I am strongly considering converting my 470 mercruiser charging system from
the stator water cooled regulator type to an external. The kits seem to
actually be charging over 200 dollars just for the bracket, belt and
balancer when you factor in what the alternator is available for alone. Has
anyone done this and did it work well. Also, anyone with a used bracket etc
they might wish to get rid of if they are retiring a boat etc. would be
appreciate.

jdg

I did it on our twins. Highly recommended. Also highly recommend
using those Wagner brackets. I tried to build my own and ended up
spending just as much.
http://jimthompson.net/boating/Elect...conversion.htm

Jim

On Tue, 1 Jun 2004 20:38:26 -0500, "Jim Garlington"
wrote:

I am strongly considering converting my 470 mercruiser charging system from
the stator water cooled regulator type to an external. The kits seem to
actually be charging over 200 dollars just for the bracket, belt and
balancer when you factor in what the alternator is available for alone. Has
anyone done this and did it work well. Also, anyone with a used bracket etc
they might wish to get rid of if they are retiring a boat etc. would be
appreciate.

jdg

[quote= The kits seem to actually be charging over 200 dollars just for the bracket, belt and balancer when you factor in what the alternator is available for alone. jdg[/QUOTE]

I sell a kit for $295. The brackets are CNC-machined for dead-on accuracy, mig-welded on a precision jig, and black powder coated. These have to be made in relatively small production runs...if there were a market for millions of 'em the Chinese would be knockin' 'em out. Talk to a local metal fab shop and see what they want to do a "one off" fabrication that will FIT an WORK..ie. rigid mounting and proper belt alignment. It will NOT be cheap once they start charging by the hour! Next, factor in the DOWN TIME while you wait to get the job done. You'll quickly conclude that the ready-made kit is worth the price.

That being said, you don't have to pay $433 [eBay's high price] or more for a high-quality kit. Mine does the job for a lifetime for affordable dough.

Call 617.699-2153 to arrange payment and shipping.

The Wagner kit is way over-priced and it's made from cheap cast aluminum that quickly rots out in a salt-water environment. About half of my customers are Merc 470 owners who went that route, only to see their hard-earned money turn to aluminum oxide! Don't be THAT gujy!...buy powder-coated STEEL, not cast junk!