It could be either, both were available at that time. The 488 was just a higher performance version of the 470. The 488 had a four barrel and nominally 20 more hp. I don't know what other tweaks the 488 had if any. The 470 had a two barrel carb. From what I saw back then the 470 did not give up much of anything in performace and was more economical to run at least in a 25 Grady. When you look at the boat there should be a big sticker right on the valve cover saying 488 or 470.
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Sailfish hardtop question
- Thread starter gradywhiteman
- Start date
Additionally, www.breezeworks.net is a site dedicated to 470 enthusiasts as well as providing availability for parts.
JeffN
Well-Known Member
I have a 1986 price list and the 190hp 488s were offered as a power option for an additional $1460 over the cost of the 170hp 470s. I have seen an 81 or 82 with factory 488s also.
Thanks guys great information. Not to change the subject but are there any particular problems with the 80's sailfish that I should lookout for?
Gradywhiteman,
I would not say anything earth shattering or unexpected for boats of that age. But in particular with I/O versions, transom rot is a distinct possibility. I have not seen it on mine, but it has been well maintained. The fuel fill and vent lines are a bit of a bear to replace and will require drilling some access holes. I run in freshwater so still have the OEM fuel tank but all of my lines have been replaced in the past 10 years. Cabin windows can be a pain with leaks as well as the windshield. Steering and throttle linkages should all be assessed. Overboard thru hull drains are plastic and if kept in saltwater are likely in rough shape and could be a water intrusion source and potential rot area. I am not aware of any consistent structural issues to be fearful of.
I would not say anything earth shattering or unexpected for boats of that age. But in particular with I/O versions, transom rot is a distinct possibility. I have not seen it on mine, but it has been well maintained. The fuel fill and vent lines are a bit of a bear to replace and will require drilling some access holes. I run in freshwater so still have the OEM fuel tank but all of my lines have been replaced in the past 10 years. Cabin windows can be a pain with leaks as well as the windshield. Steering and throttle linkages should all be assessed. Overboard thru hull drains are plastic and if kept in saltwater are likely in rough shape and could be a water intrusion source and potential rot area. I am not aware of any consistent structural issues to be fearful of.
Basically it sounds like most of the same things I have done to my Tournament. I certainly will be giving this forum a workout if I get one of those boats.
JeffN
Well-Known Member
UpGrady has it pretty much covered I think. I have just a few additional comments regarding my experience with my particular boat. My transom needed to be replaced when I repowered, my problem was not the drives but the underwater cockpit drains. On my boat the drive cutouts were sealed well and had not leaked but the holes in the transom for the cockpit drains were not glassed over after drilling. The rot in my transom had migrated from the drains. If you do tackle one of these boats I would pull all the drains and fittings and check them. Like UpGrady I have renewed lots of hoses, thru hulls, fuel lines, cabin windows etc. In my travels around the boat NONE of the holes drilled for these fittings had been sealed. Well the cabin windows had been sealed and the fittings themselves were sealed to the hull but none of the drilled holes had been. Even the holes for the fuel fill and vent lines going through stringers and such did not have any resin to seal the wood and glass. In the past few years I have been removing fittings and sealing. One fitting I was particularly concerned with as the boat got older was the drain for the fish box/storage area between the helm seats. The thru hull for this drain is located at the water line on the stb. side. The original fitting was nylon and I replaced with bronze. When I removed the original fitting I found that it was cracked about half way around on the inside of the hull. I also replaced the drain hose, it is hard to get to but doable. The hoses I have replaced have shown their age but I don't feel that any were about to fail. I am glad I have attended to them though. I to have rebuilt cabin windows and had the frames for the forward cabin window frames powdercoated as an experiment to see how they would look and hold up. Three seasons in they look like new. I also replaced the plexy with a darker tint while they were out.
So I guess most of it is old boat common sense and you have been through it with your Tournament. The unsealed holes I found were unexpected. Perhaps my hull went trough the rigging area on a Monday.
So I guess most of it is old boat common sense and you have been through it with your Tournament. The unsealed holes I found were unexpected. Perhaps my hull went trough the rigging area on a Monday.
