Can you swap a 235 lower end to a 170?

[Hardo]

Hello - its me again- new question; outdrive swaps

for my 86 Searay with a mercruiser 170, I have an option of getting the lower unit off of a mercruiser 235 from an older boat;

will this swap work > remove the damaged 170 lower end (road rash/hole) and replace it with the lower unit from an older 235?

also; if not, does anyone know of issues with buying a brand new lower unit from stern engineering; they list one at ~$700 but local shops are quoting over 1200-1700 just for the same unit NOT INSTALLED- what gives?

http://www.sterndrive.cc/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?


Lower Unit

Quantity in Basket:1
Code: 90-106-02
Price: $695.00

 

[Bondo]

Re: Can you swap a 235 lower end to a 170?

Ayuh,.....

If you're talking about Just the Lower Units,+ Not the Complete Outdrives,.....

Yes,.... The Lower units should be a simple Swap.........

And,.... I believe you can bolt an Alpha lower unit to a Mod.1 Upper,.....
But,... I'm not Positive on that 1......

 

[Haut Medoc]

Re: Can you swap a 235 lower end to a 170?

I have never heard of a 235....
What year is it from?......
All lower gearcases are basically interchangeable but if the replacement has a pre-load pin on the top of the drive shaft I would say it is not interchangeable......
IMO, if you are gonna go for a new lower, I would get a whole new sterndrive from SEI.....
You can get them for like $1200. shipped......
But if you choose to buy the lower gear case only, it will work on an '86 Alpha upper, provived the original is the one that is on there now.....​

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: Can you swap a 235 lower end to a 170?

The shop's are quoting you factory units. Sterndrive Engineering is an aftermarket drive. I have no personal experience with them, but my dad installed one on a boat and it fit and functioned exactly like the Mercruiser that had been on there. No hidden tricks or anything. I have also been reading these forums for a while and every response from someone that bought their product has been positive.
Do it what ever way you want, but I say put the lower unit only on it and sell that boat! Once you get the drive fixed, you are going to have to deal with the maintenance peculiarities of the obsolete 4 cyl Frankenstein (Pronounce Frahk en Steen' !) engine that Mercruiser was so nice to make for several years.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Can you swap a 235 lower end to a 170?

Ayuh,...... Nix my answer above,....

For some reason I thought we were talking about Mod.1s,+ Not an Alpha drive.....

Btw,.... I Think the 235 is the 351W Ford motor,+ It's drive should be the Mod.1, with the pre-load pin....