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Ted Guldemond
01-03-2001, 07:22 AM
Anybody have information on volve drives with the high speed lower unit designated by the letter 'E' as in AQ 270 E? How rare-expensive are these units? Are parts available? What type of performance gains over stock volvo lower units should one expect?

Blewbyu
01-07-2001, 06:58 PM
Real rare,REEEEALLL SPENDY,and you have to scrounge seriously for parts.No longer in production.HUGE (10+) MPH gains!Very small/short gearcase lower unit does it-but w/smaller gears,guess what happens to dependability....
If you really wanna go FAST,read GEOO's article about installing an Arneson drive.His boat goes like stink,and is reportedly rock steady.Arneson would (maybe) cost less to install if you can do it yourself-and would be a lot more dependable.

GEOO
01-07-2001, 09:37 PM
Ted, I had an "E" Drive lower foot on my 290. Great drive. Can't take too much torque and parts are not made anymore. I know a few people who may still have drives and some parts. However the drives go for a lot $2,000-2,500 and they may last a few years or grenade the first time out. It's hard to find someone who knows how to work on them. http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=1265596&a=9365857&p=30614988&Sequence=0 GEOO

Voodoocanoe
01-09-2001, 03:22 AM
Geoo,How can you tell what ratio a 270T drive is?mine also has the "E"lower unit on it and the output shaft has Mercury splines I assume this will make prop selection easier?

GEOO
01-09-2001, 10:52 AM
I think mine was a 1.43:1. It may be stamped on the Nut or housing just behind the prop. If not then spin the input shaft and count the rotation of the prop shaft. GEOO

boldts
01-09-2001, 11:35 AM
Guys,
Check out Andy Knuth's 18' Classic registry pictures. He has one of these speed drives on his and may be a good source for information also. Coool looking drive. Wish I had one even if they are hard to maintain!

Scott Boldt

green16
01-09-2001, 09:26 PM
Ted, I've got a 290 with a cone but I don't think I've got one of those "E" drives. I've sent pictures to Madpoodle for him to scan and send to Scot V. to add to my registration.

Ted Guldemond
01-10-2001, 08:44 PM
As always thanks for the info. These units remind me a lot of the old Mercury Quicksilver lower units from the 50's. I wonder if somewhere there might be a retired dealership or ex-racer with a couple of these collecting dust? Sure would like to get 5-10 more mph out of my 21GT.

Andy knuth
01-10-2001, 09:11 PM
Hi! I'm a new member and new to this PC thing in front of me. I see from the previous replies my pictures made it on.Thanks Scot.I'd like to fill you in on my findings with this E drive.I'v owned this donzi since 1990 and bought it with little knowledge of volvo drives.It turned out to be a270 with a250 lower.The motor was a brand new 351 ford not arebuild so i found out in98 when I put aset of ported enlarged valves 69 60.4cc heads on and plastic gaged the crank to find no where after 8 years.anyway my 250 lower grenaded after 2years and I bought the speed drive of a buddy who had it for 9 years on a71 2+3 that also had 351 init. He ran that thing all the time and hard,68mph at 5800rpm.I finally got a vibration end of 98,maybe do to more power+more prop,anyhow I stripped it down in the winter all 6 months of it and found nothing but a smoked thrust bearing. So Idecided to re bearing the whole thing.there are two sets of driveshafts,bearings,and gears inthat thing thats why they work.Allso a high pressure gear pump to cool and lube it.Incidentally there two sets of needle bearings on the bottom of the driveshafts that cant be bought had to improvise and use longer ones and machine housing.Total cost was about 450.00 can.The drives come in ratios of 1.45 (mine)and 1.18:1 .I run a22" blue printed 4 bladed cleaver,stock merc props need tobe cut down 1" to fit under my exteded cav. plate and trim tab set up, don't know about stock ones.The gears in mine still look like new. I get about 69mph on gps at 5400 rpm.If there are any questions I'd be glad to help if I can.

Ted Guldemond
01-12-2001, 08:07 PM
Andy: Enjoyed your pics in the archives. Welcome to the Donzi boards. This site, you will find is a phenomenal resource for information, inspiration and humor. Question: Is your power trim, stock volvo ie: 270T or has the I-O been modified with hydraulic trim added to stock 270 unit?

Andy knuth
01-14-2001, 12:08 AM
Ted the trim I have on my 270 is aset up I engineed using older rams + pump of older merc outboard 6cyl. using shafts and brakets made of a heat treated 400 series stainless.It works great with only the pivot bushings wearing every 2years or so.I have built 5 sets of hardwhere I have one and 2 for others.There is amin.charge for heat treating thats why 5.

Andy knuth
01-14-2001, 12:21 AM
Ted G. this is a trim system I engineered from older merc outboard cylinders +pump using 400series stainless shafts + brackets.Its worked great for 3years.

Ted Guldemond
01-14-2001, 12:18 PM
Andy: Thats one of the slickest retrofit trim setups I've seen. Any chance of posting a few closeup pictures? I've been toying with the idea of retrofiting an OMC outboard hydraulic trim system in the space occupied by the exhaust bellows on volvo 250 and 280. Your system looks like a better way to go.

Andy knuth
01-15-2001, 07:07 PM
Ted,I will send some close ups as soon as I get up to my dads place where I store it and take some pics of the trim inside and out.He lives about 110miles away so it may take a couple weeks.