old and a lot of that time on the water...all my kids could run a boat before they could drive a car...
 
Tow Boat US....insurance....im looking into that right now! i guess one good thing i got on my side is i will only boat on 1 of the 3 rivers we got here in pittsburgh. i never ever plan on being out of reach of someone. the people here on the water are very friendly and will help if needed. its like a band of brothers...but on the water, lol...everyone is saying sell the boat...so insteal, i bought another engine to go in the boat in the case this one blows up. its a 300 or a 3000....what ever engine that replaces it. so thats my plan..im searching for a list of the bouys so i can laminate them and put them on my boat so i dont forget. I cant find moaring cover for my boat...do they have to be custom made for the boat? at any rate, if it goes bad, i got my eye on a 21'bayliner...lol....

thanks guys
ken
 
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