Let the games commence

sogood

Still pottering along, nothing major, but time consuming and important. I'm trying to get everything done that need to be done while the boat is on dry land. Then finish off and fine tune once launched. But there's always some tool or nut and bolt etc. that you need and having everything at hand is an asset. we shall see......

I've gotten my gas supply connected up, antenna coax run through to the radio, which will be mounted permanently, 12v socket on the dash for a hand held spotlight etc. and another 12v socket in the galley dedicated to the 12v kettle. I've repaired and refitted the aluminium trim around the base of the engine cover and started replacing the hoses on the cooling system. I also picked up my graphics for the boat, including the boat name and phone number to go on my mooting buoy. No pics, for obvious reasons, but getting there.

sogood

Rain stopped play today but I got a bit done below deck. I picked up some contact material with my graphics and dressed off the doors and drawer fronts on my cabinets and did likewise with the toilet door. It makes things look a little less bland.

sogood

Finally got the fxx*****xx hoses fitted. What a pain, limited access, pushing and twisting, hands and knees (knees locking in place occasionally). One of the original hoses had a made up connection on it and I know why. It meant that the two very inaccessible ends could be connected independently, then the hose was joined up! That had to go.

I also removed the belts for replacement and cleaned up the pulley grooves and got a coat of primer on them as well as doing the rocker covers. These were looking sad and crusty but are ready now for their new (probably red) paint. The manifolds and risers will be repainted in their original black.

I had wanted to remove the rocker covers to clean them up properly, but this isn't possible without removing the manifold risers first. There just isn't room to get them clear otherwise.

Another fun job lying ahead is to change the spark plugs. They are mounted down low on the engine, under the manifolds, below the deck level. The port side has better access but not so on the starboard side. I'd seriously consider fitting an access/inspection panel in the floor on that side. The rather temporary "supports" on either side of the engine, installed by a PO, will be replaced with something more permanent. These supports just give the floor area on either side of the engine a little more rigidity.

Anyway, just the one pic to show the engine looking a bit tidier. The temporary wire ties around some hoses etc. is just to hold them clear while painting.

fergal.b

Looking good. Its amazing how much boats hurt us bending and twisting to get at things it's only since after my heart attack and been put on aspirin that I see the cuts and bruises all over my body I look like I have been in a car crash or a member of fight club





.

sogood

Too true! I should have factored band aids into the refurb costs! But all worth it in the end. Looking forward to seeing pics of your big splash. Where will you put it in the water? Is transport going to be an issue?

fergal.b

I have hired a truck and crane from Kennedy Haulage for this end and then the hoist in Lakeside Marina Athlone to lift it off, I think I'll get a good deal as when I called to arrange it he said he was following the restoration




O I found a handy bit of equipment for getting at those hard to reach spark plugs

pedroeibar1

I like the padded upholstery!

sogood

Still tinkering away at the oily bits. Just back from being away for the last 12 days and straight into the overalls. I'm tidying up the engine with new coil, distributor, rotor, leads, plugs, all fluids and fuel pump on the "to do" list. I've already replaced many of the hoses and am cleaning and painting the more obvious bits. Today I got the risers and manifolds and block cleaned up and got a coat of black on them. Tomorrow, weather permitting I'll get to do the red finish on the other parts already rust primed.

There still seems to be so many small things to do, but we're getting there.

sogood

Got some more done, nothing major but the "to do" list is getting shorter. I got a coat of red heat resistant paint on the engine bits and one more coat should see it right. I also finished off the ceiling in the head. The panel that I made up to replace the original, mushy one, due to rain getting in through the multitude of screw holes etc, has been recovered in the newer fabric and fitted in place, complete with a light, all working and finished! I also made up a panel, covered in the same way, to dress off the inside of the forward hatch. Nice and tidy now.

I replaced the badly melted and brittle rubber overflow hose from the carb to the fuel pump. This has been routed and clipped in place to avoid coming in contact with anything hot or vibrating.

I replaced the dodgy float switch on the bilge pump and ran in a new fused supply after finding the original one had been cut off! The new switch is mounted slightly different, to allow it to sit lower when the bilge is dry, with a better guarantee of actually switching off the pump when appropriate.

Back on the road working from Tuesday, so not a whole lot happening this week, but getting closer. A shopping list is being compiled for all the replacement engine components, plugs, leads, coil, oil, filters, impellar etc. etc.

