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  1. Z

    Replacement for perfect seal on drain plugs

    I replaced my drain plugs with 1/4 inch brass ball valves. Much easier to winterize and I find them easy to poke to clear any debris so it drains well. Three years on and no issues.
  2. Z

    Trouble reinstalling pre-alpha drive

    You need to set up the scene to remove impediments. How about putting a piece of plywood on the ground so the drive can slide. How about raising the bow so that drive will line up without lifting the drive too much. And how about putting permatex on the gasket and water inlet O ring so that...
  3. Z

    Alpha one Gen 2 Impeller Direction

    deleted.
  4. Z

    EZ Drain Plugs for Exhaust Manifold & Engine Block on 3.0 Mercruiser?

    I think your ez drain plug idea would work fine. They are ball valves, and you should be able to snake a wire or a nail up the valve to clear crud away so you can be sure to get all of the water out. You need a 1/4 inch NPT thread. You need to remove the fitting that is directly into the...
  5. Z

    1997 Maxum 5.7L Mercruiser need carburator

    When I replaced my flappers on a 5.7 L 1988 model, I also noticed that the flappers did not fit well and did not open up easily because the plastic cage was squeezed inward, which hindered the flapper freedom to move easily. I took a razor blade and trimmed some of the rubber away from the...
  6. Z

    Ball Valves on engine to make raw water draining easier

    Just in case a ball valve does trap water, after draining the block of cooling water, I run pink antifreeze through the hoses until it runs pink out the valves. I then open and close the valve a few time to rinse out any water that may be trapped there. When I lived in Michigan, I had a ball...
  7. Z

    Ball Valves on engine to make raw water draining easier

    1/4 inch male NPT, brass. I suppose bronze ones are also available for salt water applications.
  8. Z

    Ball Valves on engine to make raw water draining easier

    So for three years I have used the ball valves. So far so good. Draining the manifolds are a piece of cake. The port side block is easy. Where I have trouble is the starboard side block drain of the 5.7 L SBC. The issue is the cooling hose coming from the stern drive. This hose gets in the...
  9. Z

    Grey Font color

    Is anybody else having trouble reading the light grey font of the new style forum? Is there a way to make the font darker and easier to read? I know I am getting old but a dark black font color is much easier for me to read than grey.
  10. Z

    greasing u joint alpha 1 - new grease only came out one cap

    I have a 5.7 L alpha 1 and I recently pulled the drive to service the water pump. I was greasing the U joint and the forward joint greased fine. Howeve, for the rear joint, I noticed that the grease was only coming out of one arm of the rear U-Joint. I could not get the grease to push through...
  11. Z

    Can you change the forum message font color to something darker than light grey? It is very...

    Can you change the forum message font color to something darker than light grey? It is very difficult and frustrating to read. Or is this something that I can change when viewing?
    • zellerj
    • Profile post
  12. Z

    1988 5.7 L overheat

    I have a 1988 5.7 L alpha drive that overheated in a 27 ft Tiara with two mercruisers. I live on Lake Erie so it is fresh water, but raw water cooled. I noticed a hot oily smell and glanced at my temp gauge and the port engine was hot, so I turned it off. I could hear the water boiling in the...
  13. Z

    Exhaust shutters (flappers)

    I have a 5.7 L mercruiser and alpha one drive, 1988, and serial number B784582, that recently overheated. I pulled my outdrive and found four shutter plates in the bell housing. Upon separating the upper from the lower, I found a melted water pump housing and a melted copper pipe housing. Thanks...
  14. Z

    Laying on top of twin 5.7 L engines

    I have a 1988 Tiara 2700 with twin 5.7 L alpha 1 gen 1 Mercruisers. Working on these engines, winterizing, cleaning up connections, getting to the starter motors, trim pumps, changing oil filters, etc, is hard to do from the front, sides and middle. I find that it is easiest to place a...
  15. Z

    Zincs (or Magnesiums)

    I have two boats right beside each other at a Lake Erie marina, a sailboat and a Tiara 2700 with twin I/Os. The sailboat has a zinc on the prop shaft. When I pulled it out for Winter the zinc was in good shape, very little evidence of electrolysis. This zinc is about 10 years old. I very...
  16. Z

    power steering contol valve leaking fluid

    I have a twin 5.7 L 27 foot Tiara serial numbers: Port: B784582 Starboard: B784568..I noticed hard steering the other day but it was manageable. After docking for a few hours, the steering returned to normal. I attributed this behavior to stiff grease in the ram tube because of the cooler...
  17. Z

    Ball Valves on engine to make raw water draining easier

    I was wondering if anyone had good luck or advice on installing ball valves in place of the 1/8 inch plugs on 1980 vintage Mercruisers. Then instead of standing on your head trying to unscrew the plugs, you could just turn the ball valve. You could also probe the opening with a piece of wire...
  18. Z

    Ned more steering friction - twin 5.7 L alpha one - first generation

    I have a new to me 2700 1988 Tiara Continental with twin 5.7 L stern drives - alpha 1 gen 1. I have been having a hard time learning how to maneuver using only my shifters. Today I realized that the steering wheel wanders when I was practicing. As other have noted, if the helm is not dead...
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