Please Help This 1st Time Boat Owner

[Dolphin210]

I purchased a 1970 Evinrude Dolphin 210 all of 3 weeks ago (fun to cosmetically retore, fun to pull the kids around Denver reservoirs on tubes). In mid tube-pull, the outdrive suddenly revs and starts making grinding noises. The Chevy 350 power plant sounds great, but I can not get the boat in either reverse or forward. When I do try, I get no prop motion and that grinding noise. Any help would be great. Nobody in Denver area will even work on this unit due to it's age. What is 'stringer' technology (they seem to abhor this type of repair work. I need help.

 

[rbezdon]

Re: Please Help This 1st Time Boat Owner

Sounds pretty certain you have gear damage in the outdrive. You say "Stringer". That is an older Outdrive series built by the now defunct OMC (Outboard Marine Corp), the I/O of Johnson/Evinrude. This older drive has several issues (and failures) it is prone to. I think some service people hate to work on them because they are old and have issues if you don't know how to set them up. I think there are others who loke them just fine. I know there are several "Stringer Experts" on this site who can help you through it but you have to be prepared for a lot of work, have to get some tools, need a bit of mechanical know how, and be ready to spend some significant cash (which I assume your are since you bought a boat in the first place, or should I say you bought the hole in the water into which you wanted to pour your money).

 

[Phantom17]

Re: Please Help This 1st Time Boat Owner

On "Stringers" the motor bolts onto the stringers and the drive is trimmed by a solid connection to the motor. The motor lifts and lowers to trim your ride. The cobra (post stringer) took the merc design, the drive tilts seperate from the motor.<br /><br />You have a drive (gear) problem. <br /><br />What size is your engine, HP, drive model etc. The brand of boat is basically meaningless, and if it's a bayliner, you might not want to tell some of these guys!