TR/TRS Drives..Good, Bad...OK?

[Stan's Customs]

I have an opportunity to buy a 1986 19' Sea Ray with a 454. The drive probably is a TR/TRS. All information is second hand thru my son who lives out of town. The friend who is selling the boat is gone till this weekend. <br /><br />I will probably will have to make a commitment when he comes in tomorrow morning...However I have no knowledge of these drives. Could anyone educate me a little... what are the pros and cons, are they to be avoided or are they OK??<br /><br />Thanks..Stan M.

 

[WillyBWright]

Re: TR/TRS Drives..Good, Bad...OK?

The TRS drives are dang near bulletproof. They'll handle more than that little bigblock can dish out. But they're direct drive. That means there's a transmission between the motor and drive. I'd be more worried about that. I would be very suprised to see a TRS on a 19ft boat. Those were for Cruisers. But a 454 in a 19 footer??? Try to keep it in the water, okay? That sucker oughta fly!

 

[Stan's Customs]

Re: TR/TRS Drives..Good, Bad...OK?

Thanks Willy....<br /><br />I'm working in the dark...Boat is in a garage 200 miles away...Son trying to get info...Owner needs quick sale tomorrow morning...We have 1st shot...trying to find out a few things with the shetchy info we have. It may be a transplanted 1991 Alpha 1(gen2) with a big block. The Vin we have is 00535159...beginning to think 2nd didgit should be a D...

 

[WillyBWright]

Re: TR/TRS Drives..Good, Bad...OK?

Agree with the D<br /><br />I hate to see bigblocks on Alphas, but it's not a huge boat and it should handle a 454. It's just at the top end of the spectrum for that drive. On a big boat I wouldn't touch it. On a lighter one like that it'll be okay.

 

[Trent]

Re: TR/TRS Drives..Good, Bad...OK?

Like was said. The TR/TRS are good drives. With the Velvet drive tranny they shift like silk. They are pretty big.

 

[Stan's Customs]

Re: TR/TRS Drives..Good, Bad...OK?

Thanks Guys...I finally got some good numbers.<br /><br />The owner did it rigtht when he changed it over. The engine and outdrive are matched 1991 Bravo 1 assembly....But he didn't winterize it, go figure...He thought it would be allright since he hadn't had it in the water since May 2004... my son pulled the dipstick and it's showing 3 or 4 quarts overfull, probably water in the bottom of the pan. The owner is dissappointed...so am I. May still have a shot at it for a parts boat...once he gets it checked and finds out for SURE it is freeze cracked.<br /><br />Thanks for the information on the TR/TRS drives I didn't know a thing about them. I'm going to have a big block boat some day (runabout) and was wondering what my outdrive options were anyhow. Depending on the boat, sounds like they are tough and might work if I could get around the size.......I'd like to see one up close. I'm sure a Bravo would be better...just depends on what's available for the money.....<br /><br />Thanks again. <br /><br />Best Regards....Stan

 

[Don S]

Re: TR/TRS Drives..Good, Bad...OK?

One thing to keep in mind on any of the TR/TRS drives is the parts. About 6 years ago I had to rebuild one for a customer and many of the parts were NLA from Mercruser.<br />We finally did find some from another dealer. But like I say, that was 6 years ago.

 

[Stan's Customs]

Re: TR/TRS Drives..Good, Bad...OK?

Thanks Don...<br /><br />I guess Bravo parts are still available arn't they?

 

[Don S]

Re: TR/TRS Drives..Good, Bad...OK?

No problem at all with Bravo parts.

 

[AdamB]

Re: TR/TRS Drives..Good, Bad...OK?

wow, it gets that cold in Texas to crack the block of an engine? Even here in PA it's been warm.<br /><br />I know off subject, but maybe the block isn't cracked...

 

[Stan's Customs]

Re: TR/TRS Drives..Good, Bad...OK?

That's what the owner of the boat thought,who was a native of California. Expensive lesson and a shame ...it's a nice boat.<br /><br />There is a saying about north Texas...".There ain't nuthin' between Amarillo and the North pole but a barbed wire fence...and it's gota' couple wires down.." When the northwestern weather comes down from the Rockies....it's really cold sometimes. Nothing like Alaska...or even Pa, but teens are common some years. I remember one year it didn't get above 10 degrees for 10 days in 1979 or 1980, give or take. Been in the 20's a couple of times this year and that's about it so far.....more than enough to crack a block if it remains that way a couple of days though.<br /><br />In fact it did...I just got home with the boat, the owner had a marina run it out. Lotsa' white puddin' for oil , in fact some on the intake manifold where it came out of the valve covers. Musta' been real over full still..or they ran the crud out of it. Any way both manifolds and the block are cracked....bottom line ..I offered $1,000, he took $1,250. <br /><br />I've got a low mileage 454 with a cracked piston I'm going to build for it and get a couple of manifolds from Dennis Moore...Shouldn't be much trouble to get 400 hp and still idle nicely with a mild Comp cam, aluminum intake and some large oval port heads. I've got some square port heads...just a bit much for this exhaust if what I'm told is right. <br /><br />I'm a big block guy but this will be my first big block boat...and my first Bravo drive too. Heck I'm kinda excited about it...still a kid at heart I guess....gota new toy, he he.