Recent content by Howard Sterndrive

  1. Howard Sterndrive

    85 3.6 V6 OMC stringer poor or no throttle response/bog high altitude when in gear

    clean your flame arrester
  2. Howard Sterndrive

    3.0 Cobra with a 4.3 engine?

    not sure what you are calling a "cobra" - I'm guessing the outdrive? it'll fit, but some 3.0 cobra outdrives used the "400" sized lowers with a 13T propshaft spline - not going to last long over 140HP.. Then, the last few years , OMC beefed it up and used the larger gearcase for the 3.0 But...
  3. Howard Sterndrive

    Alpha One Upper Gears - Are there HD versions?

    a lot of times people will think their "built" 350 makes 300HP because the engine builder dyno's it at 5800 rpm and gets that number. Then you put it in your boat and it spins a maximum of 4600 rpm and it makes 260HP just like Merc rated it for the alpha application.
  4. Howard Sterndrive

    Overhauling my 1988 MerCruiser 4.3 ltr. engine

    That crank broke from overload in my opinion. It was a victim , not the cause. The $64K question we ask is: Did it break where it's inherently weak (i.e.at a stress riser like a change in diameter like a journal edge) ? If yes, then it broke where you'd expect it to break in overload. That...
  5. Howard Sterndrive

    Craftsman grinder

    Does anyone recognize this type of power tool cord? This is on a craftsman (Canada) grinder probably 30 years old. it's the detachable cord but I notice what looks like Black & Decker logo to me would like to find a replacement cord the grinder still works great. I went down all the usual...
  6. Howard Sterndrive

    71 evinrude 25hp have spark, 120 psi comp.

    I decided to compression test this motor I bought for parts years ago. 105 top 115 bottom. After a bit of oil left in it overnight 120 on both. No spark though. The points were ugly and one set not opening. So I tested coils condenser and cleaned and set points to .020. Bright blue white spark...
  7. Howard Sterndrive

    Which Sierra fuel water separator?

    I see at least four different spin on fuel filter/water sep: 18-7944, 18-7844, 18-7845, 18-7945,18-7945C is chrome- lol Which would be the best to replace the factory Mercury one on a 1990's V6 i/o Mercruiser? seems the 7944 and 7945 are 10 micron, others are 21 micron. I suspect a long 21...
  8. Howard Sterndrive

    How much play allowed in vertical shift shaft?

    How much does this shaft and bushing seal water out on an Alpha One Gen II?. My vertical shaft seems rather loose in the bushing. Even if snug in the bushing, it doesn't seem to have any sort of water tight seal. Why does water not flow through there from exhaust chamber and fill the cavity...
  9. Howard Sterndrive

    Fridge- burning garbage smell

    have a 5 year old Maytag (Freezer on bottom) . It started stinking the other day inside like something is burning up. The condenser coil was very dusty. I cleaned it all up but smell returned today. The internets suggested start cap and or overload relay on compressor motor, so I checked that -...
  10. Howard Sterndrive

    Noisy UJoints SEI Alpha Gen2

    My Drive sounds like a hunk of junk. It was noisy since new (SEI). It sounds like a bad gimbal bearing but I have replaced gimbal brg twice with no change. The paint was all flaking and cracking around the bearing are of the upper so I assumed I had a bearing issue (you can see the paint in the...
  11. Howard Sterndrive

    Shoreland'r Guide post gone.. craaaap.

    Never really scrutinized this dumb design before, but if the guide post on a Shoreland'r trailer comes loose, it just plunks out the bottom. And one of mine did last night- no idea how or why, I haven't loosened them or otherwise touched them in 5 years. I backtracked in the darkness an hour...
  12. Howard Sterndrive

    Gen II Alpha Growl, vibration when hot.

    UPDATED 07/07/14 see last posts I put a 116 upper on my Gen II V6 1.8? ratio last fall before storing the boat and noticed a bit of a growl, more pronounced after a longish run. Seems to almost disappear in neutral, noticeable at idle in gear and at slow plane. Didn't go away after break -in...
  13. Howard Sterndrive

    Trailer Hitch aid: aftermarket backup camera suggestions? with or without GPS.

    UPDATED 18/07/2014 -INSTALLED - SEE LAST POST Just as title suggests, looking for any feedback on any models of aftermarket backup cameras that work well for hitch alignment. Seems like switching away from wide angle might be preferable - not sure what units might offer that feature if any...
  14. Howard Sterndrive

    Stinky house - just as we ran out of propane.

    After a day or two of looking for a dead rodent, I'm wondering if the two occurrences might be related. My wife kept saying it smelled more like propane to her. I thought it smelled like a rotting rodent. Smell is most concentrated in a workroom at the opposite end of the house from the...
  15. Howard Sterndrive

    Adding surge brakes to a ShoreLand'R with single 3500# axle 14" wheels

    Any experiences good or bad or suggestions on a good kit/source for a full setup with surge coupler, all lines, and disc brakes. I don't need stainless, but looked at a couple of articles comparing Tiedown and Kodiak- older references seem to say avoid Tiedown, then newer ones seem to say that...
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