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Mercruiser 496 Mag Maintanance

tricountytrail

New member
Getting ready to change exhaust flappers, plugs and wires, remove injectors to be flow tested and cleaned, and replace a sea water pump. looking for any helpful advise from forum. Just bought the boat 2005 Rinker 360, twin mercruiser 496 Mags with bravo 3 drives.

bellows and shift cables will be on the list after the other items.
 
Unless you have documentation of when the major services were done by the PO, I would advise that you replace all the consumables so that you have a base line of when the maintenance schedule begins. This means all hoses, hose clamps, belts, impellers, water circulating pumps, filters, fluids/lubricants, plugs, wires, distributor cap, rotor, and thermostat. Check for oil leaks and address as needed. Inspect engine mounts front and rear. Parts can appear to be perfectly good and usable but that can be deceiving.
Write on the oil and fuel filters the date and engine hours with a sharpie. If you haven't, get a little log book and write in it all that you do to the engines so you have a record.
Put together a spares kit that includes an extra of everything I listed along with prop nuts, cotter pins, fuses, circuit breakers, and enough oil for a complete change as well as lower unit and trim pump oil. Even if you have no idea which end of the wrench to hold, a rescue boater probably would and maybe find something in your spares kit that will save your day/life.
 
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Being that your 496 is FWC Changing all the hoses is a waste of $$$$ inless something is leaking....

Leave the ignition wires also, change the plugs with the oem...

I would see if it has a gen three fuel cooler and if the updates were done.....
 
I have to disagree Chris. If the engine is sporting 17 year old rubber, I'd swap it for new. That and the old hose clamps which are probably seized up. New AWAB ones for sure. I'm just that way tho.
 
Her comes some sarcasm, "If I agreed with you, we would both be wrong."

The hoses you want him to replace will cost over $1k when all is said and done.... They do not need to be replaced unless they are abrasion damaged or leaking.

I service many of the 8.1/496 of this vintage. 99% sport all their original rubbers......

I would replace the oil cooler, that is more important.... Mr Cool sells an exact replacement.
 
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