Engine Swap OMC to Merc

[Bulbash]

Sorry if I'm posting in the wrong section...

I'm currently facing a transom repair on my 1989 Bayliner Capri with OMC 2.3 Ford engine. Many people say that transom repair is not worth it since the engine is obsolete... I'm wondering is there a possibility to swap OMC 2.3 to a 3.0 merc engine? And what would be the price of such a project?

 

[RogersJetboat454]

Re: Engine Swap OMC to Merc

Hard to put a price tag on it with so many variables.
Best to start with pricing out a donor boat (a rot victim would be cheapest) with a complete engine and drive system. I believe the "key hole" cut in the transom for the Cobra, is the same as one used by Merc. The only other major variable I for-see (and others may think of more) is adapting the front motor mounts to your stringers. May be real easy, or may take some glass work. That is if your stringers are in good shape like we discussed in your other posting.

 

[Don S]

Re: Engine Swap OMC to Merc

You have a rotted transom, that probably includes the stringers and deck, then add an obsolete engine and drive, then it's time to throw in the towel and get a different boat with a good engine/drive and no rot.
It's going to cost you way more than it's worth in both parts and labor to fix that boat.

Now, if you have some sentimental connection with that particular boat, then that's a different story.

 

[Maxz695]

Re: Engine Swap OMC to Merc

If it,s the boat in the pic then I can see why you might want to go that route. Your talking I/O outdrive. First thing Bayliners have a 1/2 inch hull and are considered in my past knowledge to be Crap. I hate to put it that way but thats what I have been told. I stripped a capri as the yard owner was not collecting rent and wanted me to take what I could off it before scraping it. On the other hand my buddy had me there working on a boat he bought a few years ago and no one could get it running. It was a 1976 Wellcraft Nova 22 FT ski boat with a 402 ford engine. The reason no one could get it running was the firing order was different thn most 302 ford engines as well as needing extensive TLC and PARTS of course. The Hull was 3/4 inch thick as I replaced the bilge pump thru hull fitting and measured it. In any case it might be better to sell that or buy something eles as stated rather than through the $$$$ Cha ching "BOAT" Bring on another thousand into that project. JMO. This is the exact reason why I didn,t want an I/O and went to outboard engine driven boats.

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: Engine Swap OMC to Merc

Sorry if I'm posting in the wrong section...

I'm currently facing a transom repair on my 1989 Bayliner Capri with OMC 2.3 Ford engine. Many people say that transom repair is not worth it since the engine is obsolete... I'm wondering is there a possibility to swap OMC 2.3 to a 3.0 merc engine? And what would be the price of such a project?

Howdy,


I did that very thing with the (1987) boat in my signature removing an OMC 460 and King Kobra to replace with a 1997 Mercruiser 454 + Bravo drive. It was a "simple" R&R operation............... (although I did do some re-glassing to clean it up, the actual transom mount bolt pattern was the same except needing to drill 2 additional holes for the Bravo mount)

Your problem is that not only do you have an obsolete engine and drive but you also need to do EXTENSIVE fiberglass work.

That will make the job basically NOT worth it unless you have some sort of emotional attachment to the boat. (then for some people money is "no object")

Your best bet might be to part out all the OMC "stuff", do a "Sawzall" job on the boat and find another one with the money you get from selling all the OMC "stuff".

Choose a boat that doesn't have OMC anywhere in the description!



Regards,


Rick