1979 OMC 250 Model# 990251S 250hp in a 1979 Tahiti Daycrusier 25

[caseyjwarner]

Can anybody provide me with basic information about this motor? Is it a 351w. 5.7l. Correct? Thank you in advance.

​Also is it a good motor and easy to fix? Are marine engine blocks swappable with automotive engine blocks?

 

[Bondo]

Is it a 351w. 5.7l. Correct?

Ayuh,..... Welcome Aboard,..... The 351w is a Ford motor, not a Chevy,....
The 5.7l is a Chevy 350, the Ford 351w is known as the 5.8l,.....

Ford has been outa the marine biz for a long time now, so parts are gettin' harder to find, 'n more expensive,...
Ford marine parts have always cost more than Chevy parts as Chevys were always much more popular to begin with,.....

While parts for the 351w are out there, 'n were used in trucks for many years,...
Yer gonna run into bigger problems with the drive,....
The stringer drive was dropped back in '85, I believe,....

 

[southkogs]

Welcome aboard:

You're into a Stringer stern drive with a '79. Hydro-mechanical shift is (I think) what that one would be. Like Bondo said, the drive is what'll give you more fits than the engine. Parts are getting a little harder to find since they've not been made in 40 years. Lots of marine techs out there 1) won't work on 'em or 2) have never seen one

The Stringer has some cool features to it, but it popularly regarded as obsolete. Most will tell you to run away from it. But, if it's running you can keep them going indefinitely.

To answer the "is it easy to fix" question: since I could do it, "nah, it ain't that hard." But you may run into some parts issues.

Is it running now?

 

[Scott Danforth]

Welcome aboard.

as others indicated, if this is a boat that you are thinking of getting, you best have a deep emotional connection..... like it was your grandfathers and you grew up on it fishing with him.

while you can still find parts for that combination, they will be more expensive and just as rare as NOS Tucker parts. for the price of repairing and maintaining the 5.8/stringer you can probably build two 5.7 GM powered combinations.