The big splash beckons!!!

sogood

So, no hatches today and there might never be! I had a senior moment and made a bit of a blunder, when I discovered a pair of large stringers either side of the engine. Now where the hell did they come from?? I honestly don't remember seeing them before, or at least I didn't take any notice of them!

Anyway, the stringers run through where the hatches go, and they sit right up under the deck, thus closing off the access that I was trying to create. They would give me just a little more access to the lower parts of the engine, but hardly worth the effort. I could cut some of the top off the stringers, but I'm reluctant to compromise the strength/integrity of the boat. So, the jury's out for the moment.

Having said that, I did get the old spark plugs out and what a PITA that was. They are so difficult to get at, especially on the starboard side, with a starter motor and alternator to get past, not to mention assorted hoses. They are tucked up underneath the exhaust manifolds and I needed a mirror just to see them. Then I had to work, back to front and upside down, just to get a plug spanner on them. Thanks to my slim build, I was able to get my arm down between the deck and the engine, but not without some war wounds!!

I haven't fitted the new plugs yet as I want to give the cylinders a squirt of oil first and turn the engine before actually starting it. I did fit my new plug leads and coil and I'm surprised that the engine started and ran so sweetly when I was buying the boat. I appreciate that it's been sitting up for a while, but the amount of crud and corrosion on the leads, coil and plugs was unreal. The rotor is new and I cleaned up the inside of the distributor while I was at it, so all good in that department. With the electronic ignition there are no points to bother with.

I also tidied up some of the wiring, taping it up and incorporating it into the existing looms. My new alternator and power steering belts are also fitted now.

Any thoughts of my "hatch" situation are most welcome.

sogood

Today I got my replacement seat supports fitted at the back of the deck, either side of the engine cover. The original ones had deteriorated quite a bit, so, out with the old.......

The rear seats are removable for greater deck/fishing space. I also cleaned up the rear panel that sits above the seats, just inside the transom and I have a forrmica laminated panel ready to go in that will close up the gap above the rear seats. This looks better and prevents the seats from sliding backwards. I'm going to replace the aluminium strip at the back edge of the engine cover with a rubber trim, just to seal the "joint" as the point where the two meet is directly above the distributor and coil. The less water that drips down there, the better. I'm also going to fit a small channel along the laminated panel to help divert any water that does get in. Pictures anon will explain better.

That's all I got done today, as the heat was unreal and there were plenty of stops and starts. I won't be back at the boat until next weekend when I want to pull it out from under the trees and give it a serious scrubbing, weather dependant.

sogood

Home for the weekend and I spent yesterday going around in circles. Everything I considered doing seemed to have a load of preparatory jobs to do first. But isn't that always the way? Anyway, I walked away before I started making blunders! Today I approached things with a fresh eye and actually got something done.

I had to visit Marineparts during the week while in Dublin, just to change the spark plugs, as they sent me the wrong ones. While there, some nice seats caught my eye and to save any messing about with my current ones, regarding the fact that they're solid and intrude above my new canopy, it was a no brainer. So now I have new seats fitted, after a bit of fettling to sort out the fixing points. On the new seats, the fixing screws line up exactly with the sliding mechanism on my existing bases! This was overcome by making a 1/2" plywood sandwich, between the existing base and the new seat. The plywood fixes onto the new seat using the seats fixing screws and then in turn, fixes onto the existing seat base/plints, via the base fixing points.

I'm more than happy with the seats, the look and the fact that they fold flat, below the line of the cover.

I also made up a small unit to house the VHF radio and incorporates a small cubby hole/storage. It's 1/2" plywood, covered in formica, like much of my new panels etc. I was stuck for space on the dash and didn't want to mount the radio up top, as I want to leave it clear and uncluttered. I already have my depth sounder/ fish finder mounted there and want to leave the radio fixed permanently, but protected. Happy with how things are shaping up.

Hope I get into the water while we still have the weather!!!

sogood

Got back home on Sunday and tried to work on the boat on Monday, but rain stopped play. Today I tackled it again and got a job finished that was always going to be awkward, but proved to be even more so. I wanted to replace the fuel pump, as the one in it looked very crusty on the outside, with the inside being not much better I suspect. I was a pita to get at, with the fuel/water separator in the way. No problem I thought, just unscrew the filter. No way would it budge, even after sacrificing it with a long screwdriver driven through it. ( I bought some spares as I intend changing them often to start with, given the water in fuel history) Still no joy so I undid the fuel lines, not helped by a PO rounding off the brass nuts with a vice grips, and removed the housing, with filter attached. Off to the bench vice and after a load of soaking, drilling, cutting, tapping, etc. I finally got it off. I cleaned out the housing and the fuel lines too, which had a load of salty residue inside them!

