sea ray 185S 1995 prop replacement??

krazeeDave

Recruit
Joined
Aug 14, 2017
Messages
1
Newer boat owner
I bought a used searay 185S mercruiser alpha one 4.3L 165HP 18ft ski boat. Boat looked clean

Never owning a boat I didnt know what I was getting into. It was noisy and I ended up breaking the alum factory prop the end of the first year.

bought a turning point 14x21 3 blade with a 501 hub installed it and went to the lake,
no speed at all in forward, still noisy as all get out. I could go slow but thats it.. reverse was fine.

was told it was my lower unit. Sooo i put a new new on. SCI branded (changed prop hub also to a new one)
same problem

a different place told me the engine coupler was the issue so I pulled to motor and replaced it,
found the bellows broke , the gimbal bearing shot replaced all. (hindsight it made me learn and do alot of needed work)
bought all the tools for this, press and alignment tool made an A frame with an electric winch to pull the motor.

took it to a marine shop to have the shift cable replaced (tried myself but it wasn't lining up right) , and all my work gone over to check it. (hey I aligned it right)
also had them rebuild the carburetor as a float was not working right.,

went back on the lake, 0-30 seems ok, but cant get over it, it looks like bubbles guessing cavatation or something, don't know.
noise is good (rusty gimbal bearing was that) reverse is fine, forward is fine but cant shoot out at all and no top end without what looks like a bubblefest regardless of trim. Boat is not taking on water (was prior but I didn't know it was bad just that I had to run the pump often)

What I am wondering is if that prop could be the issue or should I look elsewhere? Reading it seems an aluminum 14x19 3 blade is stock. not opposed to going to that. Before all of this i was getting low to mid 40's in speed. Which was fine. I dont ski, I take my wife out, go full throttle till she complains then stare at her sunbathing and swim.. thats it.


looking at the sola rubex 14 x 19 3 blade with the 102 hub. any advice is appreciated.
 

Maclin

Admiral
Joined
May 27, 2007
Messages
6,761
Welcome Aboard!

We need some numbers first. Can you tell us what the drive ratio is of he SEI drive you installed? Also need the top RPM's the engine can get to now, also the top MPH at those RPM's. The more accurate the better.

With that a prop calculator can be used to get relative efficiency of the prop, and see if a different pitch prop is warranted.

Did you do a compression check on the engine? Also when was the last tuneup, and what all that entailed.

On the bubblefest, is the exhaust bellows installed correctly?
 
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