Engine swap

Discussion in 'Outboards' started by Amber Ladner, Aug 30, 2020.

  1. Amber Ladner
    Joined: Aug 2020
    Posts: 6
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    Location: Ocean springs, ms

    Amber Ladner Junior Member

    We have a 1988 Sea Ray Seville the engine has taken on water and blew the head gasket. The engine was a 4.3 mercruiser it's been taken out. We have a Four winns 190 with a 4.3 cobra. Can the cobra engine go into the Sea Ray?
     
  2. bajansailor
    Joined: Oct 2007
    Posts: 3,595
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    Location: Barbados

    bajansailor Marine Surveyor

    Welcome to the Forum Amber.

    I presume that both boats have outdrive legs?
    You might need to do some adaptations to the beds on the Sea Ray to get the Cobra engine to fit if the mounts are a different spacing to those of the Mercruiser.
    I am wondering why you want to take the engine out of the Four Winns boat - is this boat in very poor condition apart from the engine?
    Do you have any photos of the engine compartments in both boats that you can post on here?
     
  3. BlueBell
    Joined: May 2017
    Posts: 2,684
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    Location: Victoria BC Canada

    BlueBell . . . _ _ _ . . . _ _ _

    Sounds like the engine is already out.
    Why, did you remove the engine if it only needed a new head gasket?
    Your Cobra engine will certainly fit but at what cost is unknown.
    I can tell you it would have been much, much , much easier and certainly less costly to simply replace the head gasket.
    How did the SeaRay come to "take on water"?
    Good pictures would be really helpful.
     
    bajansailor likes this.
  4. Amber Ladner
    Joined: Aug 2020
    Posts: 6
    Likes: 0, Points: 1
    Location: Ocean springs, ms

    Amber Ladner Junior Member

    They both have their outdrives left. The four winns is in very bad shape and will need alot of work so we just got it for the engine. The cobra engine has 3 solenoids and the sea ray doesn't show any on the braket to shift. The engine mounting lines up perfect. All our wiring is there in the sea rays engine compartment. There are wires from on the four winns hooked to the motor that aren't required from the sea rays. We are going to work on them today once the rain clears out and I will post pics
     
  5. Amber Ladner
    Joined: Aug 2020
    Posts: 6
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    Location: Ocean springs, ms

    Amber Ladner Junior Member

    The previous owner took it out to replace it and never got to it. So we got it with the engine already out. And have this four winns with a running motor that is in really bad shape that is no good except the motor.
     
  6. Amber Ladner
    Joined: Aug 2020
    Posts: 6
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    Location: Ocean springs, ms

    Amber Ladner Junior Member

    Just talked to the owner of the sea ray he said we can come get the original motor from the sea ray and try to rebuild it. It didn't take on water he had several boats and that wasn't the one that did it just has a blown head gasket. So we'll be able to see if the engine still turns over and isn't locked up its been sitting for a few years. Still going to post pics today to see if we could use this engine we have as well just incase.
     
  7. bajansailor
    Joined: Oct 2007
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    Location: Barbados

    bajansailor Marine Surveyor

    Definitely worth your while investigating the engine with the blown head gasket..
    And please do post some photos of both boats!
     
    BlueBell likes this.
  8. Amber Ladner
    Joined: Aug 2020
    Posts: 6
    Likes: 0, Points: 1
    Location: Ocean springs, ms

    Amber Ladner Junior Member

  9. BlueBell
    Joined: May 2017
    Posts: 2,684
    Likes: 959, Points: 113
    Location: Victoria BC Canada

    BlueBell . . . _ _ _ . . . _ _ _

    A little Tennessee/Florida mash-up.
    You have your work cut out for you.
    A Sea Ray forum may prove more fruitful if somebody in-the-know doesn't pop up here.
    You could also start searching out an aftermarket conversion kit...
     
  10. Amber Ladner
    Joined: Aug 2020
    Posts: 6
    Likes: 0, Points: 1
    Location: Ocean springs, ms

    Amber Ladner Junior Member

    Thank you we will do that. You are definitely right on that it is going to be some work. We hoisted the engine out and put into the sea ray today and there is going to be some trouble the bell housing doesn't match up with our outdrive on the sea ray it won't line up, so we are waiting until next weekend to take the trip to pensacola to pick up the original motor and hoping it is still good and and we can just do a rebuild. If that doesn't go well then its onto a conversion kit. Thank you all for replying.
     
  11. BlueBell
    Joined: May 2017
    Posts: 2,684
    Likes: 959, Points: 113
    Location: Victoria BC Canada

    BlueBell . . . _ _ _ . . . _ _ _

    Just a heads up.
    They pulled that old motor for a reason.
    Perhaps more than one reason but certainly not to replace the head gasket, no?
    I'd ask a lot of questions.
    Maybe they have all the old receipts too if you ask, or at least a chance to look them over.
    Always interesting to know a boats history if you're going to be working on, and investing in it.
    Best of luck, keep us posted.
     
  12. Ike
    Joined: Apr 2006
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    Location: Washington

    Ike Senior Member

    If you want to talk to Sea Ray owners try Club Sea Ray. It's a forum just like this but specific to Sea Rays. I am a Sea Ray owner and have gotten a lot of good advice from them.
    Club Sea Ray http://clubsearay.com/index.php
    BlueBell is right. It's far easier to replace a head gasket than a whole engine. I had a new engine put in my SRV 190 and the engine itself was cheap, but the cost to install was way more than I expected, far more than the boat is worth. Unfortunately I do not have the facilities and tools to do a repower so I had to farm it out. Also unfortunately, my old engine was way beyond repairing.
    Too bad about the Four Winns. Those are good boats. A friend of mine worked for Four Winns for many many years.
     
    BlueBell likes this.

  13. gonzo
    Joined: Aug 2002
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    Location: Milwaukee, WI

    gonzo Senior Member

    If they are the same generation 4.3, you can simply use the base engine and change the accessories and exhausts to match the original.
     
    brendan gardam likes this.
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