With the way clear, I got the old pump off and after some fiddling, got the new one fitted. It's a mechanical pump which needs to have the plunger in the block slid back out of the way, in order to fit the pump. So you finish up being in your own way, working below floor level, under the exhaust manifold.

Finally got everything back in place, with stiff back, stiff knees, but happy to have this particular job out of the way. I want to replace the fuel line from the tank and have everything in the fuel system clean and fresh. To that end, I'd like to clean/ flush the inside of the tank. Remember way back when I emptied the old stale fuel from the tank? I'd like to flush out any residue and prevent any new fuel from softening any goo that may still be present. Any thoughts on the best approach for this?

fergal.b

I used one of these oil sump pumps and was able to get into every corner with the hose.

sogood

Thanks for that. I'm specifically looking at cleaning out the tank, as the old petrol can apparently, leave a "varnish" type residue, which softens and breaks down with the introduction of new petrol. It would be possible to remove the tank and wash it out with petrol or similar, and then pressure wash it if needed. A simpler approach would be welcome, but I still want to do it right.

I don't want to cut corners as regards running. No good having all the whistles and bells if you're left stranded, adrift with a gummed up carb!

sogood

Took the leg off today to replace the impellar etc. and was surprised to see what had been passing itself off as a water pump. The old impellar was destroyed, with much of it being stuck inside the upper and lower housing in a sort of rubbery goo. I got everything cleaned up and just have to collect some new seals and gaskets next Tuesday when I'm in Dublin again with work.
Top and bottom sections of the leg are cleaned up, ready for sealing and refitting. I had gotten an impellar kit but ordered the wrong one, so a replacement is called for. Although the boat came with a new impellar and housing, I still want to replace the gaskets, seals and wear plate.

I made up a little stand, using some old doors, to sit the leg in while I worked on it and it made life very easy.

I also got my new panel fitted behind the rear deck seats, having replaced the aluminium trim on the engine cover, with some rubber trim. This helps to keep the rain out. I also added an aluminium "gutter" to the rear panel, as any rain that runs down, falls right on top of the coil, distributor and spark plug leads. So now this will be diverted safely away to either side of the engine and into the bilge.

That and a few other little minor jobs made today quite productive. I've also included some pics of the aforementioned gummed up fuel pump and fuel lines. Allied to the corroded connections on the leads, coil and plugs, I'm amazed that the boat ran so well when I bought it.

sogood

As mentioned. How did this thing run?? Anyway, all is good now, new pump, lines cleaned, filters replaced and the carb had been rebuilt. We shall see......

fergal.b

While you have the leg off I would recommend getting a full bellows kit and water intake pipe, I have seen bellows fail and sink a boat so well worth the few quid especially after seeing the state of the impeller :eek:







.

sogood

You're giving me food for thought. Although I don't have the whole leg off, just the lower section as that's all that's needed to change the impeller.

fergal.b

It will be money well spent and you will have piece of mind when it's done. Also as the impeller looks like it got hot it would be worth checking the one way valves number 7 in the photo if your boat has them these can brake off and clog the cooling system they look like the heal of a shoe when they come apart.

sogood

Thanks for that fergal. I was aware of the tendency for the flappers to come adrift and cause cooling issues and the more I think of it, the more I'm inclined to investigate. I've waited this long, might as well have everything as right as is possible. But in the meantime, last day at the boat before I head off on tour again. It was a productive day, with several minor jobs finally out of the way and I got the dash covered too.

I used a slightly matt finish linoleum material, so no glare and a slight grip also. I laid it in position and held it in place with some bits of masking tape, then pencilled the outline all around the edges. Removed the linoleum and laid down masking tape all around the outside edge of the pencil line. Now I could spread adhesive without being too fussy about getting it everywhere! Adhesive on the linoleum, let it get tacky and lay it down. After it had all set/dried somewhat, I peeled off the masking tape and finished up with a nice clean finish with no overspill or residue to clean up.

I refitted the grab rail in front of the passenger seat, over a year since it was first removed. In fact, it was one of the first bits to be taken off in the strip down.

