1980 85hp chrysler..$150?!

[jason32038]

http://seattle.craigslist.org/sno/boa/2791316716.html Looks like a steal to me and will keep me tinkering for a while although skeg is broken. Should I jump on it?

 

[erwinner]

Re: 1980 85hp chrysler..$150?!

I'd be more concerned with the extent of the damage from it being ran too lean.

 

[jason32038]

Re: 1980 85hp chrysler..$150?!

The damage doesnt look bad. I still see a top piston ring which might be good so maybe there isnt too much scoring. I could possibly have a spare outboard or part it out and make twice as much as it's selling for.

 

[jerryjerry05]

Re: 1980 85hp chrysler..$150?!

Buy it and sell/keep it for parts.
Your not gonna be able to run it with a bad piston.
The skeg is fixable.Then the lower unit would be worth about 150.

 

[Frank Acampora]

Re: 1980 85hp chrysler..$150?!

I would buy it just for the prop. That is an original one piece Chrysler prop with the cast in tailcone spacer. You don't see too many of them. Then, the tailcone is difficult to find and they go about 20 bucks used on craigs. It has a newer replacement CDI module. He is saying that controls come with it too.

The piston is not as badly damaged as some I have seen, so the block is probably repairable with an overbore.--About 200 in parts.

However, right now, consider it a parts engine. 150 is an OK price, you certainly will not get hurt, but I would see if he might let it go for a little less. It can't hurt to ask!

Back to the prop: When Chrysler first designed the one piece lower unit, they made the midleg one inch shorter. That's one of the ways they got 3 MPH more speed out of it. Anyway, for appearance, they had Michigan make that nice, streamlined prop. Michigan also produced for them a plain prop and someone made a metal prop spacer for use on these extended shaft engines with a tailcone.
However, the shorter leg ventilated like crazy on most boats and customers were complaining. So, Chrysler rushed into production a "Flare Washer" anti-cavitation washer for use on the plain prop to help with ventilation/cavitation. Even on the older Force engines, the shaft splines were kept the same length, so if you don't use a flare washer or spacer, you must use a special spacer washer to take up the excess splines at the rear of the prop--otherwise, you will not be able to tighten it and it will shift forward and back about 1/4 inch.

These engines, for this reason (ventilation) almost always do better with a cupped prop.



White props are plain hub with and without the plain metal spacer and the black flare washer. Red painted parts are the tailcone and flare washer on an open hub Michigan stainless prop.

By the way: The ignition is distributor CD so either it was retro-fit or the engine is around 77-78. By 1980, Prestolite non-distributor was standard.

 

[tater76]

Re: 1980 85hp chrysler..$150?!

A definite buy. I just picked a 79 85hp up for $100. It has a similar, but not as bad as yours, piston. If you have the dough, I would fix it. The skeg is $100 repair, and as Frank said another $200 for the engine work, then you have a solid motor. On the other hand, if you tore it down, parted it out on eBay, and were patient you could make a small fortune. But then you wouldn't get to see her run!

 

[jason32038]

Re: 1980 85hp chrysler..$150?!

I was actually thinking of puttin the cone on my '86 85hp Force. I think it looks awesome but I wonder if this will work on the Michigan aluminum with the flare washer attached. I dont think I have the long propshaft.

 

[Frank Acampora]

Re: 1980 85hp chrysler..$150?!



Unless you have the extended shaft like in these photos, you can not use the tailcone. If you do have an extended propshaft, the flare washer will fit on some but not all Michigan props. It will not fit the black Vortex, it will not fit the Blue Michigan test prop. It will not fit in the Ballistic prop. It will fit the Michigan Match stainless prop. The flare washer CAN be used on any shaft as long as the prop will let it fit, but of course, you would not use it on a dual exhaust lower unit because it would block the thru-hub exhaust. The tailcone by itself will usually fit with any prop like in the last photo. Flare and tailcone are something you will need to try.

 

[jason32038]

Re: 1980 85hp chrysler..$150?!

The ballistic prop is nice and looks like it's already flared. Can I get a ballastic prop and delete the flare washer and add the tailcone? How does the tailcone attach? Is it like the prop nut on these setups or does is screw on after the prop nut and secured with a cotter pin? I have an '86 85hp Force LU Non thru hub exhaust and also short shaft.

 

[jerryjerry05]

Re: 1980 85hp chrysler..$150?!

This type prop needs the hardware in the pic.Mercury prop in pic.
Force is similar.No locking hub on Force.
The older stuff won't fit the 86, the prop will go on,not the cone.
They were made for the newer style,getting rid of the cone and flares.

 

[Frank Acampora]

Re: 1980 85hp chrysler..$150?!



You can get a Ballistic and use only the tailcone like in the last photo. HOWEVER: with the Ballistic, it is a high rake prop and may hit the exhaust snout. You may need to modify the mounting as in these photos. Note that this is a 21 pitch Ballistic. A lower pitch like 17 or 19 may not hit the snout. You do not use the anode as shown in the far left of the prop photos. The tailcone is held on with a modified 1/4 X 20 screw that is threaded for only about 1/4 inch under the head. The rest is a plain shaft. It would be acceptable, but not as pretty to use a 3/16 stainless cotter pin

 

[mbruce333]

Re: 1980 85hp chrysler..$150?!

Well, I took a look at it and thought it looked like a pretty good deal, so I bought it!

View attachment 132022

I've only had a little bit of time to dig into it but I think the block it toast; there is a big ol crack by one of the exhaust ports (not to mention the assive scoring and melted pistons...). But, there are a ton of great parts on this one and it looks like a freshwater motor.



I've already got a 75hp and 85hp motors that run. The 85 used to be a 75hp that has been in my family since new in 1968. It runs as good or better than the day my uncle bought it! It's always been a saltwater motor so taking it apart might be a bit tricky. The 75hp has been my parts motor. A freshwater 1975 757HA is probably easier to work on, too.

I'm planning on taking the power head off the 75 and move it to this leg. I'll definitely want to use the new CDI ignition and distributer (both my current engines have points). Not sure the carbs are different, or if it'll even matter which set I use. I haven't dropped the float bowls on the 1980 so I don't know what they're like on the inside, but I'm guessing I should use them.

The motor is going to go on a 1975 16' Glasply and with the 2-peice lower, the cav plate sits about 1" below the bottom of the hull, so the shorter leg of the 1-peice should be perfect. That and a stainless Michigan prop and I'm hoping to get a nice increase in speed.

I've got a T_H replacement skeg on the way and a welder all lined up. Hope to have that all fixed up next week.

I'm sure as I work through this project I'll have questions, so thanks in advance!

Mike Bruce

 

[Frank Acampora]

Re: 1980 85hp chrysler..$150?!

You can use either set of carbs on the 75 block but don't expect to increase horsepower. While the 85 carbs have 1 5/16 venturis and the 75 carbs have 1 3/16 venturis, the 75 has much smaller exhaust ports. Oh, with the bigger carbs you may gain a horsepower or two, but that's it. You may notice 1 MPH gain in top speed, probably not, but hole shot will improve a bit.