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Merc 420 Cyclone engines
- Thread starter BDC1013
- Start date
BDC1013
New member
took a day off to go visit my uncle, he took me to warehouse where they store "hay" for some special eye candy.
Teague 1100's in an MTI
New 1300's in the "special K" skater. The story is Mercury is the only way to get these installed, and the warranty is void if you change anything from the way mercury installed them. He had to change a fuel line... which voids the warranty.
Teague 1100's in an MTI
New 1300's in the "special K" skater. The story is Mercury is the only way to get these installed, and the warranty is void if you change anything from the way mercury installed them. He had to change a fuel line... which voids the warranty.
MOBILEMERCMAN
Founding Member / Competitor
Yea but, I would be more interested in the Bulldogs..
What year is that again. The Bulldogs were an option with 3's in '90. I think that package would make a more accurate resto.
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BDC1013
New member
not sure... depends on the size of your wallet and balls.
very tempting and very close to having that much saved up for this project.
My dad's boat i believe is an 89... the bulldogs definitely make sense from a power to weight ratio concept and restoration. It's hard to be patient on this when the weather is turning nice.
BDC1013
New member
yeah if those bulldogs come complete carb to pan with accessories and manifolds you really can't beat that. I need to go to reno and hit a quick 5k jackpot! haha... or sell my daily driver and get a bike!
also, been thinking about taking the complete engine out of the boat to sell it and clean up the accessories. My new place i just moved into last week has a decent garage to work on things with a nice work bench. I'm pretty excited about that.
What's involved in removing the engine away from the trans? I've done cars, auto and manual before... any different here? Suggestions? I want to get everything disconnected so i can haul the boat to work and use the forklift to pull the engine out.
also, been thinking about taking the complete engine out of the boat to sell it and clean up the accessories. My new place i just moved into last week has a decent garage to work on things with a nice work bench. I'm pretty excited about that.
What's involved in removing the engine away from the trans? I've done cars, auto and manual before... any different here? Suggestions? I want to get everything disconnected so i can haul the boat to work and use the forklift to pull the engine out.
MOBILEMERCMAN
Founding Member / Competitor
Pretty much the same as a car. More similar to a manual. Leave the bell housing on the engine and remove 6 bolts to separate the trannie. There will be a flex plate on the flywheel with a splined center. It stays with the flywheel. The trannie has a spline that slides in to it. It engages about an inch..
My suggestion is to pull everything out together Engine and trannie attached. There are a couple ways it can be in there. If you have two plate mounts on the engine. One under the conventional mount location and another sandwiched between the block and bellhousing the trannie is likely to be floating in the transom assembly. Remove all plate fasteners at the aluminum angle move engine forward about 6 inches and lift. If it does not have the rear plate there will be two large bolts mount vertical to attach the tranniee the the inner plate. Some guys did both although it is not necessary.
The easiest way to install is all at once. The hard way is to do it like a car by removing the 3 bolts on either side of the block and leaving the bellhousing in the boat.
Purchase the Mercruiser service manual for either the 420 or the bulldogs if you get them. It will pay for itself with all the time you will save and hard lessons you will avoid.
My suggestion is to pull everything out together Engine and trannie attached. There are a couple ways it can be in there. If you have two plate mounts on the engine. One under the conventional mount location and another sandwiched between the block and bellhousing the trannie is likely to be floating in the transom assembly. Remove all plate fasteners at the aluminum angle move engine forward about 6 inches and lift. If it does not have the rear plate there will be two large bolts mount vertical to attach the tranniee the the inner plate. Some guys did both although it is not necessary.
The easiest way to install is all at once. The hard way is to do it like a car by removing the 3 bolts on either side of the block and leaving the bellhousing in the boat.
Purchase the Mercruiser service manual for either the 420 or the bulldogs if you get them. It will pay for itself with all the time you will save and hard lessons you will avoid.
BDC1013
New member
thanks Jim, Yeah it is always easier to slide the input shaft into the bell housing while the engine is out of car so i guess that make sense in this case. I sent the guy an email asking if the engines come with all the accessories and manifolds, just waiting to hear back. I could probably get $4k for everything i have from the two engines including the complete engine that is in it. I just dont want to sell it all and then need it for engines that i purchase.
BDC1013
New member
update:
i took the boat out of storage to start to remove the starboard engine. A few things before I begin... the storage place has raised the price on me significantly, understandable as they have been giving me a deal and half on storage for over a year now. One good thing out of this... The boat fits on my driveway!
also, being this is my first boat project, im standing in the engine compartment working with one engine missing... HOW THE HECK do you work on the other one once they are both in!?
i took the boat out of storage to start to remove the starboard engine. A few things before I begin... the storage place has raised the price on me significantly, understandable as they have been giving me a deal and half on storage for over a year now. One good thing out of this... The boat fits on my driveway!
also, being this is my first boat project, im standing in the engine compartment working with one engine missing... HOW THE HECK do you work on the other one once they are both in!?
