Looking for an engine

[Ike]

The engine on my 72 Sea Ray 190 SRV, decided to go to the big junk yard in the sky. (it was only 46 years old) So I am looking for a replacement, a used but running Mercruiser 165 4.1L inline 6. (the GM 250 in disguise) If I can find one here in the Pacific Northwest I can pick it up. Washington, Oregon, Idaho??, or even British Columbia Meanwhile I'm just using my kicker motor to go fishing.

If anyone of you hear of anything please post it here or send me a PM.

 

[wayne0]

If you know what the motor is, call your local junk yard! Same motor, different attachments.

 

[Ike]

Thanks for the tip. The problem here is simply cost and labor. Yes I could get a GM 250 out of a junk yard, but the price of labor to marinize it is more than the boat is worth and more than I''ve got to spend on it. I've already sunk a lot of money into the boat renovating it. More than I will ever recover if I sell it. I have done most of the work myself. I had a pro service the drive, and go over the engine. That was 10 years ago. Anyway, I am retired, and my pockets are not very deep so I'll keep looking for a running engine.

I know this is going to sound like whining but i don't want to have to rebuild an engine. I am surely capable, I've rebuilt engines before. But I am not getting any younger. I don't have a place to do it, and I think my lovely wife of 50 years would bolt the door(with me on the outside) if I said I was going to do that. Since I am retired Coast Guard I could use the engine shop at Fort lewis, but again when I got home I think I would be locked out. She has seen me work on far too many cars and boats over the years, And I would probably end up hurting myself. I have already done that a couple of times working on this boat, one of which put me in the ER. The third would be the last straw. So I'll find an engine and have the guy at the marine repair drop it in and hook it up. Safer in every way.

Of course if I can't find one then I don't have a lot of options. So marinizing a GM 250 may be what I will end up doing. There are millions of them out there in junk yards and running pickups. I have considered the 4 banger Mercruiser but they are a real dog and lots of trouble so I'm told. But they happen to be easier to find. I've also considered junking the engine and drive and converting to outboard. Also a lot of work. (you wouldn't believe how many people I have talked with over the years who have done this and if not done right it can be a disaster.)

Anyway, I'm a patient man and I have a lot of other irons in the fire at the moment so I'll just keep looking.

 

[BillK2632]

Would a 4.3 work? Probably more of those available in the Mercruiser dress.

 

[Ike]

I don't know. I'll look into it.

 

[Ike]

Doesn't look like it would fit. It's a v-6 and a lot wider that the inline 6. Plus it weighs a lot more. But it would sure go like a scalded cat with that engine.

 

[NorCal Boater]

Those in line 6 cylinders were common in the 70s but haven't been around for a while. I think you will have a real hard time finding a running unit. If you want to stay with the 165HP engine you may just have to do the rebuild and buy your wife a nice gift. Sorry....

 

[JVM225]

It’s been about ten years now, but I remember talking to a guy in a dock one day that was in the same position. He needed two inline six’s to repower an older boat and even back then he found it impossible to find them.
His plan was to put two V8’s in the boat since they are fairly reasonable and plentiful.
Not sure whatever became of him or his boat, but it may be food for thought.

 

[Loyd Dinneen]

Saw one posted on Craigs list its under boat parts. Its a complete engine looks drop in ready. The post says it is still in the boat and see it run. It is under inland empire and is for 1000.00 It located in Moreno Valley California.

 

[Ike]

I have decided not to pursue this. I am going to remove the engine, and convert it to an outboard. The transom and motor well are all work I can do my self. Reinforcing the transom, and building a motorwell (splashwell) are all wood and fiberglass work. Good winter project. I will buy a good used outboard (I already have a couple of good sources) and pay the marine techs to rig it and hook up the steering and controls. Meanwhile there are other things that need fixing and I can go fishing and putt around the lake with the kicker. The fish won't know the difference. Thanks to all for your advice.

 

[Ike]

A quick update. Well, changed my mind back to the original plan. Find a running mercruiser 165 and install it. After much searching I found quite a few. Most of them on the wrong coast. I looked very hard at one in Vancouver BC, Canada, but decided against it. Lots of hassles.

In September I found a Mercruiser 165 in Oregon that is in pretty good condition considering it's age. I runs well and doesn't appear to have any major issues. The owner bought a 1978 Fiberform and decided to convert it to outboards. So he sold the engine to me. It is now being installed in my 1972 Sea Ray. So by Spring I should have a working engine again.

