Ford2.5 Diesel to Mercruiser Outdrive.

[stamfordian]

Hi, all
I am currently starting a project ,boat which has had its original outdrive taken off and a Ford 2.5 diesel engine fitted to take shaft drive.As i want to use her(23ft colvic sports fisher) on a drying mooring,i wish to convert her back to stern drive.
I have been offered a mercruiser 0 drive and wondered where i could buy the drive plate which bolts onto the flywheel and slots onto the splined shaft of the outdrive??.
The engine is fully marinized and fitted with a "round gearbox" i am assuming this is hydrolic as it has an oil cooler fitted.
q: What will i need apart from the drive plate to marry the two up??ie do i need a bell housing to bolt the starter motor to??.
q:sorry to ramble on but the mercruser leg comes with its own water pump...should i use this or the on on the engine...or both??.

Thats it i,ve done for know!! as you can tell new to marine inboards so any help much apprieated
regards.
T.b.

 

[BarryH]

ohh umm what a rum one. Now the first prob I can see is that you will have 2 gear boxes. The existing one and the one in the outdrive! Now 2 boxes means 2 reduction ratios. It'll swing a massive prop and pull out tree stumps but will take max revs to get any where. I think the best course of action is to dump the existing shaftdrive box. Then mate the engine to the outdrive. Will the engine have to be moved in the boat at all. Me thinks it will. Now its a bit of a standard answer here but here goes. Give Lancing marine a call. They produce marinizing kits for these enginrs and can alter/supply a bell housing for your outdrive. Have a look at their website, it gives quiet a lot of info, but as with all things boats, it probably will cost a fortune. Will it not be easier to extend the skeg to protect the stern gear!!!

OK, to hell with it. Unbolt it and we'll use it as an anchor!

 

[burgundyben]

Advice from BarryH is good, lancing marine would be my first port of call if I was going down the outdrive route, but as barry points out it would be much easier to leave it as shaft drive and they tend I think to be cheaper installations, especially when it comes to repair costs, what the bottom like where you will moor? if its mud then a prop and shaft might be ok, I know of several shaft drive boats that dry out on each tide.

I am gonna spend it on wine, women and song, and blow the rest.........