opti 3l gearbox internals

[oxo]

Right,
Can anyone help me on this? I have all the internals from an opti 3l 200 single water pick up and a dual water pick up gearcase from a verado. Was hoping by some miracle that everything would fit, naive I know! Looks like the bearing carrier is 100mm shorter on the dual pick up box and the main thrust bearing race is huge! can anyone point me to any bits that I need to buy to adapt? Or wait until a 3l gearcase crops up. Been searching on the interweb all afternoon and I'm losing the will to live!

[RossM]

I've got a left hand 3.0l gearbox available if that helps.may also have a apare 3l bearing carrier too.

[oxo]

Hi Ross,

Thanks but I prefer RH due to torque set up

[Boatymcboatface]

There are 2 xl 3ltr gearboxes on eBay. I'm also after a 3ltr gearbox for my 250xs but don't seem to be having any luck finding one suitable! There seems to be loads in America.

[GREG BASSAM]

You need the 3ltr later optimax box with the extra water pickups ,don't use the verado box, and if you get a xl all you have to do is change the drive shaft which you already have. I am always converting xls to longs.

[oxo]

Ok thanks,

Wouldn't the propshaft on an opti dual water box be a bit shorter too?
Just wondering

[GREG BASSAM]

there is various changes depending on serial number breaks the later boxes had a change of shift rod arm so you have to careful not to mix the cases up, there is a way of identifying the cases but I would need to look up the details on the Mercury parts list.
I think the drive shaft is the same but the propshaft might be different on newer boxs's.