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  1. tpenfield

    LiFePO Batteries ???

    I was thinking about doing the jumper cable thing, but concerned about the amount of current that the LFP batteries would soak up. Also, the folks at LiTime recommended their 20 amp charger w/ activation feature. I'll probably buy one from them, because they were so nice. :D (y)
  2. tpenfield

    LiFePO Batteries ???

    Quick Update . . . My automatic charger (really an automotive battery charger) did not work to wake-up the batteries, as I suspected. I reached out to my good friends at LiTime and they agreed with my synopsis about the batteries having reached the low SoC limit over the winter. They...
  3. tpenfield

    Need some help

    I can reach out to Brian via email and work out a password resolution.
  4. tpenfield

    Which battery is best?

    I've used dual-purpose marine batteries with good success in the past. As for Lithium (specifically LiFePO4 type) . . . not really a nuclear risk, but charging and using them requires a bit of science. There are some 'drop-in' LiFePO4 batteries available . . . BUT . . . your outboard motor...
  5. tpenfield

    LiFePO Batteries ???

    My understanding is that the recommendation to store at mid-level charge (50-60%) is more for long term storage. Not sure if not using the boat for a few weeks or more is really going to break anything. I'd just see how things go . . . maybe run your blowers while you are closing up the...
  6. tpenfield

    alaska cruise

    Following along . . . We have an Alaska Cruise on our bucket list . . . Probably in a few years.
  7. tpenfield

    New boat owners leaving the hobby

    IDK . . . sort of makes sense. Could be the pandemic related cycle of people either having tried it and getting out of the sport or perhaps moving onto their next boat. Then there is the steep depreciation curve, which was muted during the pandemic years. Now reality is settling back in...
  8. tpenfield

    LiFePO Batteries ???

    Quick Update . . . The daytime temperatures are getting into the 50's, so I decided to open up the boat and see if I can get the LiFePO4 batteries to come to life. Good News is that the engine hatch, that normally runs off the house batteries (now in Low-Temp lock-out), has a secondary switch...
  9. tpenfield

    7.4 Gen VI cylinder head gaskets

    Those engines are not all that high in compression anyway. The thing about the head gaskets is you want to make sure you are choosing one that has 'parallel' flow from the block to the heads. My understanding is that many of the automotive gaskets are designed to have sequential flow. I...
  10. tpenfield

    Sseveral issues all at once!

    Rinda Diacom might be the thing to consider for the computer diagnostics. I'm not sure how much detail you will get from Merc's VesselView.
  11. tpenfield

    Sseveral issues all at once!

    The description of the running and the problem is a bit difficult to follow . . . but . . . It sounds like after some time of running with normal performance, your engine limits itself to 3500 RPM. Is that correct? Since it is an MPI engine, it will be difficult to diagnose without having the...
  12. tpenfield

    2008 Chaparral Signature 310 Trailering

    thanks for the update . . . Got any pictures to share?
  13. tpenfield

    Florida snow

    I checked some of the snow totals from yesterday . . . As much as 8" of snow in some parts of FL. The guy who bought my Formula 330 lives on the gulf coast in Mississippi. . . He posted some pictures of the snow . . . looked to be 5-6" and still snowing.
  14. tpenfield

    I/O (Sterndrive) Conversion to Outboards

    Just found a conversion of a Formal 400SS with 'wings' on either side of the engine mounts for stern boarding. It must be a thing. .
  15. tpenfield

    Should I pull heads for inspection, 5.7 liter

    I'd try some Mercury Power Tune to see if that cleans things out. A water mists into the carb while running can also help. Do the leak down test. Once you take the engine apart, much of the diagnostic ability goes away.
  16. tpenfield

    350 MPI Winterize - Block Drain?

    Keep in mind that the flow of water (or antifreeze) through the engine and exhaust is in 'Parallel', so the pink antifreeze will show up in the exhaust before the antifreeze has fully gotten to and through the engine.
  17. tpenfield

    Need Help & Advice on a Purchase....

    Looks like the 4Winns with the V-P engine is your winner. The Mercruiser looks like it has not seen any preventative maintenance in a while. It's all about condition and the 4Winns looks to be the better of the 2.
  18. tpenfield

    Need Help & Advice on a Purchase....

    Got any pictures of the engine bays on each boat to share? I would check both boats for structural rot. Volvo Penta are generally more expensive to fix (parts are crazy money). In 2004 and newer Mercruiser fixed the corrosion issues with added anodes on the ventilation plate and the prop...
  19. tpenfield

    Boat Pricing

    Just checking Bucvalue.com . . . Estimated market value is about $110K + the value of the engines. Total value would be in the $135-140K range.
  20. tpenfield

    Boat Pricing

    The price of new boats going up tends to 'lift' the prices of older boats to some extent. however . . . $160K seems pricey. I see one of the boats (2019 model year) in CT for $169, but then there are a couple in the southern states for around $120K. Engine hours has a bit to do with value...
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