Newbie here! Need advice

Tyler

New Member
May 29, 2019
11
Boat Info
1987 268 sundancer
Engines
1 350 sbc
hi everyone!! Thank you for letting me join! I’ve always loved the water grown up on my grandfathers 1986 19ft sea ray Seville cuddy cabin, but always wanted something bigger, so just a couple days ago purchased a 1987 sea ray 268 sundancer with a merc 350, so I knew how to winterize my grandfathers boat we always just ran anti freeze through the system and put a piece of cardboard on the points and changed the oil in the lower unit, but since this boat is much bigger and a v8 and has a water tank and bathroom etc...... what’s the procedure to un winterize it to be able to start using it? Along with is there any manuals for this boat out there? To learn how to flush the waste tanks and etc?? I’m new so I apologize for any dumb questions or anything lol,
 

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Welcome to the forum and congrats on your first boat. My first question for you is, who winterized the boat and can you find out from them what they did so you can un-do it. Barring that, you will have to assume they did everything. You will need to start with the motor and assume every petcock in the engine block and the exhaust manifold are open. You need to find every one and close them. I would also assume the outdrive needs service so plan on pulling the drive and installing a new impeller in the water pump in the lower unit. At the same time thoroughly inspect the bellows and replace if necessary. If you have knowledge about these parts you can decide how to proceed. Next, its likely that the holding tank and water tank were drained so you will want to check on those as well. And don't forget to look at the water heater. Just think logically about what you would have done to winterize and work backwards. Do a search on here for "268" and you will find a lot of info. I believe someone even has manuals.

The 268s are cool boats and yours looks to be in nice shape. the 350 is not much motor for a boat that heavy and it will struggle to get on plane and stay there. It was offered with a 454/Bravo and that is a better engine package for that boat. I just want you to be aware that with 4 people on board performance will be puny.

Good luck with your new toy and I hope you enjoy it.
Shawn
 
Welcome to the forum and congrats on your first boat. My first question for you is, who winterized the boat and can you find out from them what they did so you can un-do it. Barring that, you will have to assume they did everything. You will need to start with the motor and assume every petcock in the engine block and the exhaust manifold are open. You need to find every one and close them. I would also assume the outdrive needs service so plan on pulling the drive and installing a new impeller in the water pump in the lower unit. At the same time thoroughly inspect the bellows and replace if necessary. If you have knowledge about these parts you can decide how to proceed. Next, its likely that the holding tank and water tank were drained so you will want to check on those as well. And don't forget to look at the water heater. Just think logically about what you would have done to winterize and work backwards. Do a search on here for "268" and you will find a lot of info. I believe someone even has manuals.

The 268s are cool boats and yours looks to be in nice shape. the 350 is not much motor for a boat that heavy and it will struggle to get on plane and stay there. It was offered with a 454/Bravo and that is a better engine package for that boat. I just want you to be aware that with 4 people on board performance will be puny.

Good luck with your new toy and I hope you enjoy it.
Shawn

Thank you Shawn! The marina the guy had it at winterized it and shrink wrapped it so like you said gotta assume everything, The people there when I picked the boat up were big jerks so that’s why I haven’t asked em lol, and the outdrive had a bunch of work done to it last year including an impeller so I should be good shouldn’t I? How exactly can I tell if ones bad? If the engine is running warmer than usual or? The upper bellow is good brand new but it’s missing the exhaust bellow, and it’s an oval shape? I was told that type of bellow mounts to the transom side and the lower unit just fits into it when it’s lowered? I’m only used to the ones that attach to both ends lol, and yeah that’s why I was hoping for a manual that would tell me how to go about the water system and heater etc since I’ve never worked one of these systems on a boat or anything, I just don’t want to ruin anything which is why I’m nervous haha, if someone had a manual for it I would love to buy it off em!!! Would help me out a ton! Ive seen that I wish mine did have the 454 but in all truth long as the motor runs good and it works like it should then that’s all I need not looking for any sort of speed or anything just a nice fun cruiser so far I’ve just been sitting in it reading up on it since me and my gf have deep cleaned the whole thing haha, gotta change engine oil and lower unit and some trailer fixed and hopefully should be ready to put it in the water! Also need to get a good gps for it
Tyler
 
Get yourself the third party engine repair manual for your engine/outdrive. Even if you don't do the work yourself, you'll understand what is going on.

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=mercruiser+engine+repair+manual&ref=nb_sb_noss

As far as summarizing the boat, you can start the engine on muffs. First, probably need to reconnect the battery and give everything a good check to make sure all the parts are in place, valves open/closed as appropriate.

The fresh water system will need to be drained and flushed out several times. It should then be ready to go.
 
Go into the Forums and scroll down to "Classic Sea Rays." 'The 268s fall in this category and there are a lot of 268 posts. Someone may even have a manual they will share.
 
Get yourself the third party engine repair manual for your engine/outdrive. Even if you don't do the work yourself, you'll understand what is going on.

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=mercruiser+engine+repair+manual&ref=nb_sb_noss

As far as summarizing the boat, you can start the engine on muffs. First, probably need to reconnect the battery and give everything a good check to make sure all the parts are in place, valves open/closed as appropriate.

The fresh water system will need to be drained and flushed out several times. It should then be ready to go.

Sweet thank you!! I’ll have order one, hopefully then I’ll have a much better idea haha,
 

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