I just lost one of my drives and believe it is in the lower unit only (but haven't taken it apart yet). Just cruising along, the Starboard drive made a nasty noise and I shut it down to look at it. Seeing no obvious damage, I tried to restart the engine and it was locked up. Trying to restart a number of times, all of a sudden, it started but made grinding noises, so I immediately shut it down again, and made it home on the Port engine. With engine off, the prop turns freely in both directions in neutral. In forward, it locks up in forward direction and turns with normal clicking noise backwards. In reverse it locks up in the reverse direction and turns with nasty noises in the other direction.
If I have to replace the complete drive or just the lower unit, I want to make sure I am getting the right type (SE 106?) and the right ratio. My boat is a 1983 Sea Ray 260 Sundancer. The power is two 470 Mercruisers (4 Cyl). My Operation and Maintenance Manual says they are 1.84 Ratio, but the SN tags are both unreadable, and my "Mercruiser MCM 470 Installation Manual" gives prop selections for both 1.65 and 1.84 ratios. Being a twin, it is obvious that the two ratios be the same.
BTW, would there be any advantage (Since I have to change at least the lower unit) to making one of them a Counter Rotation. The boat steers straight now with no problem and the trim tabs are pointed pretty much straight ahead.
If I have to replace the complete drive or just the lower unit, I want to make sure I am getting the right type (SE 106?) and the right ratio. My boat is a 1983 Sea Ray 260 Sundancer. The power is two 470 Mercruisers (4 Cyl). My Operation and Maintenance Manual says they are 1.84 Ratio, but the SN tags are both unreadable, and my "Mercruiser MCM 470 Installation Manual" gives prop selections for both 1.65 and 1.84 ratios. Being a twin, it is obvious that the two ratios be the same.
BTW, would there be any advantage (Since I have to change at least the lower unit) to making one of them a Counter Rotation. The boat steers straight now with no problem and the trim tabs are pointed pretty much straight ahead.
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