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  1. Lou C

    Is the vortec 4.3 the same short block as the early non-vortec?

    thanks!
  2. Lou C

    Is the vortec 4.3 the same short block as the early non-vortec?

    Just curious Rick were you able to use the pushrods from the pre Vortec or the Vortec? The Vortec heads usually come with non-adjustable rockers correct? When I did my top end overhaul, I thought of doing what you did but wasn't sure of the changes needed so just went back with the pre-Vortec...
  3. Lou C

    Water coming into bilge

    Perfect Seal, Evinrude gasket sealer or Permatex Aviation are all good for that application….
  4. Lou C

    Annual Maintenance

    When pulling the drive to check alignment, check the driveshaft bellows for water, and check it carefully for cracks, if you see small cracks forming it is time to replace it. Any sign of water replace it. If the gimble bearing has any roughness at all, replace. U joints, if loose or stiff...
  5. Lou C

    Mercruiser 4.3 Vortec running hot on one side

    Looks and sounds great.
  6. Lou C

    Thinking of upgrading to Sea Ray 210BR

    That does look good from what we can see
  7. Lou C

    Exhaust flappers for 2011 5.7 litre

    I don’t think they have used flappers in the exhaust Y pipe since ‘99 or so.
  8. Lou C

    U Joint bellows orientation

    For some things it just makes more sense to go OEM, for bellows & impellers, things you really don't want to fail. I have had OEM OMC/Volvo bellows last 10+ years, at that point you start to see small cracks starting, that's a good time to replace before you have an issue. The OEM ones don't...
  9. Lou C

    Quantity of Power Steering Fluid needed 2001 Merc 5.7 EFI

    If you're lucky you will have enough access if you ever have to do that job, on my boat I had to remove the seats (5 min job) and exhaust manifolds (20 min) then, was able to get in there. The part that makes it hard is: OMC/Volvos have 2 big cotter pins for the mount bolts on the transom mount...
  10. Lou C

    Quantity of Power Steering Fluid needed 2001 Merc 5.7 EFI

    When I changed the leaky actuator on mine last fall I had to add about a half a qt to make up for what leaked out when I disconnected the hydraulic lines on the actuator. They don't really hold all that much fluid. Check your actuator carefully for leaks, they are not easy to change due to it...
  11. Lou C

    Thinking of upgrading to Sea Ray 210BR

    If your choice is to keep the Stingray that nothing is wrong with vs a 24 year old boat why not keep the Stingray till you can justify moving up to a much newer boat, like less than 10 yrs old?
  12. Lou C

    How Far Can an Electric Truck Tow?

    And when it comes to towing you never want to be at the vehicle's limit. Our boat is about 5,000 on the trailer and that was the limit for our '98 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0 six and it felt like it, struggled on hills, etc. The '07 Grand Cherokee 5.7 is rated for a max of 7200 lbs and it hardly...
  13. Lou C

    How Far Can an Electric Truck Tow?

    I do like the original ZJ series (1993-1998), they always reminded me of old school American cars that I grew up with but now they are really getting old, hard to find a good one, and some parts you really have to search for. Funny thing about the seats, I thought the seats in the 07 were too...
  14. Lou C

    Thinking of upgrading to Sea Ray 210BR

    well, you can always get an estimate from a shop to do that part of it. I did the construction work and had the 'glass shop finish it off because I knew I could never make it look as good as they could.
  15. Lou C

    Thinking of upgrading to Sea Ray 210BR

    Well, 2 covers can be worse than one. Because moisture that gets trapped, never evaporates. I say, rip the carpet out, inspect the deck, replace if its getting soft, if not, sand, coat with resin and then gelcoat the whole thing in non-skid gelcoat, throw that carpet in the trash heap where it...
  16. Lou C

    Thinking of upgrading to Sea Ray 210BR

    Normally that area under the plywood in between the stringers is filled with foam so it would be unusual for the ply to flex like that. Before I filled the cavities in my boat with foam I test fitted the deck panels and you could feel a bit of flex when walking the panels but not much. The hatch...
  17. Lou C

    Thinking of upgrading to Sea Ray 210BR

    Carpet over a plywood cored deck is always suspect. After having done one deck replacement I’d never buy another boat built like that. You wouldn’t know for sure without ripping up the carpet. Unless the boat was used & stored in a dry arid climate even just moisture in the air gets absorbed...
  18. Lou C

    Mercruiser 4.3 Vortec running hot on one side

    Yes check the passages in the thermostat housing that the hoses feeding the manifolds connect to. You make also need a better water supply hose; I use a 3/4” or 19mm when running mine on the hose.
  19. Lou C

    4.3 Mercruiser 94 vs 98 interchangeability

    The Vortec heads are supposed to give you approx 25 more hp. When I replaced the heads on mine (first time for me taking apart an engine) I would have liked to go with Vortec heads but wasn’t sure there wouldn’t be complications with the valve train etc; since there are also other differences...
  20. Lou C

    Mercruiser 4.3 Vortec running hot on one side

    One last thing I’d check the passages in the thermostat housing; in a raw water cooled cast iron motor (especially if you run in salt water) those passages can neck down from corrosion. I have 2 OMC/Volvo thermostat housings that I alternate use of and just use a coat hanger wire to rod them out...
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