BDC1013
New member
Now that i've been towing as my job, this trailer actually tows very nice. The first time i hauled this thing I was very paranoid about every little noise, and the straps. The straps i have are actually of very good quality and im glad i gained a lot of knowledge about towing and the saftely aspects behind it while on the job. Way less stressful towing the boat!
So lets get down to the facts here... As i started to remove the tail pipes 3 of the studs broke off the exhuast manifold on the inner side of the engine. I'm guessing that the inner half of the engine is going to be more rusted and more of a pain to work on because the boat sat outside so long. The engine hatches have a 5 or 6 inch gap between them because someone removed the center part so the tailpipes would fit, so that is the part that would have been rained on when the cover was destroyed.
I'm basically looking for advise on the steps i need to take to get this engine out. The water filters are still full of water and have pressure, i released one of the valves and heard the pressure. The engine still had water in it... IT WAS NEVER DRAINED! so when i pulled the hose off the lower part of the water jacket manifold water poured out, not just a little but poured. So, I'm guessing there is going to be a significant amount of rust inside this engine. The water came out clear, but i can't believe that this engine isn't just rusted away on the inside.
I'm going to be using a forklift to remove the engine, my work is allowing me to use it. SO... I want to have the engine fully prepped to remove before i go over to take it out. As far as removing stuff, what should i do? Leave all accessories and disconnect engine from tranny? My plan today is to remove all the front accessories and the distributor to make life easier getting around and pulling it out.
let me know what you guys think, i definitely feel overwhelmed at this point with bolts breaking and it not being 15 minutes and out like my car engine.
So lets get down to the facts here... As i started to remove the tail pipes 3 of the studs broke off the exhuast manifold on the inner side of the engine. I'm guessing that the inner half of the engine is going to be more rusted and more of a pain to work on because the boat sat outside so long. The engine hatches have a 5 or 6 inch gap between them because someone removed the center part so the tailpipes would fit, so that is the part that would have been rained on when the cover was destroyed.
I'm basically looking for advise on the steps i need to take to get this engine out. The water filters are still full of water and have pressure, i released one of the valves and heard the pressure. The engine still had water in it... IT WAS NEVER DRAINED! so when i pulled the hose off the lower part of the water jacket manifold water poured out, not just a little but poured. So, I'm guessing there is going to be a significant amount of rust inside this engine. The water came out clear, but i can't believe that this engine isn't just rusted away on the inside.
I'm going to be using a forklift to remove the engine, my work is allowing me to use it. SO... I want to have the engine fully prepped to remove before i go over to take it out. As far as removing stuff, what should i do? Leave all accessories and disconnect engine from tranny? My plan today is to remove all the front accessories and the distributor to make life easier getting around and pulling it out.
let me know what you guys think, i definitely feel overwhelmed at this point with bolts breaking and it not being 15 minutes and out like my car engine.
MOBILEMERCMAN
Founding Member / Competitor
I would pull the engine complete and with trannie. { if the trannie isnt' stuck to drive. }. Get a MAP Gas torch and PB blaster. Spray and heat all stuck fasteners. Patience before you break stuff saves more time then will be needed to drill and extract fasteners.
If the water had pressure on it { likely from the heat of the day } it is telling you there are no leaks. As far as not draining it dry metals corrode and rusts faster when exposed to air. The best thing to do for extended storage is to drain the water and replace with non toxic anti freeze.
I hope your u joint bellows are intact and water hasn't gotten in there. I once worked on a #3 boat where the input on the drive rusted into the tail spline of the trannie.. Talk about a mudur Fr.
Finally as I have suggested many times in this thread. Pull the entire package. I suspect any experienced guy could have that engine out and on the ground in 45 minutes if nothing is stuck. You will spend an hour plus just humping boxes and tools up and down a ladder taking pieces off before hand.
If the water had pressure on it { likely from the heat of the day } it is telling you there are no leaks. As far as not draining it dry metals corrode and rusts faster when exposed to air. The best thing to do for extended storage is to drain the water and replace with non toxic anti freeze.
I hope your u joint bellows are intact and water hasn't gotten in there. I once worked on a #3 boat where the input on the drive rusted into the tail spline of the trannie.. Talk about a mudur Fr.
Finally as I have suggested many times in this thread. Pull the entire package. I suspect any experienced guy could have that engine out and on the ground in 45 minutes if nothing is stuck. You will spend an hour plus just humping boxes and tools up and down a ladder taking pieces off before hand.
BDC1013
New member
thanks for the suggestions! I prepped the engine to be pulled briefly yesterday, when my friends got off work they came over and we loaded up all the tools we thought we might need and headed for the freeway. Got to my work around 9PM. We had the engine on the ground pretty quick with only one casualty. The tranny cooler on the starboard side of the engine got caught on something or we didnt catch that a hose went through the engine mount and the cooler itself broke. Other than that it came out with no problems. It took us a bit longer to get the trans off because of the plate that goes behind the flywheel... but we got it off and the engine on a craddle. I left the engine at my work, one on the mechanics said he would tear it down to see where it stands.
