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  1. Lou C

    1996 Four Winns Sundowner with 5.0 Cobra engine and drive

    I'm thinking that those wires are 16 gauge, I think that's standard size for wires in those engine/helm harness systems. It is possible that there is oxidation, or the pins are not fitting tight in the sockets in that big round "cannon" plug. I put a hose clamp on mine to keep it from getting...
  2. Lou C

    Finding a voltage drop?

    Now you got a spare starter, and more knowledge lol! remember DC electricity must travel in a circle (circuit) from +--->- anything that interrupts that, will cause problems. On an old boat, with those glass fuses, beware the tabs that hold the fuses in and the fuses themselves, exposure to...
  3. Lou C

    I/O (Sterndrive) Conversion to Outboards

    It was actually the 200 hp 4.5. Plenty of power, prob the equal of at least the 5.0 V8, partly to to somewhat less weight. Very smooth easy starts steady idling even the dog clutch Alpha seemed a lot more refined than in older models. Except for the lack of access for anything beyond oil changes...
  4. Lou C

    I/O (Sterndrive) Conversion to Outboards

    Head over to a Merc or Volvo parts site and check out what they want for parts for I/Os now. Hint, it ain't the old days of GM base engines, Delco EST distributors, and Holley or Weber/Edelbrock carbs.
  5. Lou C

    Distributor alternatives

    I think these may have come with the Prestolite BID system which was like the old points distributor with mechanical advance but with an electronic module instead of the points and condenser. Those modules have long since been NLA, so someone might have converted it to points, which of course...
  6. Lou C

    I/O (Sterndrive) Conversion to Outboards

    Agreed and you don't have the following concerns: sudden freeze destroys your engine because you couldn't get to it, happened to thousands across the South a few years ago, we Northerners are used to that inconvenience fuel vapors in the bilge hazard gimble/ujoints issues if you wait too long...
  7. Lou C

    I/O (Sterndrive) Conversion to Outboards

    There is truly no free lunch, one thing to keep in mind is that in the last 15 years engine tech on sterndrives has become much more complex and expensive, parts cost isn't much less than outboards, and due to ridiculous designs coming out of the sport boat makers, access is worse than ever...
  8. Lou C

    03 Chaparral 263 Center Windshield Glass Broke out

    There are a few shops that do that kind of work here as well; those curved windshields can really be an expensive headache to replace once the boat has been out of production for a few years. My old boat has straight flat glass on the sides and glass with a slight bend to it for the front &...
  9. Lou C

    After 2 failed Pertronix ignitors, I put in points and it runs again

    Yes I do have a Volt/ammeter on the boat as well as spare points condenser cap n rotor!
  10. Lou C

    After 2 failed Pertronix ignitors, I put in points and it runs again

    When I discovered the GM/Delco window distributor with the allen key dwell adjustment (engine running) it was like magic! 1972 Chevy Impala 350. When I set the ones on the boat I use a remote starter switch & dwell meter. Faster & more accurate.
  11. Lou C

    After 2 failed Pertronix ignitors, I put in points and it runs again

    I thought this over & over but never had much trouble with points. So my 4.3 4bbl Cobra still has the Prestolite points distributor. The thing to keep in mind is when our cars had points ignition, we changed points @ 12,000 miles, the average recreational boat does maybe 50 hrs per season so...
  12. Lou C

    Stern Drive

    correct...the Cobra gets filled from the second plug from the bottom.
  13. Lou C

    VP 5.0GXi-B issue - low RPM/problem with a plane

    Those dipstick tubes can make it hard to get an accurate measure of the amount of oil in the engine. Due to the engine heating up & cooling the level in the tube will rise & fall. Pull out the dipstick and let the level in the tube stabilize for about 5 min & recheck. They often do read higher...
  14. Lou C

    Stern Drive

    There might be a bit of air still in the oil and if you run it briefly & recheck it may drop slightly.
  15. Lou C

    Of these two Delco engine starters, which one is more powerful or are they the same?

    The faster lighter PMGR starters also draw less current much easier on your batteries….
  16. Lou C

    My 84 4winns horizon 195 project.

    Saw your pix great great job love to see an older F/W saved & restored! 4.3 V6 looks great too. Still running my old one original short block from 1988 which got reman heads & new exhaust 7 years ago…who knows how much longer she’ll go?!
  17. Lou C

    My 84 4winns horizon 195 project.

    Can’t wait to see your pix!
  18. Lou C

    Mercruiser 5.7L Black Scorpion grinding noise when in neutral

    Congrats on fixing it you just saved yourself a pile 'o cash!
  19. Lou C

    5.7gs low oil pressure

    Your oil pressure will vary with RPM, oil temperature and the viscosity of the oil you use. At idle using 25/50 syn blend oil I get 40 psi with cool oil temps and it will drop to 25 psi after running on plane at slow idle where the oil is throughly heated up. Running on plane it will read 55-60...
  20. Lou C

    Finding a voltage drop?

    Ok I have a similar boat & used to have somewhat similar issues with the electrical system. To start with the battery cables were automotive grade junk so I replaced them with Ancor marine grade cable with clamps for the battery terminals instead of using wing nuts. I also installed a dual...
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