You mention along with others about the cabin windows, is there rot around the frame, or the windows themselves leak? You also mentioned stringer holes not being sealed, I'm sure my boat is the same way but I haven't seen any rot so I would assume a sailfish would not be any different.
JeffN
Well-Known Member
No rot around cabin windows just old windows that moved a bit over time and the kitty whisker track pieces were worn out and splitting. So in short the windows leak around the frame and on the side windows the tracks the glass slides in were all cracked. Where the cabin windows are installed the the cabin is all glass IIRC- no wood core so not rot. I was able to find a vendor who could supply new pieces just like the original. I put all new rubber molding on the front cabin windows and replaced the molding and kitty whisker tracks on the cabin side windows. I also replaced the plastic trim that covers the screws around the perimeter of the window. On the outside the screws are hidden under the plastic stip around the edge of the window and the screws go into pieces of wood trim on the inside. Not a hard job other than getting the old plexi out of the front frames and removing the tar like sealer used originally. No rot in the stringer holes where the fill and vent lines ran through them or any of the thru hulls etc., except the cockpit drains, but I would still rather see some sealing going on. So the only rot that my boat had from unsealed holes were the ones I described before on the cockpit drains. If the drain holes had been sealed before the fittings were installed I may not have need to replace the transom. Sorry if I made it sound worse than it is.
JeffN
Well-Known Member
I just thought of one more thing to check on with a twin 470/488 powered Sailfish. My trim and tilt pumps were mounted forward of the engine on a cross brace and I think the front engine mount was also attached to that cross piece. I noticed a season or so before I repowered that the area under the trim pumps had rot. More unsealed holes when they mounted the pumps and motor mount perhaps? Don't really know but the rot in that structure had quite a bit of influence on my decision to repower as I believe to repair that area the motors would probably had to come out. So check the engine beds, the rear of the motor hangs on the intermediate housing on interior of the transom so no worries there if your transom is sound. Glad I remembered that as I feel that would be an important spot to check. My front motor mounts appeared to still be sound but under the pumps was not. I never inquired about how much that repair might be but it was one more reason for me to choose a repower.
ayacht
GreatGrady Captain
Don't know if this helps it would probably be too big but I am replacing my hardtop with a new one on my 2006 282 Sailfish. FYI it is due to being water logged if Grady does not want it back and it would help you for parts or a mold/repair it. You are welcome to it. I am not too far from you in MA. I think you are in CT. I plan to chop it up if they do not want it back and toss it.
ayacht said:Don't know if this helps it would probably be too big but I am replacing my hardtop with a new one on my 2006 282 Sailfish. FYI it is due to being water logged if Grady does not want it back and it would help you for parts or a mold/repair it. You are welcome to it. I am not too far from you in MA. I think you are in CT. I plan to chop it up if they do not want it back and toss it.
Do you still have the hard top? You are a ways away but I have a much older Grady that I would love to have a hard top on but can not justify the cost of new.
Thanks,
Greg
VeroWing
GreatGrady Captain
I also had a '25 Kingfisher with twin 470s. I really liked those engines. They were very economical and had plenty of torque. The "488" versions were actually "470s with 4 barrel carbs on them producing 188hp. These engines were basically half of a Ford 429/460 block, and used Ford heads and internals, making most parts readily available.
One other quirk these motors had in addition to the magnetos was that the water pumps were attached to the front end of the cam shafts. This meant that there were seals around camshaft between the water pump area and interior & exterior of block. After time these seals would etch a grove in camshaft which would start water leaking into block and outside. There is a "sleevekit" available to remedy this problem that worked well. Other than that, and adding an alternator to replace the magneto system, these were probably some of Mercruisers best I/O packages, in my opinion.
One other quirk these motors had in addition to the magnetos was that the water pumps were attached to the front end of the cam shafts. This meant that there were seals around camshaft between the water pump area and interior & exterior of block. After time these seals would etch a grove in camshaft which would start water leaking into block and outside. There is a "sleevekit" available to remedy this problem that worked well. Other than that, and adding an alternator to replace the magneto system, these were probably some of Mercruisers best I/O packages, in my opinion.