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Transom rebuild question for Bondo and fellas

O

oilslik

Contributing Member
"I have confirmed that my tran

"I have confirmed that my transom is a solid 2" thick. Thats great for the Merc conversion, but theres still that giant hole. Which is'nt all that much bigger than the hole for a merc, its just wrong "all the way around"(get it?funny).
Im just wondering how much of the transom do I need to rebuild and whats the best way to do it? I WANT a 300hp merc in this bad boy."
 
No one cares do they? Screw an

No one cares do they? Screw and Glue. Spray and Pray. Pump and Dump? Or is it "Pay and Pray?" Can I use a router to route out say 1.5" of solid fiberglass? Then do a build-up with MDO. Sounds feasible. Thats alot of fiber or should I just cut the whole transom out and start over?
 
"<[img]"http://www.marineengin

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Think this should doit as far as a rebuild/MDO buildup? The gimble housing for the merc/alpha is almost as big as an OMC whole. Its just the wrong shape."
 
"never done one... I still hav

"never done one... I still have my 800 series.

If the transom is two 1" boards like mine, you might be able to cut 1 inch deep from the inside about 6" bigger than the hole. Maybe 12" upwards.

Make a 1" board for the inside to match the new cut, and a 1" plug for the outside to match the old OMC cutout.

sumpthin like that."
 
"I just got done replacing the

"I just got done replacing the bellows and gimbal on my other Mercruiser powered boat... man what a pain in the ass. I don't understand the love myself.
My 800's controls feel like a Corvette. The Merc shift and steering are like a Lada.
But mines a GenII alpha, not a Bravo 10 or whatever they have now...
happy.gif
"
 
"If someone would step up and

"If someone would step up and make parts AND CABLES for the 800, I would just leave it the way it is. But damn, wheres the parts? You think I should go with a Volvo?"
 
Go Mercruiser. despite their l

Go Mercruiser. despite their lack of serviceability and smoothness. Can't beat a $1200 brand new sei alpha outdrive if you can live with less than 300hp.
 
"yea I was relooking at them,

"yea I was relooking at them, it looks like what I would need is a 260hp 350 mag mpi seacore combo platter. About $15k. But that one only comes with the bravo. I would have to step down the hp for an alpha."
 
"To each their own, but my eco

"To each their own, but my economics are quite different.
It might be because I live north where salt water is thousands of miles away.
Decent used, and some new 800 parts are around...at least in my area... just takes some googling.
$15K could get you a spare engine for your OMC with crate longblock and fully dressed ready to drop in, and four spare 800 series drives, resealed and pressure tested with cables on them ready to go.
I'm figuring on the high side at $2500 per drive and $5000 for an engine.
Would any of us would live long enough to burn up 2 engines and 5 drives?

A lot of that Mercruiser stuff is made in China. The warranty is small consolation when it's a sunny weekend and your boat is in the shop and they're trying to get you to pay becuase you somehow caused all the failures...
You get your boat back, go 3 miles out and the same problem happens again... back to the shop....
And once the warranty is over, those electronic engines are not user serviceable, and those fancy drives have a lot of fiddly parts.
If going Mercruiser, go alpha only. make China your friend (i.e. SEI), rather than the enemy."
 
"[b]"Im just wondering how

""Im just wondering how much of the transom do I need to rebuild and whats the best way to do it?"

Ayuh,... I've seen it done alota ways that worked,...
I take,+ route out steps in the OMC hole,+ epoxy in pieces of plywood to fill the hole...
I usually have the outer skin of the donor boat to epoxy into place on the outside...
As long as it's 2" thick,+ parallel in the clamping area,...
You're Good to start Drillin'...."
 
Good points HyStat. "resea

Good points HyStat. "resealed and pressure tested with cables on them ready to go. I'm figuring on the high side at $2500 per drive"

Where can I get a price like that?
 
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