Recent content by mjgates

  1. M

    Trailer grease behind wheel

    I went to grease my bearings and take the the first trip with the family this morning and noticed a large amount of grease behind my tire. Not sure if it was pumping out the back while I was pumping it, or if it was already there. Attached are a couple pictures. If anyone has any idea of what it...
  2. M

    Lower Unit Hydraulics

    My lower unit hydraulic unit is not bolted to anything. It looks like there was a casing that has rotted out. It's not easy to move it, but I am planning to drop tomorrow for the season. Is this a big deal? Could I rig up a small encasing to keep it in place and be ok? It is in the rear...
  3. M

    Do you wax the bottom of your boat?

    I generally do not get down on a creeper and wax the bottom, but this year I had to use a hull cleaner called On/Off as I was laid up at the end of last season and unable to physically clean it at the end of the season. Should I get down on a creeper and do this, or just wax as far as I can...
  4. M

    Oil Drain Pumps

    I'm reading reviews on many of the inexpensive oil drain pumps with them only working once, or not at all. I am trying to find something in town, if possible as I'm going out on the lake Saturday morning. Are these $20 pumps basically you get what you pay for. Such as this one from iboats, or...
  5. M

    Small Gel Coat Crack

    Cleaning today and found a small Gel Coat crack. Deep enough to cause concern. Wondering if this is something I should try to tackle myself or pay someone to patch. I have no experience with hull repairs. If I should pay someone, what would be a fair market price? I want to know a little before...
  6. M

    Best Mildew Removers

    Seems everyone has to battle mildew at one point or another. I didn't shrink wrap this year and have a slight amount on rear vinyl. I used beach,water, soap mix, and although it faded it, did not completely remove. I found something about 4-5 years back that was great, but can't remember what it...
  7. M

    5.0 starting

    I have a 5.0 Mercruiser, and it doesn't start as easily as the 3.0 I had in my last boat. Not overly difficult to start, but have to pump the throttle a time or 2 and let it crank for about 10-15 seconds. Sometimes takes a couple tries. The 3.0 I had was like cranking a car. Turned the key and...
  8. M

    Outdrive Oil

    trying to figure out if I need to change the outdrive oil this year. It was changed at the start of last season. I only had a 1 month boating season as the lake completely dried up. It was docked in a wet slip for the one month. Will last years outdrive oil be ok with very limited use, or should...
  9. M

    Blower Problem

    Toward the end of last year, my blower stopped working. I checked the fuse and it appeared fine. I replaced it just in case with no luck. I'm about to start working on it in the next week or so to get her ready for the season. Anyone have any suggestions on where to start to troubleshoot the...
  10. M

    Can I use a car battery for my mercruiser?

    I have a 5.0 I/O mercruiser. Can I use a car battery, or is there a benefit to using a marine battery? Thank
  11. M

    Carb Rebuild

    I have a small block 8 Mercruiser I/O. It is cranking fine, but is not turning over as easy as it should. I replaced the spark plugs last weekend hoping it would help it fire. It seems to be running a little smoother, especially at idle, but we still stalled at idle a couple times and had a...
  12. M

    Starter bolt fallen into bilge

    My mechanic just called and said the starter bolt has fallen out into the bilge pump. They said if they can get it out without removing the motor, it will take 2 hours. If they have to remove the motor, 8-9 hours. I am selling this boat for $3000 and definitely not willing to put 8-9 hours into...
  13. M

    Ladder Sticking

    The third step on my ladder is very difficult to get down. If you yank hard enough, it will, but it definitely needs some sort of lubricant. I was going to use WD-40, but was told by someone to use silicone. Only silicone I see at west marine is a sealant. Anyone know what is the best product to...
  14. M

    greasing trailer bearings

    This is usually done at the shop, they do it during winterization for free since I have grease fittings. However, the hub cover with fitting fell off on my way home last week. I bought a new hub cover and grease gun. It was a multi purpose grease, but had a picture of a boat on it, so I used it...
  15. M

    Boat Insurance

    I have had boat insurance for 10 years on my first boat without question. I just bought a new one and when calling to get insurance, I just put it in my name. My wife has probably driven four to five times in the last 10 years. They said she would not be covered driving if she was not on the...
See more
Top