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  1. JASinIL2006

    Mount LED lights in engine compartment

    I've become weary of dragging a trouble light into the back of my boat every time I need to work back there or check fluids, etc. I'm thinking of mounting some LED lights in various locations so I can see when I'm trying to work on things. I'd probably wire it into the house battery bus, and I...
  2. JASinIL2006

    Trying some new trailer tires...

    I went out to the garage to get my boat ready for a weekend outing only to find the right tire was totally flat. I jacked up the trailer and pulled the tire, thinking I must have run over a nail or a screw in our alley, only to find about a hundred little steel wires sticking out of the tire...
  3. JASinIL2006

    Extend cables and move switch?

    A couple of years ago, I installed a Blue Sea Add-A-Battery kit to control charging of my starting and house batteries. After a couple of years of use, I've decided I did a lousy job locating the switch; I'd like to move it about 3' so I can reach it easily from outside the boat (when the boat...
  4. JASinIL2006

    Stuck jam nut on outer tie rod end

    Hi all, I've embarked on trying something I've not done before: changing out the wear components on my 2005 4WD F150 front end. After 100,000 miles, I needed new ball joints and struts, so as long as I've got everything torn apart I'm replacing the upper control arms, lower ball joints, struts...
  5. JASinIL2006

    Impact wrench recommendations?

    Hi all, I’m looking to pick up a 1/2” impact wrench for weekend DIY car/truck projects. I’d like something that isn’t too large and that won’t break the bank. (I don’t need a mechanic-quality tool.) I could go air or battery powered. Any recommendations?
  6. JASinIL2006

    Boating Indiana’s Tppecanoe River and Lake Shafer

    Does anyone have information about the boating on the Tippacanoe river north of Lake Shafer, around Buffalo, IN? We are thinking of renting a house there this summer, and we are wondering if the river is navigable to Lake Shafer and Indiana Beach. Our boat is a 19’ I/O bowrider. Anyone with...
  7. JASinIL2006

    Inexpensive oil extractor

    I?ve been looking for a new oil extractot ever since my Moeller hand pump model fell apart after only a few uses. I recalled that someone here had used a shop vac so I thought I?d give it a try. I bought a $28 three gallon wet-dry vac at WallyWorld and duct-taped section of garden hose (with a...
  8. JASinIL2006

    Is this fixable?

    In trying to repair a broken starter recoil spring on my 1990 4 hp Johnson outboard (model J4RDHESR), I managed to misthread the bolt that holds the starter swing assembly (the part that swings up to engage the flywheel when pulling the rope) to the side of the engine block. As you can see in...
  9. JASinIL2006

    12v LED lighting for cabin

    We have a cabin that is off the grid and has no electrical service. We currently run everything (fridge, stove, lights) off propane, but propane lamps aren't all that bright and when several are lit in the summertime, they add to the heat in the cabin. I am thinking about starting to install...
  10. JASinIL2006

    1990 Johnson 4 hp starter recoil spring

    Hi all, I have a 1990 pull-start Johnson 4 hp outboard (model J4RDHESR) that has a broken recoil spring on the starter mechanism. (The spring snapped right near the end that attaches to the cup assembly. My first question: is this a fairly simple repair that I could do myself? I'm not a...
  11. JASinIL2006

    Source for "Christmas trees"?

    Hi all, I'm trying to find a source for some of those barbed plastic pieces (aka, Christmas trees) for installing cushions into my boat. Does anyone have a source for them? I would like to find some that are close in size to what I pulled out of my cushions, but every place I've found sells...
  12. JASinIL2006

    Better gaskets for drain and vent plugs on Alpha 1 Gen 2?

    I've read here a few times that the blue and yellow gaskets used to seal the vent and drain plugs on the Alpha 1 Gen 2 outdrives are prone to leaking. I also recall reading about another type of gasket - a grey one, maybe? - that is supposed to be superior. I cannot find any links to the...
  13. JASinIL2006

    Hurricane Matthew - stay safe, East Coast iboaters!

    As have many of us, I've been watching the tracking predictions for Hurricane Matthew. I have family in West Palm Beach, so I've been particularly interested. It looks like this storm is going to play havoc with much of the East coast. I hope those in storm's path have either fled or are have...
  14. JASinIL2006

    What is this on my tire?

    I was prepping my boat and trailer for an outing tomorrow, and I noticed something on my radial trailer tires that I don't recall seeing before. There are a couple of indentations that run in a line from the center of the tire to the outside (see pic below; I've circled the more prominent one)...
  15. JASinIL2006

    Time to learn to weld...

    I've decided it's time for me to learn how to weld. I have some light welding on the boat trailer step, and I often have other little projects that would be much easier if I could weld. Can anyone recommend good resources for a beginner to learn? I imagine I'd be looking at MIG welding. Also...
  16. JASinIL2006

    Johnson Bombardier 9.9 won't exceed idle speed

    We have a Johnson Bombardier 9.9 HP outboard (model #J10RSR) that ran fine when last used (early June '16). It sat unused until mid-July. In July, the motor started fine and idled smoothly, but cranking the throttle (it's a tiller steer model) made no difference. The engine wouldn't rev (in gear...
  17. JASinIL2006

    Damaged anti-ventilation plate

    I damaged the anti-vent plate on my Gen 2 drive... Am I correct in assuming I can wait until the off-season to have this repaired? Thanks!
  18. JASinIL2006

    Broke shift shaft coupler when installing outdrive

    A friend called me while trying to install his Alpha One Gen 1 outdrive. The shift shaft coupler on the bell housing was not lining up with the drive shaft coupler on the outdrive. From his description, it sounded like both were oriented correctly (i.e., both the drive and boat were in forward...
  19. JASinIL2006

    Lower shift cable routing - Alpha One Gen 2 - V8

    As part of a bellows job, I'm replacing my lower shift cable. Unfortunately, I was following the manual and it makes no reference to leaving behind the shift cable core or some other sort of line to serve as a fishing line to pull thru the new shift cable. So, I've been struggling with getting...
  20. JASinIL2006

    Struggling with bellows job...

    I've begun the job of replacing the trim senders, shift cable and bellows (u-joint and shift cable) on my Alpha One Gen 2 drive. I hope to reuse the exhaust bellows and the water inlet tube, in addition to the gear lube monitor. I've been able to get the shift cable out, the senders off, and...
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