I also got my VHF wired up and connected, along with my fishfinder/depthsounder and I connected up the extra 12v socket that I fitted on the dash. A good day. And just as I began to feel that I was getting close, the bellows beckons. Ah well, better safe than sorry............

fergal.b

If it's an Alpha outdrive you might need a removal tool like this, you could probably pick one up on eBay handy enough, I would lend you mine but I have so many tools and books that have not come back to me it's just not worth the hassle anymore "sorry". The tool is worth having as I change bellows every two years.

sogood

No worries feral. Been there myself too often and it's very annoying. I regard my tools as important as my arms! Anyway, will be poking around the bellows etc soon enough. And yes, it's an Alpha.

sogood

Still checking off the "small" jobs. Finished the impeller, gaskets, seals etc. Took a look see at the gimbal bellows and the shifter bellows and all is good. No cracks or splits and plenty of flex in them still. I still have to look at the exhaust bellows and flaps, as per fergals suggestion.

Ran a test on all my electrics and all is good, everything is working as it should. I also got my trim sender gauge calibrated and working. I put an extra eye on the front as the existing one, which has the winch strap attached, is very low. Right down at the waterline in fact. I thought something higher up would make more sense for mooring, being accessible from the deck. I may just leave my mooring line attached to this eye in the future.

I also decided to tidy up the boss on the steering wheel. It's aluminium, painted black and had become a bit bubbly and crusty. It took a bit of undoing to finally get it off, but it's now cleaned down, etch primed and awaiting it's new finish. Why not!!

Did some caulking/filling here and there and maybe next time home, it will finally get a proper wash and polish, then the graphics go on. Does it ever end?

I'm still seriously considering pulling the fuel tank to give it a proper clean. Even though I drained out all the old fuel, I'm still concerned about the "varnish" residue left behind. Watch this space...................

sogood

So, in between the madness that work is at the moment, I'm still getting bits and pieces done. I pulled the exhaust manifold elbows off and was happy to find them very intact inside, with little or no corrosion. The water jackets are healthy with plenty of metal between them and the exhaust chambers. Not so with the exhaust flaps, or one of them at least.

One was in great shape and the other had almost completely disintegrated. I'll be replacing both! I had a poke around to see if the part of the flap that's missing might have been somewhere inside the "Y" pipe or down in the exhaust bellows, but no sign of it. Time to pull the drive and see if it's in there somewhere.

I lifted the section of floor above the fuel tank and found it sandwiched in between large "stringers" along each side, and bedded in expanding foam. Added to that is the fact that only the rear half of the tank is visible, with the rest running in further under the deck. It looks like the boat was built around the tank. I still want to clean it out and removing it would have made it easier and more thorough, but I don't think that's going to happen now. Any thoughts for a good way to clean it in situ? I'm most concerned about the residue of old petrol which leaves a sort of varnish film lining the tank. This can then soften with the introduction of new petrol, and the accompanying issues, which I want to avoid.

So, still pottering along and hopefully getting somewhere.

sogood

So, the new exhaust flaps are fitted, but I couldn't refit the exhaust elbows as I got the wrong gaskets. In the meantime I fitted my manual bilge pump, with just the hose from the bilge left to clip in place. It was fun routing the hose down to the bilge, having to pass through a 12" wall of buoyancy foam on route! I got around this by cutting a section of 40mm waste water pipe and then cut "teeth" into one end, just by cutting out small pieces at an angle.

This pipe then became my drill bit, which cut a perfect channel through the foam, and removed the waste material at the same time. It was like digging a mini "Port Tunnel" as the section of buoyancy was under the deck and totally inaccessible except from the bilge cavity. but it worked out fine.

As I had the exhaust elbows off, I thought I'd remove the rocker covers and paint them properly. Previously, they couldn't be removed and were painted in place, with some surface rust left unattended, due to lack of access.

So, off they came, cleaned down, sanded smooth, rust removed and treated, etch primed and sprayed. They're back on now and looking much better.

My replacement gaskets came today, so tomorrow, the elbows go back on, along with the gearshift assembly that bolts onto them. Then I can tweak and adjust the shift mechanism.

When I finally (soon) get to run the engine, I'll do so from a remote tank. I want to drop some new petrol into the tank, let it sit for a day or two and then pump it out, via a pair of filters and see if it shifts anything from inside the tank. I will also take a swab, via the sender access, to see if there's anything coming away from the tank walls. If all checks out, then I'll run the engine from the tank, with the option of plenty of frequent filter and water separator changes.