I paid $300.00 for it. The two trips to OR from Olympia WA, and rental of a pickup cost me about $300 total. So now just labor cost to install it. But it will still be a lot less expensive than buying a long block or a re-manufactured engine.

 

[Handsome Transom]

A quick update. Well, changed my mind back to the original plan. Find a running mercruiser 165 and install it. After much searching I found quite a few. Most of them on the wrong coast. I looked very hard at one in Vancouver BC, Canada, but decided against it. Lots of hassles.

In September I found a Mercruiser 165 in Oregon that is in pretty good condition considering it's age. I runs well and doesn't appear to have any major issues. The owner bought a 1978 Fiberform and decided to convert it to outboards. So he sold the engine to me. It is now being installed in my 1972 Sea Ray. So by Spring I should have a working engine again.

I paid $300.00 for it. The two trips to OR from Olympia WA, and rental of a pickup cost me about $300 total. So now just labor cost to install it. But it will still be a lot less expensive than buying a long block or a re-manufactured engine.

Glad you have found a solution that will work for you and your family. I hope you have a sympathetic tech to do the install so you can still afford gas and bait on a pension budget. Happy fishing

 

[Ike]

Odd story about That When I first got this boat I need to get the sterndrive checked out. I asked the local Sea Ray dealer and he said " oh we don't work on anything that old. We don't have any qualified mechanics." He gave me the name of a Marine Repair shop, Commencement Bay Marine in Tacoma, and said they have a guy who does this.

So I have been taking it there since for stuff I don't want to do. They aren't cheap, but then they aren't as expensive as some other shops. Plus that, they host the local Sea Scouts and USCG Auxiliary so they are good people. I have always been satisfied with their work. The man who works on my boat, Jeff, is really good and knows these old engines and drives. He always calls and keeps me updated and asks for permission when he has to do something not stated in the work order. Since the boat will be out of the water until April I told them to just work it into their schedule. They work on a lot of commercial boats which of course is always a first priority and that's ok with me.

As for bait, no problem. Don't get me started on the price of gas! Fortunately One tank (26 gals) usually lasts all summer.

 

[CliffA]

'Fortunately One tank (26 gals) usually lasts all summer.'........

i just threw up a little in my mouth..............

 

[Ike]

I suppose I should explain. My boat is used on American Lake near Fort Lewis WA. The lake is only 3 miles long and about a mile wide. At speed it only takes a few minutes to go the full length of the lake. I use the main engine to get to my favorite spots but then either anchor, or use the 4 HP O/B to troll. My wife likes to go fishing with me but hates going fast (meaning on plane) so I only get up to about 15mph at most except when I take the boat out occasionally just to make sure everything is working ok, usually 2 times. Once at the beginning of the season and then maybe mid august just to blow out the carbon from running slow all the time. These are brief jaunts. So the gas lasts. The O/B can run for two hours on about 3/4 of a liter and I have a 3 gal aux tank for it. This summer I used about a gal and a half mostly because the main engine wasn't running. I fully realize the 165 would probably go through 26 gals rapidly if I pulled skiers or water toys, or used it out on Puget Sound. I've never measured it's actual fuel rate but a guess would be 4 to 6 gals per hour at 3/4 throttle and more at full throttle. This is a heavy boat.

I hope you are feeling better now. LOL

 

[Ike]

Update on an engine for my 1972 Sea Ray 190SRV.

Last October I contacted a fellow in Oregon who was converting his boat to outboard and wanted to sell his 1978 Mercruiser 165. After checking the engine and running it I purchased it for $300.00. Sounds like a steal? Well it was but then I needed to get it installed. I took it to the marine repair outfit I always use and they installed it, plus overhauled the sterndrive, and a few other odd jobs. The bill was north of 4K. I finally got it back about a week ago and today was the launch. It runs fine, Started right up. It needs some adjustment of idle and the shifter but otherwise it's good

 

[Thornton69]

Nice to see you are back on the water. Did you pick up the original outdrive with this engine? If not and there is a chance it is still available, you may want to look into grabbing it as well. Parts are getting tougher to find for these older boats. It looks pretty clean and I am assuming it was a freshwater system.

 

[Ike]

I think it was used in salt water. The guy I bought it from is an avid offshore fisherman. The engine is not raw water cooled. It has a heat exchanger. It is hard to see in the photo. It's just below the alternator. The way it was mounted it would not fit in the engine compartment so they had to modify the way it is mounted. It is now under the engine on the left side. But works fine. I will be using it in fresh water though.
No i didn't get the drive. Probably should have.
I do need to do some adjustment. Idle speed is too high and the shifting into gear is really stiff. But, just glad to have it back.