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Please Help!-Just bought a '1976 351 Sea Ray 20' cuddy cabin Mercuiser I/O

peeterbilt

New member
Hey guys,
I just got my first boat-a 76 Sea Ray 20' cuddy cabin with a 351 Windsor and a Mercruiser with an Alpha 1 outdrive. Motor is strong, outdrive had some water in it but I replaced the oil and seems to be good. Shifting into gear seemed pretty tough as she jumps pretty hard. The only other issues are she cuts out after planeing and is under load which I think is due to a faulty fuel pump. There is a manual fuel pump on there now which is bypassed and an electrical fuel pump is in use. I bought a Holley high performance manual fuel pump as that was the advice given to me. The only other engine issues are some water in the oil which suckd up thru the dipstick after a heavy rain flooded the engine compartment but I only have one more oil flush to get rid of all the oil in the motor. The last ting is it sounds like one of the lifters is knocking pretty \good. I guess with this being my first boat, where do I go from here? Are manuals available? Any special web-sites? Anybody else have any experience on classic Sea Ray or boat restoration they would like to share with me? Any help/advice/direction would be much appreciated! You can contact me directly via email: [email protected] or cell 850-602-7525. Thanks again!
 

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Re: Please Help!-Just bought a '76 Sea Ray 20' cuddy cabin Mercuiser I/O

Sounds like you for sure need some help. You've got water in the outdrive which I'm dealing with right now. Let me tell you, that in itself is a job and a lot of money. I'm up to about $200 in parts and I've still got to buy some specialty tools. You've got a shifting problem. You got an engine knock and water in the oil. Are you sure the blocks not cracked? If your engine compartment flooded that means all your wiring got wet and is now corroding.
Owning your own boat is a full time job especially when its 35 years old. Believe me, mine is 35 years old. Get ready to spend a couple thousand to get/keep this thing running good.
So which issue you wanna tackle first?
 
Re: Please Help!-Just bought a '76 Sea Ray 20' cuddy cabin Mercuiser I/O

ford engines do not like water the lifter tapping could be a lifter went sour or rocker arm is wore are you spun a bearing on that piston, i like the mechanical fuel pump myself, be very carful with the oil flush cause it is very easey to spin bearing after useing it, when that engine is running right you will know it i got a webbcraft 20fter 351 windsor 650 holley marine carb and i have not the guts to put trottle all the way it has a stringer outdrive electric shift
 
Hey i also have a 1976 Cuddy Cabin that i am trying to restore. the motor is in great shape there are just some cosmetic and other minor operational problems that need to be tended to. i was wondering if anyone could suggest anywhere to find parts for the boat. specifically the boot that goes around the outdrive.
 
Check the boat's floor, stringers and transom for rot. The floatation foam could very well be waterlogged if the boat has been taking on water...before you bought it. Getting the foam out requires floor removal. Once you open the floor there will be all kinds of surprises for you. Been there and done that...rotted stringers, floor and transom...a major job that can be done. One man posted a series of "how to" on Youtube for refurbish his boat from the bare hull...about 50 videos detailing step by step.
 
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