Thanks to fergal pointing me towards sealsdirect, I hope to shortly retrim all the windows and fit the replacement glass to the deck window.

I'd like to be further along as the summer seems to be drifting away, but hey, what can you do? I also put a new roof on my big shed this week, so at least I'll be watertight on one front for the winter!

pedroeibar1

Glad you got your shed roofed. According to Radio Kerry a few days ago the weather in July was the wettest since records began, with rainfall on 26 days. I was here for much of it, and can add that there also was an unusually high number of smallcraft warnings. Several of those were incorrect with no wind but on a few occasions when I was out it blew stink, not forecasted. Maybe it's time to take up an indoor hobby, like knitting. Or boat renovation, and trail to somewhere drier.:(

sogood

Knitting? Maybe a nice Aran sweater to go with the boat?

sogood

So, I got my exhaust elbows back on and attached the various gubbins to them, including the gear shift mounting bracket. This allowed me to adjust the gear shift and I have a nice solid, smooth, forward and reverse, with the engine off. I'm assured that it's better with the engine running. However, I found my throttle mechanism was doing nothing. I unhooked the cable and found that it operated perfectly. The actual throttle is stuck, solid!

There is no movement at all on the shaft that operated the (primary)throttle plates. The secondary plates operate fine. So, off with the carb.

I removed the various rods, levers etc. to get down to the basics. Still no budge. I separated the carb to see if I could find anything from the top side, but nothing obvious. It seems that the shaft that the flaps are screwed to is stuck tight and refuses to rotate. I even put a small adjustable spanner on the flat section of the shaft after removing the above "rods and levers" and no joy. For the moment it's soaking in WD40. If anyone has any bright suggestions, I'm all ears. FWIW this is a remanufactured carb and the original carb came with the boat. It's a Rochester Quadrajet.

sogood

Too many distractions to get much done, but I did manage to free the stuck throttle! Woo hoo! I dismantled the carb further to get at the flaps, which I removed. Then after more spraying and soaking, I put a large block of wood in my bench vice, with a long hole drilled down into it.
The I sat the section of carb on the block, with the protruding section of throttle shaft, sitting down into the hole.

This helped to keep the carb steady and cushioned it, and with the other end of the shaft (sitting upright) duly protected, I began tapping, solidly, little by little, and the shaft finally began to move. Still not turning, but moving. Using a drive, I eventually managed to push the shaft free. Thought it might have been bent or distorted in some way, causing it to stick, but its dead straight all round, according to my steel rule.

So, using cotton buds, I cleaned out the bores that the shaft passes through, inspected the brass bushes for any damage, all good, and cleaned up the shaft itself, although there was nothing obviously amiss.

End result, the shaft is back in and turns freely, with no flat spots or hesitation.
Now I can go to work happy and will rebuild the carb next week when my kit arrives. That's good enough for me! Thanks for the input.

sogood

Got back from work yesterday and my parcel arrived at the same time. So today I thoroughly cleaned and rebuilt the carb with new gaskets, seals etc. Its all working freely and is back on the engine. Hoping to fire her up soon and be able to fine tune it then. Looking forward to hear her running again, especially with all her new bits!

sogood

So, yesterday was a bit hit and miss at the boat, with the weather being very unsettled, so not a lot done. Today however, I tweaked and lubed the gear shift/throttle controller and happy with it's operation.

I also replaced the old fuel fill hose, which was a bit crusty and brittle looking, with lots of small surface cracks. Getting the new one in was a bit of a pain, as the hose is quite rigid with a steel wire reinforcing, so not very pliable. I fixed a line to the old one when I pulled it out and this helped a lot in pulling the new one back in, although the tight spaces and corners didn't help.

I also tidied up the bilge hose on the new manual bilge pump. I clipped it in place and sealed up the base where it runs through the deck. There's a ton of foam beneath the deck where the hose passes through, so I didn't want it constantly soaking up water. I used a plastic cap from a spray can, with a hole in it that the hose passes through, very snugly. Then I set the cap down into the hole in the deck and sealed up all around it.

Next on the to do list is to spray some fogging oil into the cylinders and turn the engine. Then fit the plugs, hook up the muffs and fire her up (hopefully) using a remote fuel tank. All fluids are done and I keep mentally re-checking that all is good to go. Getting paranoid!

