Inboard Experts

[bdolnik]

Seem to be a lot of issues involving inboards so thought I would start a thread and kick it off with a couple questions

Question #1
My 77 Savage has a counter-rotating engine in it. From what I understand this was common back in the day for single screw inboards, and actually made for a better handling boat. However over time in the interest of standardization and cost savings they were used less frequently. Now to purchase a counter rotating engine costs about $1000 more than a conventional one.

I want to replace mine with a conventional motor but the question is, did Seacraft build in an offset to these boats to account for torque? If so my replacement plan may not work. I tried measuring from the center of the prop shaft to either side of the hull and came up with about a 1/4 inch difference, but this may have been due to the fact there isn't really any good points to measure from on the hull.

Question #2
The motor I'm looking at is a Crusader Fresh Water Cooled. The cooling tanks are at the rear of the motor and don't quite fit under the console/back deck. Has anyone else ever run into this problem? Is it possible to remotely locate the heat exchange tank?

Thanks!

[EagleOCNJ]

First I am no expert but have had a few inboard boats. You can move your heat changer but Im not sure what the requirements/ placement choices are. If height of the new engine is an issue, be aware that newer, Vortek engines have a highrise intake and is 3 inches higher automatically plus how it is configured.

You may need a new trans w/ a reverse rotation motor, I dunno.

[bdolnik]

Thanks Eagle, yes the engine is about 1.5 inches taller than the existing one but that won't be a problem as there is clearance under the console. I'm replacing the transmission also, forgot to mention that.

[Miles Offshore]

no expert here either but Ill give it a shot-
if your curent motor is counter normal and you are running a 1.5-1 gear then you should be turning a right handed wheel. If I remember correctly these motors run a little more money than standard rotation. Most rudders will have some offset put into them to counter the torque that you have. (see picture of mine) If the crusader you are looking at is standard rotation then you will need to go to a left handed wheel. I would recommend the standard rotation personally speaking if you are getting a new tranny too. You can put the heat xchanger any where you like chevy blocks the best place is the rear and ford blocks the front of the motor is the best. By the best I mean the easiest area to put brackets to support the xchanger. My buds i/o has the vertical type that mounts down the front side of the motor- that is an option for you as well. As Gary Hill stated in another post , think about putting e4xtension blocks in between your risers and exhaust manifolds to protect against water intrusion when backing down.

you can see the offset to the port in these pictures of my rudder-








hope this helps- craig

[doodlebug]

I belive most of the new counter rotation inboards are
standard rotation motors reversing the rotation with the
transmission.Does yours have a v-drive with your motor
faceing aft or forward?

[1bayouboy]

I think that's correct.....
if you're getting a trans anyway, I think you could get a normal rotation engine and reverse it in the trans to keep the same prop direction.

[bdolnik]

I'll have to ask about that. Most of the engine places I've looked at have standard and counter at different prices though so there must be some difference.

[1bayouboy]

I guess you have to pay the piper for counter rotation someplace.....either on the engine or on the trans...

[Bay Runner]

Standard rotation engine is a left hand rotation! Always check rotation from the back(trany/bell housing end), and the distibutors on both right and left engines turn the same direction, so you have to check the crank shaft. Typically a velvet drive 2:1 gear changes the rotation of the output/prop shaft in the gear.

[Finster]

As a few of the others have stated a left hand wheel is usually standard on a single screw boat. The 1.5-1 trans is usually standard on the SC's and that's a lefty. I have seen right handed screw's which are 1-1's but that's is not very common.
As for the off set in the rudder. I was always under the impression that the offset was there more for the ease of changing the shaft, cutlass bearing, and strut.