Search results

  1. Lou C

    2003 Glastron VP 5.0 GL Overheat issue

    If you tested the 'stat, it is open by 160*, correct, and you're sure the raw water pump is good (including the wear plate, if this is scored even a good impeller won't pump properly) then the next thing I'd do before replacing the whole exhaust system is drain out the water and remove the...
  2. Lou C

    Alpha 1 gen 2 bellows service

    I tilt it up and use a bright flashlight to check for cracks in the folds, as soon as you see that, the rubber has gotten oxidized and hard and is now due for replacement. I get at least 10 years out of OEM Cobra bellows.
  3. Lou C

    salt water in single cylinder

    I would look at Marine repair shops on the South Shore of LI, there are many there that I’m sure do inboard repowers I’d ask them who they use…what you need is nothing exotic just a 4.3 Chevy Vortec! Outboards are easier IF you start with a fairly new one but to do a complete repower is VERY costly.
  4. Lou C

    2 stroke longevity?

    I agree if you look at a 4 stroke power head it’s scary! And I will say if the EPA kept its big fat nose out of the small marine biz we’d still have 2 strokes because guess what they do in other markets! But their draconian regs is what forced the tech that OMC/BRP, Merc and even Yamaha had...
  5. Lou C

    2 stroke longevity?

    Yep mines on the 3rd set of wheels and I rebuilt the Pulsa-Jet carb 2x over the years….nice little Briggs flat head…
  6. Lou C

    Timing mod: running or not running engine

    Nah Scott I'm too dang cheap and suspicious of unknowns, I want to make my old boat more reliable, so an electronic distributor and a new Edelbrock 1409 (have an old Quadrajet, will try one more rebuild, tried a Holley some years back but it wouldn't run right) might be what it takes. I am...
  7. Lou C

    Timing mod: running or not running engine

    Yes because changing dwell changes timing (not a lot but it does) Hey Scott what do you think of my finally ditching the old points set up for a Delco Marine distributor, I'm getting lazy in my old age?!
  8. Lou C

    New Stuff on Vehicles likes/dislikes

    A good friend of mine moved to Az and had an all solar house with a Tesla wall set up. He made so much power he couldn't use it all! He did have a Tesla but also had several gas powered cars as well.
  9. Lou C

    2 stroke longevity?

    I think the problems with 2 strokes has always been: 1) integrated fuel and lubrication systems, yes they work but the second they don't, bad things happen...on a 4 stroke, you check the oil, as long as it's clean and full you rarely have problems.... 2) sensitivity to lean running which can...
  10. Lou C

    Timing mod: running or not running engine

    I’ve done it that way many times. I bought a nice new OTC advance timing light which works better (easier to see the marks) that my old Craftsman. I actually do it with the boat in the water so I can run the motor up to about 2,000 rpm to check total advance. Still have an old school Prestolite...
  11. Lou C

    2 stroke longevity?

    Thank your unelected bureaucrats at the EPA for forcing that. When you get to replace a cat converter and you have the misfortune of living in a Cali emissions state (14 of them) you’ll learn that it costs 2-3x as much as a fed converter. Same reason why all you can get is ultra complex small...
  12. Lou C

    A couple more I/O questions...

    It is, you just replace the whole exhaust system with the one I linked above, pricy but can avoid ruining an engine. For us in salt water we have to do this every 5-7 seasons. My engine is on its 4th exhaust system and probably will get at least new elbows at the end of this season.
  13. Lou C

    2 stroke longevity?

    Any Evinrude Etecs with 4,000-5,000 hrs on them? This is not uncommon with 4 strokes even here in salt water... don't get me wrong I like 2 strokes myself, but there is a reason why the market went 100% 4 stroke for outboards. Then again, if our un-elected bureaucrats hadn't stuck their big fat...
  14. Lou C

    Hydraulic cylinder rebuild

    getting off the end caps (not easy) taking apart the piston and ram rod from a set of freshwater used cylinders I bought to replace all the seals original cylinders with re-done seals on freshwater used internal parts.... PS the original OMC seals lasted 36 years before they started to leak!
  15. Lou C

    Hydraulic cylinder rebuild

    When I did mine, I heated the end of the cylinders with a heat gun but not that hot, because the hydraulic fluid inside is flammable! I left the cyls on the transom mount and had to use my full weight/strength to get the caps to budge. Was able to get both off of a salt water used and moored...
  16. Lou C

    A couple more I/O questions...

    Those are Merc's Batwings, same idea cast all in one piece. Besides saving money the one really good aspect of the design was no gasket to leak between the manifold and elbow. But the difficulties in the casting process caused so many warrantee claims I'd think that Merc quit making them...
  17. Lou C

    If you're wondering if your anti siphon valve is stuck, or clogged, here's a test....

    Wow thanks for posting this it is a good warning for any of us DIY guys to not take short cuts, not bypass safety measures put in place for good reasons, etc. What doesn't really make sense or is at least surprising is that the fuel filter rotted out on such a new boat. I always change them...
  18. Lou C

    A couple more I/O questions...

    There was an article on another website about it, Merc apparently did this to save $50 per engine, due to the Vortec engines costing slightly more, and what caused the problem was that they couldn't get consistent wall thickness in the castings, so some had really thin areas that rusted through...
  19. Lou C

    salt water in single cylinder

    I’m very suspicious of ANY of those places. Try a local rebuilder, ask local marine mechanics for recommendations, who do they use. The idea of sending off $3500 to a place I've never seen people I don't know is unsettling. It's too bad you can't get any more new 4.3s, the only GM marine engines...
  20. Lou C

    2 stroke longevity?

    That and mistakenly running straight gas unless its oil injected… I love my 3 Echo machines they just run and run and when you need parts they are easy to find, my Husky saw is more temperamental, the Suzuki 2 stroke in my snow blower is great but the carb does better when drained in the off...
Top