Still doing my homework on the replacement window seals, but I think I have it sorted, so that will be the last significant job. Fingers crossed!

sogood

Bad weather hampered work yesterday, but today I sprayed / lubed the cylinders, got the plugs fitted (what a PITA), leads hooked up etc. Remote fuel tank and primer bulb also connected. Good to go, but no go!

The engine seems to be turning too slowly to fire, so the battery is on charge. Having said that, there was no big difference when I tried the battery from my car. Normally spins my 4.0 litre with no bother at all.

I'm getting fuel to the carb and into the cylinders, so tomorrow I'll also check for a good spark and will look at the shift interrupt switch also. Fingers crossed! And yes, I did have muffs connected with a good flow of water to the drive FWIW.

Thoughts welcome.

fergal.b

If you put oil in the cylinders it will seal them up a bit more making the compression higher and in turn harder to turn over, also check you have the right leads going to the right plugs just to be sure to be sure







.

sogood

Thanks for that. I used a little fogging oil and turned the engine a few times with the plugs out and it didn't turn a whole lot faster than with them in. Usually without the plugs an engine will spin fast and free, so I'm suspecting the battery, connections or the starter.

I triple checked the leads and fitted the new ones after marking, photographing and sketching the original set up, so I'm happy that they're right.

I'll be looking into it today, fingers crossed!

Thanks again.

sogood

Didn't get back to the boat until this afternoon, about 3 hours and in that time, I managed to get ONE of the bolts out of the starter motor! It was obviously fitted before the engine was fitted into the boat. What a major pain.

One of the bolts is quite awkward to get at, but it was possible, by lying on my side on the deck, hanging upside down into the bilge up at the front of the engine and stretching down towards the back of the engine, under the sump, between the stringers, past the various hoses, bilge pump etc. etc.

The two bolts are alongside each other, on the underside of the motor, but the second, really difficult one, is seated snug up against a plate on the bell housing, with not enough room to get a socket or ring spanner onto it. An open ended spanner is possible, but with practically no movement possible, with the starter motor itself in the way on one side and a stringer on the other.

Last thing I did this evening was to squirt a load of WD40 down into the top of the open upper end of the bolt hole and ground down a socket, ( courtesy of a youtube video) leaving enough metal on the walls, but thin enough to be able to tap it onto the nut. So, in the morning I'll have a go at it again.

Pulling the motor is the last step in sourcing the slow turning. I started with the battery, fully charged now, cleaned the posts and clamps, all shiny now. Then I took the cables off the battery switch and cleaned them likewise. One of the lugs on the cable broke off in the process and I hoped this was my problem, but a new lug didn't help. I even bypassed the battery switch, just to be sure that it wasn't acting up internally, so that left me with the motor itself.

On a car, removing the starter might take 5 minutes, with proper access from below, but unfortunately, in a boat the hull is in the way!

When it comes to reinstalling the motor ( note my optimism!) I'm going to try and replace the awkward bolt with a hex head bolt, something easier to get a turn on in such limited space.

Anyway, that's it for now, fingers crossed for tomorrow.

sogood

So, still no start. To date, I've changed plugs, leads, cleaned distributor, (rotor was new and clean) Cleaned and rebuilt carb, replaced fuel pump, cleaned all fuel lines etc. got my TDC on #1 cylinder and the rotor was aligned with the #1 position (marked) on the distributor cap. Fitted leads in correct firing order. Used a remote tank and primer with fresh fuel. Fuel is pumping into carb when throttle is activated. Have 12 volts at + side of coil.

Took starter off and bench tested same, spinning freely and fast. It was a replacement by PO and it was spotless inside. Cleaned all connections, likewise with battery and grounds. I tried to start it with shift interrupt switch connected, disconnected, shorted out, and with the coil - (tacho) connected and disconnected. I even went so far as to shift all plug leads on the distributor forward and back one position, just in case my TDC was somehow off!

​The only thing I'm finding is that the engine seems to be turning over a bit slowly. It was rebuilt by the PO so could it be a bit "tight"? I'm using a 110ah battery and have cleaned and tightened the connections in the battery selector switch. I even tried it with the battery in both 1 and 2 positions. I bring the battery back up to charge in between attempts to start and when ignition is switched on, the gauge shows 12-13 volts, as does my multi meter. Under load, with engine cranking, the voltage on the gauge drops right back to nothing.

​I did have a short ( arcing ) on the tower on the coil to the - tacho terminal, but with this disconnected it made no difference to starting. The arcing has since disappeared, possibly caused by incorrect fitting of plug leads?

