Mercruiser I/O iformation

[randy4140]

Hello, I am new to this forum and have question I need answered if possible
1. I am going to do a I/O swap in my pontoon, what would be the best choice of engine set up?

2. Is there info out there on which I/O are compatable with different engines, such as this I/O set up will fit these engines?

3. Is a 140 engine compatable with the drive from a 165, 3.0, V6?
I would love to use a alum block engine if possible because of the wieght advantage?

What are the wieght differences in total packages that are available?

This is going have to be a "budget Build"
Thanks for any help you can share, There has to be some out there that has done this...
Randy

 

[Bondo]

Re: Mercruiser I/O iformation

Hello, I am new to this forum and have question I need answered if possible
1. I am going to do a I/O swap in my pontoon, what would be the best choice of engine set up?

2. Is there info out there on which I/O are compatable with different engines, such as this I/O set up will fit these engines?

3. Is a 140 engine compatable with the drive from a 165, 3.0, V6?
I would love to use a alum block engine if possible because of the wieght advantage?

What are the wieght differences in total packages that are available?

This is going have to be a "budget Build"
Thanks for any help you can share, There has to be some out there that has done this...
Randy

Ayuh,.... Welcome Aboard,....

#1,... What was there Before,..?? how much horsepower ya need,..??

#2,... Not really, just Ask,.... Seein's We're in the Merc forum, yer choices are Alpha, or Bravo...

#3,... The 140 hp motor IS the 3.0l,... Nothin' to do with a V6...
The 165 hp, I4 was a Merc creation, that's now Defunct, 'n Obsolete...

 

[QC]

Re: Mercruiser I/O iformation

I think in #3 the issue is gear ratio. The 140 may have a tough time spinning a drive with a ratio numerically less than around 2:1.

 

[Don S]

Re: Mercruiser I/O iformation

I would love to use a alum block engine if possible because of the wieght advantage?

I doubt if there is a weight advantage at all over the two engines. With the bigger head, heat exchanger, additional plumbing, and manifold for the intake, it's probably about the same.
Here is a reply I posted in another thread back in July.

Don't buy into a 470 unless you really like spending money on your engine and working on it a lot.
1. Open deck design. no support for cylinders with an overheat. Replacing a head gasket is normal after an overheat.
2. Aluminum block (Mercruiser design, not automotive), iron head (Ford 460).
3. Cam seals that leak antifreeze into the oil.
4. Known cooling problems with 3" heat exchangers.
5. Charging system like an outboard :facepalm: Didn't work well, and many parts are NLA Most replace with an expensive alternator replacement kit.

and followed with this. How bad do you want that aluminum block?

I did this screen shot a day ago in the Mercruiser repair forum. I Highlighted the 470 threads in yellow.

 

[randy4140]

Re: Mercruiser I/O iformation

To try and answer you.
The pontoonhas a 50 hp Force O B on it now,
Slow and a fuel hog
How much hp I need...more is always better....
I want to get to a 4 cycle engine, quieter, more efficient. That Force motor is noisy and thirsty, low speed/3 gals per hour
I was thinking the 140 or 165 would be plenty...Then which prop do I use ...too many questions
I am looking for a complete boat to strip out for what I need

 

[Don S]

Re: Mercruiser I/O iformation

I was under the impression you already had an IO in your boat, not an outboard. Thats a whole new ball game.
You might want to have a look at this thread.

http://forums.iboats.com/completed-boat-projects/pontoon-conversion-inboard-outboard-573089.html

 

[Bondo]

Re: Mercruiser I/O iformation

To try and answer you.
The pontoonhas a 50 hp Force O B on it now,
Slow and a fuel hog
How much hp I need...more is always better....
I want to get to a 4 cycle engine, quieter, more efficient. That Force motor is noisy and thirsty, low speed/3 gals per hour
I was thinking the 140 or 165 would be plenty...Then which prop do I use ...too many questions
I am looking for a complete boat to strip out for what I need

Ayuh,.... Get a Bigger, Better, Newer outboard motor for it...

It'll be easier, 'n Waay Cheaper in the short, 'n long runs....

 

[randy4140]

Re: Mercruiser I/O iformation

Do you know which years were which on the merc's? Gen 1, Gen 2, Gen 3, ect ? I am still looking for a "donor boat"

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Mercruiser I/O iformation

Why would you want to have to do fabrication and add all the complexity of an I/O to an outboard powered 'toon?

 

[Bondo]

Re: Mercruiser I/O iformation

Do you know which years were which on the merc's? Gen 1, Gen 2, Gen 3, ect ? I am still looking for a "donor boat"

Ayuh,.... Right here...

 

[RogersJetboat454]

Re: Mercruiser I/O iformation

I want to get to a 4 cycle engine, quieter, more efficient.

So why not pick up a 4 stroke outboard?
You may be able to find an I/O powered donor boat that's cheaper than the initial cost of finding a 4 stroke O/B.
BUT...
I guarantee when you start the process of converting the boat to an I/O, the costs associated with correctly installing the I/O will be equal to, or most likely greater than the costs of finding an outboard.

Even a newer 2 stoke outboard may please you. They are miles ahead of what that Force was in both fuel consumption, and noise.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Mercruiser I/O iformation

The newer Yamaha 4 stroke outboards I've witnessed were so quiet at idle you could hardly tell they were running.