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Is it worth it to swap out OMC to Mercruiser?

GalaxyTandy

New member
Hey Boaters,
I have a 88 Galaxie Boat works with and OMC 350 motor. I looking to possibly swap out the OMC stuff and go Mercruiser. I have no plans on selling the boat for at least 3 to 5 years. A good fellow boater friend of mine told me that finding OMC parts are just terrible to find. So my question is. Is it worth it to swap out my OMC and go mercruiser? Or should I just keep what I have for now. My current motor is running just fine other than some issues with the OMC wiring harness that loves to cut my power off to my boat at times, very irritating. I realize that everything is running fine now which is why I think it may be a good time to sell my OMC stuff off. But not sure if I would really get anything for it other than the Chevy 350 motor. If I do plan on selling my boat in the future, I'm thinking mercruiser internals would have more value then OMC. So your thoughts would be great. As far as labor cost If I did swap out motor and drive I would more than likely do it myself.
Thx
Chris
 
If you like the boat and plan on keeping it, eventually you will have to replace the drive. When that time comes repower Mercruiser. You can probably find a donor boat with a Newer Mercruiser set up. I would find a Bravo Drive Donor.

No matter what you spend on this, you will never get your money back.....it's a 1988 Galaxie.
 
Yea I figured. So rather I keep it an OMC or swap a nice mercruiser in it, the 1988 is gonna hurt me? If that's the case then maybe I should move to whole thing now. Or just leave it alone.
Chris
 
Just an opinion - I'm with Chris on this one. An 88 Galaxie is not worth much in any case, so keeping the OMC vs. installing a Merc is not going to make a lot of difference in re-sale value. If you plan to use that boat a lot over the next 3 - 5 years, then the Merc may make since IF you can find a cheap donor boat with a good engine and out drive. But that is always problematic - a used motor and out drive is just that, and you typically have no idea what real condition they're in. I think you need to simply make up your mind just when you are going to do a trade-up, and let that be your guide as to how long you're going to keep this boat in it's current state.
 
Chawk
thx for the reply! If going with Marc is not gonna increase resale then maybe there's no reason to spend the money. Maybe pull the motor out when it goes and do a nice rebuild and call it a day. Would it be benificial to at least swap out the Outdrive with a mercruiser alpha 1?
chris
 
Sorry to use harsh language here... don't mean to offend anyone, but the common OMC stern drives are junk. I grew up on Lake Michigan and I saw SO many OMC stern drive failures. The other guys are right, while a Alpha or Bravo would be nice, the hole in the transom is a different size and you get into a fairly serious conversion. My recommendation is that you get a different boat, or learn to rebuild your OMC and tear it down every year to inspect. You won't believe how cheezy the parts are. OMC made the Cobra and I think it is better, but I've never seen one taken apart.
 
Would it be benificial to at least swap out the Outdrive with a mercruiser alpha 1?

Nope,... Not really,... hookin' an OMC motor to a Merc drive is nearly impossible,....

A pulleys to prop swap is the only swap that makes sense,....

The flywheel housin' is different,...
The exhaust is different, 'n different diameter,...

Only the Long Block is easily swapable,....

'n as noted above, unless ya got a hull that has a cult like followin', it ain't worth the money,....
I've done several Hi-Liners, as they can bring 20 grand or more when properly refitted,...
I'm doin an Old Town Atlantis right now, that should turn a $3500. ole hull, into a $30,000. refit boat when done,....
 
Ayuh,... iboats sells 'em, or you can go factory direct,... just google 'em,....Sterndrive Engineering Industries,....
 
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