www.iFourWinns.com

I've got an 87' 4.3L V6 Mercruiser engine, and I was wondering if anyone could take a few pictures of the shift cable assembly on the same motor. Basically what it's supposed to look like at rest, full forward, and full reverse, as well as exactly (as exact as a picture can get) how it mounts? It would be VERY appreciated.

Also, on my exhaust Y-pipe, there are water shutters... I opened one side of the pipe up, and half of the shutter was missing... I didn't open up the other side yet... but how absolutely crucial are they? I'd really rather not spend another 52+shipping on these things. If I need to, I will, but the money situation is getting ridiculous. (Yea, I know.. I bought the boat, I should know that its basically a bottomless pit.... and i do.).

As a side note, to anyone following my boating adventure... I've got the motor completely built, and I dropped it in on Friday night. Currently, i'm wiring it up, and putting in the outdrive. It'll be starting soon! (I HOPE!)

Thanks!!

Looking forward to some pictures!

Can't help you with the shifting question. Volvo did away with the shutters in the late '90's, saying they were ineffective and a maintenance problem. Whether that has any bearing on your Merc, I don't know; probably not.

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

Interesting. I doubt the exhaust systems are THAT much different... I assume the shutters are so that water doesn't come back up into the motor... but I feel like.. the way the exhaust is routed.. that would be near impossible... and even if it did, it would only be a little, that would go back into the water outlet, and not the exhaust outlet. I'm probably not going to bother ordering new ones, unless someone says that they are absolutely necessary.

Whether they're important has a lot to do with how much rise there is in the exhaust routing (how tall your risers are, etc.). The taller it is, the harder it is for water to be ingested and the less need there is for shutters. I know nothing about how similar these are between your Merc and Volvos of the last 10 years, so please don't make a huge mistake by putting too much faith in my advice . "Water ingestion" can easily turn into "replace the engine."

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

We just finished putting a 454 with a Bravo 1 in my buddies 87 245 Vista. We replaced an Alpha 1 that he was worried would not handle the power of the 454 we put in last year when he got the boat with a cracked 350 block. We found those same flappers were corroded so bad that they would hardly operate and we though they may be restricting the exhaust flow so they got yanked out completely. He has had no issues yet but it has only been back in the water for a week.

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Marc, Kathlin & Nathalie


'89 Chaparral Laser 32

'93 Vista 245, 5.8L w/ King Cobra

Former Boats
'01 H260, 7.4 VP Duoprop
'98 H200, 5.0 GL w/VP SX drive