​Anyway, I'm running out of ideas. I'm hoping to use a booster pack to assist in the cranking, and hopefully starting, but if anyone can think of anything I might have missed, I'm all ears! FWIW, this engine ran, very easily and very well, despite all the old corroded terminals/connections/ gummed up fuel pump and lines etc. prior to purchase and during the refurb and my various attempts, the distributor was never moved from it's original position.

Thoughts and suggestions most welcome, with thanks

fergal.b

Sounds like a spark problem, try a set of these to see if. you are getting a good bright spark on each cylinder also try starting it at night and look at the coil, leads and distributor to see if there is a spark jumping from a crack, another way to do it is put your hand on them while turning it over but that could give you a bit of a jolt . Are you even getting a backfire.

megafan

Sogood.... What battery are you using? (sorry butting in on conversation without reading previous reply's) Remember having large two-stroke outboard (2.5lt) on boat years ago & was always difficult & slow to start had always used what were called marine battery's but was told to use a good large car battery & what a difference never had trouble with starting problems after... Marine battery's really only "Leisure" battery's & ideal for running cabin lights & fridges etc when moored & maybe starting small yacht engine but don't have the quick ah to start large engine... Just a thought...

megafan

Ha... See you've used your car battery but when you get to use starter pack also should tell a tale?

sogood

Thanks for the input. The battery is a 110 ah automotive battery. Mercruiser recommend 90ah or more and it's a regular " starting battery" as opposed to a leisure battery. Going to run some tests tomorrow, looking for voltage drops etc. Thanks again.

Tow

Fitted leads in correct firing order.

Trippe check the leads are in the correct order, against the engine's documentation not what you think is correct...

sogood

I followed the manuals set up procedure. #1 piston at TDC. Cylinder numbers are stamped into the block for identification. Rotor inside distributor is then automatically pointing at #1 plug lead on distributor. This is the position for the lead to #1 cylinder. Then the rest of the leads are installed, clockwise, following firing order. 1 8 4 3 6 5 7 2. These positions also correspond to the numbering marked on the distributor cap. So it's a 3 way check and everything corresponds and checks out.
My gut tells me that the slow crank is what's stopping it from firing. Weather kept me away from it today but I'll be double checking grounds etc. tomorrow if possible. The starter spun fine on the bench, but slowly on the boat. No improvement with the plugs out. Thanks for the input.

sogood

Just an update. Rechecking connections today on my starter, I discovered that the terminal on the starter that takes the free from the ignition, goes to ground. Not the wire but the actual terminal on the starter solenoid. Surely that can't be right? Looks like I may be pulling the starter again! Any thoughts welcome.

sogood

I managed to avoid having to pull the starter again! I thought on the off chance that my new, replacement coil was dodgy, I replaced the old original coil, having cleaned it up as much as possible, but it was in a very unhealthy, corroded state, especially the contact inside the tower. Anyway, nothing to lose. And she fired! Actually started! Ran! But briefly, as I had the throttle full forward and she revved up, I pulled the throttle back immediately and she died, so some adjustment/fine tuning is needed.

It seems you have to find the best technique/procedure for starting these engines, with pumping the throttle, if so, how much and then what position to set the throttle at during cranking, but we're getting there. A new coil was ordered yesterday evening and it arrived today. Bad weather and a weak battery prevented any work, but tomorrow will hopefully see some progress.

Thanks for the inputs and suggestions.

sogood

Long story short. New coil and some tweaking on the carb and she starts and runs on the first turn of the key. Idling a bit fast, around 900 RPM's as opposed to the suggested 750, but I have no adjustment available on the throttle idle screw, as it's not even touching the stop plate. The idle mixture screws have absolutely no effect either.

If I throttle up, the engine dies at about 1500 RPM's so either it's flooding or the timing is out, or possibly both. I'll be looking into it, but any thoughts or input, as usual, is most welcome.

Thanks in advance.

sogood

Getting very familiar with the Rochester Quadrajet Carb, but that's no harm. I pulled the air horn off again, reset the float (again) and discovered that one fuel passageways on the primary jets/seats was very clogged and the other wasn't far behind. It's basically a tiny passageway that allows the fuel from the bowl to be drawn into the cylinders, past the throttle plates. Hope I'm making sense.

