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New (to me) boat with OMC 175 thats been sitting

Commissar

New member
Have a few questions about this boat, I am getting it for free and am mechanically inclined and have worked on many cars, some motorcycles, but never any boats. I am sure a lot of this will make more sense when I pick up the boat this Sunday.

First off the boat is a 1975 Bell Boy 19' with an OMC 175 stern drive (Ford 302). The boat has been sitting for a couple years, the current owner acquired it and did some work, mostly on the fuel system I believe. He mentioned the boat will need a starter and a steering cable, but believes everything else is in order. He said he is too old and not flexible enough to do the work anymore, he also got it for free. I do know the person he got it from as well, it is a dive community boat I guess! The engine looks rough, will see what a cleaning can do to it. Now onto my questions. I plan on doing a basic tune up when I get it, spark plugs, wires, oil change, stern drive fluid change...

What spark plugs and wires to get:
What oil (I believe 4-5 quarts is correct):
What fluids are needed for the sterdrive, and how much:
What else do you recommend???

I plan on tackling the starter first and see what is going on, then start moving onto the rest. I will also pick up a priming tool, to get the oil flowing prior to trying to start it, what direction will the drill need to turn? Also never messed with a distributor before, is pulling it out and placing it back straight forward? Like I said when I get the boat I am sure it will make a lot more sense. Just trying to get some of the basics out first.


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IMG_0154.jpgThanks in advance for any help!
 
Before you get all excited you need to do some basic surveying of this fine yacht. Free is never free, or cheap. First thing is to look over the engine and check for cracks in the block, oil or coolant leaks. Since there's a built in fuel tank, there's a good chance that there is corrosion on the bottom. See if it is full of water too.
Second look over the boat hull. You are looking for rot. You can find it by testing for soft spots on the deck. Also look at the back of the boat where there happens to be a darn big hole. The rubber boot should be supple and not cracked and brittle. The wood core of the stern can easily become soaking wet, and if it is, you have a huge job on your hands repairing it. Inside the hull look for soft spots on the wooden stringers, particularly where the engine sits on them. Any damage to these and you will probably want to just quit as repairs are far beyond the value of the boat.
Not to be a wet blanket, but there are gazillions of "chop gun specials" just like this one out there that Uncle Bob had at his lake house and kept under the car port. Time has not been good to them. From here it looks like on its best day you may be able to strong arm a couple thou out of a buyer, so keep that figure in your head going forward...you don't want to dump into it a pile of money that you cannot hope to recover.
After you get your eyes on everything let us know what it looks like. I honestly hope you can get it going and get some enjoyment out of it.

PS. Tempting as it may be you cannot use automotive repair parts. Looks like someone used a car alternator and as you see it has fused into a useless mass. The starter must be marine grade. Ditto all the other components you buy. Our hosts have extremely good pricing on all that you could need to get that lump spooled up.

PPS. Use straight 30wt you buy it in gallons at Wally Mart.
Um, that drive went out of production back in the 1980s, so you'll have to ask some of the (ehem) old timers on this forum. Rick?
 
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Thanks for the heads up on things to look for. I am not overly concerned at this point about the condition. I am getting from a small community dive forum, where everyone knows everyone. It was advertised as a fixer upper with a few items needing replaced to get it working. I will definitely check for rot, and have been through the part section on here numerous times getting my head around what some of the costs are going to be. The current owner mentioned he had done work on the fuel system, so hopefully he started with checking the tank, but I will add that to my list as well. If I can have this "Fine Yacht" as you put it operational for around $1k, I will be happy. Running 1st, cosmetics later.

Keep the advise coming.
 
This is an OMC Stringer Drive. I'd advise that you walk away.

As said, free boats are NEVER free, and this one will likely become a money pit..... and you'll still have a Stringer Drive.

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Can you please elaborate on the downfalls of the stringer drive?

Poor design from day one.
These are not a stern drive per se.
They place all thrust and torque against the stringers, whereas a stern drive places this against the transom.
OMC has not produced a stringer drive since 1986 or so.
OMC presented the Cobra drive some time in 1987.
OMC has not produced an OMC designed stern drive since the last of 1993.
OMC failed and filed chapter XX.
OMC was purchased by Volvo Penta.
In 1994 Volvo Penta began producing the gimbal suspension SX and DP-S cone clutch drives.

My friend owns/operates a marine salvage yard.
He buys/sells boat parts
His #1 bread & butter sales are for used OMC parts.


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Actually I wasn't even thinking of cosmetics. When you go out on a boat, the expectation is that you will also come back in on it.
"It ran when parked..." yah sure, but what about now? Pay special attention to things like the hoses. It's probably a good bet that they are either original or not very young. Nothing ruins a day on the water like a shower of the Bay all over the SO. Same with belts and anything else made of rubber. And no, you can't tell just by looking. Be sure you put in a new raw water impeller.
Do your basic engine stuff like compression test and new plugs and tune up items. Find a used (marine) alternator on FleaBay for $30.
 
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