Im pulling my motor to go through ( found bearing material in the oil filter and has low oil psi at hot idle. Motor was still running and not knocking so hopefully i caugjt it early). I plan to do a few things while motor is out.

One of which is repainting the outdrive. I have the merc paint. What kind of primer should i be using?

Aside from cleaning the bilge and re routing some wiring is there anything you guys would suggest i do? Bilge pump is fairly new and realitvely easy to get to

Lastly is there anyone in the midwest you can recommend for rebuilding this for me. Looking for someone i can trust within a few hours of Iowa. Motor is a 502 (carb). Id like someone that can run it on a dyno and tune for me so all i need to do is drop her back in.

Any guess what this while endeavor is gonna cost? Im scared. Lol.

merc has a primer too. It touched up a drive a few years ago with the grey merc primer and black merc drive paint. It turned out good and held. Chances are your over paying for merc labeled spray paint that can be found at home depot for cheaper. But either way.

maybe check or have somebody check the stringers and transom for rot real well.

Where at in Iowa? Retter Engine Development in Colfax, IL just rebuilt my 496. I was just in Iowa City a month ago. Would be a little over a 3 hour drive from there.

*Colfax, IL

Damnit!!!! Lol! Think I told the story already but in January I was fresh out of open heart surgery but wanted to talk to Ryan about my build. So my buddy picks me up and says where are we going and I say to RED in Carlock. We get there (you know how "big" Carlock is) and it is quickly evident that there is no machine shop there. Damn, I swear Schrock told me Ryan was just down the road from him so I assumed Carlock. My buddy looked at me and said at least you didn't say Carlinville!!! Ryan calls me shortly thereafter asking where I was. He got a big kick out of it too. And I keep making the same mistake!!!

Im in des moines. Smack dab in the middle of the state.