Anyway, after some serious carb cleaner soaking and some compressed air all is good and I can now throttle up without any bogging. I have to assume it's ok as I can't/shouldn't rev up beyond 1500 rpm when running on muffs. But we're getting there. It starts right on the button and runs pretty well, just some tweaking on the timing to do and we'll see how things are.

I have to adjust the mixture idle also, but apparently, this has to be done on the water, with the drive in gear and the boat tied up. Under load if you like.

So, whenever the sea trials take place, there will still be some fine tuning to do. But we're getting there.

Alongside that I've been working on my Bimini top. It's working out well and should fit the bill when finished. Essentially, it will be a permanently fitted top that folds up or down as needed, with side panels and "windows", just to aid visibility. Pics to follow.

sogood

So, time moves on and I'm still not in the water. That's no harm. I was hoping to get her wet through the summer, but time, work and numerous other distractions have conspired against me. It just means that I can relax a little and make sure that everything is done as well as possible, including some extras that were being put on the long finger.

Still pottering away on my "Bimini Top". I used some of the old cover that came with the boat. It was torn in places, badly stained and was never going to be used anyway, so a good supply of water resistant fabric was at my disposal. I already have the cover made up and fitted that covers the seating/ dash/instruments etc. Plus the deck is self draining. So...........

I modified the frame that came with the Microplus that I refurbed, as it was never used on that boat. I used it once on the water with the cover fitted and it was like unfurling a mainsail. Plus it made the small deck space very cramped and claustrophobic. Ok maybe on inland waterways, but not out on the bay.

So, I stretched and reshaped the frame to make it fit the wider beam of the Wellcraft and then set about measuring, cutting, sewing, tucking and trimming and so far, I'm happy with how it's working out. I need to get some more snap fasteners before I can finish it off fully, but so far so good.

The nice thing about it is the fact that it folds down in front of the windscreen, out of the way and can be popped up and fixed in place in less than a minute, so any sudden showers wont spoil an outing. In fact I had a few showers while I was working on it and it performed very well. It doesn't take up any space, is light and airy and I've included windows on either side, just to eliminate any blind spots.

On the mechanical front, I've set the base timing on the engine and she's starting and ticking over really well. I want to replace the choke unit as the current one is a bit sticky and notchy and the oil pressure sender will be replaced also. I have the option to install a high temp/oil pressure alarm which I'm looking into.

I take heart from the fact that last December and January when I was working outdoors on the boat, I enjoyed some wonderful calm clear and exceptionally mild days, so I look forward to getting her in the water, whenever.

sogood

I'm sure there are better ways to pass the time, but if watching an engine running is what you're into, then be my guest! As mentioned, some fine tuning still to do. The idle mixture has to be set, under load, on the water, but otherwise, it's a lot better than the mooring weight it might have become!http://youtu.be/OKziDaAs6qE

sogood

Still pottering along, although much of what I'm doing doesn't actually have a lot to show for it. You know, all those little fiddly jobs, tweaking, adjusting, fixing etc.

At the moment I'm awaiting a replacement steering actuator, courtesy of ebay. I had a power steering fluid leak, which wasn't easily accessible with the actuator in situ. It was easy enough to remove it and much easier to work on it on the bench. A closer look revealed a bit of a bodge job by a PO which didn't work very well. So, a rebuild kit/ seals gaskets etc. was called for.

Lots of variations and exorbitant costs was putting me off, so a direct replacement seemed to be the way to go. It won't arrive for a while but will only take 30 minutes to fit.

In the meanwhile, I tidied up the engine bay area by refurbing the hardwood trim and refitting it. It's bedded down and sealed in place, just to discourage any water from getting into the bilge. The deck is self draining and I'd like to let it do its' job as intended. I also "christened" the boat with the addition of the graphics for her name. "Marianne" lives again.

I repaired the swim platform which had a chunk missing from it at one of the corners. Not crucial, more a question of aesthetics, and I'm happier with how it looks now. I riveted a piece of plastic onto the inside of the lip, with a piece of wire mesh, courtesy of an old fire screen (throw nothing away is my mantra) sandwiched between the plastic and the lip. Then the filling started, building it up in layers, followed by the usual rubbing and shaping and it's looking much more respectable.

My bimini top is almost finished too, just waiting on some stud fasteners and I can finish it off.

Still waiting on my window trim too, as it's taking a while to sort it out, with much emailing and some phone calls. Hopefully it will work out in the end.

Damp drizzly day today, so I'm on the computer instead of the boat.