V’s to avoid

Welcome Deepdrop2! I've had a 1977 V20 170 I/O since 06. When I bought it, it had sat outside uncovered for at least five years. Guy I got it from in Virginia Beach, Va. said the motor had been rebuilt 5 years ago by Jasper engines and he never got it started. He cranked it and I immediately knew the timing was out. Got it home and had it running in ten minutes. It had set up so long the exhaust ports on the head had holes rusted through them. I pulled the motor out and found the transom core had rotted out. Rebuilt the transom, sealed it all up and rebuilt the motor again with a new 460 Ford marinized head. Put it all back together and have had really no problems since. Watch out for cam seals behind the water pump impeller leaking, easy to replace. And I installed a Pertronix electronic ignition, made a BIG difference on performance and starting. Just replaced the lower unit last year with a SEI unit. Good warranty on that. Haven't needed it. Always run 40w oil in the motor and premium nonethanol gas and it runs great. Top speed is 42 with five adults onboard. I really like the Mercruiser 170, just do the regular maintenance and you'll be fine.
 
I'm a marine mechanic with 38 years experience, I used to specialize in stern drives. If you can do the labor, sterndrives can be more affordable than outboards, but there is much more than can go wrong in a stern drive than an outboard. 30 years ago I would have rather had a stern drive, today, Id rather have an outboard
 
Never owned one myself, did not like having hot salt water running through a car engine. Also know of a few that were sunk because of bad bellows. Also take up too much real estate on the deck.
 
cfelton said:
Welcome Deepdrop2! I've had a 1977 V20 170 I/O since 06. When I bought it, it had sat outside uncovered for at least five years. Guy I got it from in Virginia Beach, Va. said the motor had been rebuilt 5 years ago by Jasper engines and he never got it started. He cranked it and I immediately knew the timing was out. Got it home and had it running in ten minutes. It had set up so long the exhaust ports on the head had holes rusted through them. I pulled the motor out and found the transom core had rotted out. Rebuilt the transom, sealed it all up and rebuilt the motor again with a new 460 Ford marinized head. Put it all back together and have had really no problems since. Watch out for cam seals behind the water pump impeller leaking, easy to replace. And I installed a Pertronix electronic ignition, made a BIG difference on performance and starting. Just replaced the lower unit last year with a SEI unit. Good warranty on that. Haven't needed it. Always run 40w oil in the motor and premium nonethanol gas and it runs great. Top speed is 42 with five adults onboard. I really like the Mercruiser 170, just do the regular maintenance and you'll be fine.
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Non ethenol gas? Not in nj. You can’t get that here
 
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