3.7L/3.7LX/470/165/170/185/485 all the same motors...they can be real good motors, but they are different than most other engines. They were built for a brief amount of time (1977-1989) by Mercury marine. there are very few parts that interchange with other engines, part supplies are drying up and some major parts are no longer available. When I started working on boats for a living these were very popular, I'm a big fan of them and have good luck with them in the past, but as time has gone by, they have been replaced by much better options. If you are bound to have an I/O 5.0L 5.7L V8 is the best way. They are usually the same cost as a 4.3 V6, cheaper than rebuilding a 3.7, and hte increased HP offsets any weight difference. the out drives themselves can cost you a lot in repairs as well. In salt water, I wouldn't have anything other than an outboard, the newer 4 strokes are very nice, but they are expensive and can cost quite a bit in maintenance. It all boils down to nothing in a boat is cheap, research around and look for what best suits your needs, if you find something you're interested in, post it up and we'll all chime in.
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