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  1. tpenfield

    How to decarb an outboard?

    When I de-carbon my outboards, I do a few things . . . Mercury PowerTune seems to work better than SeaFoam 1) Warmed engine . . . High idle . . . Spray PowerTune into the carburetor until the engine dies. 2) Remove Spark Plugs . . . rotate the engine to TDC of each cylinder and spray...
  2. tpenfield

    2012 5.0 Ltr. MerCruiser overheating issue

    The amount of time in the (salt) water does not seem to matter much. Once the engine is exposed to the salt, the oxidation process begins. If/when you get to the point of re-powering consider a FULL closed cooling systems to get good longevity out of your engines.
  3. tpenfield

    2012 5.0 Ltr. MerCruiser overheating issue

    BTW - you mentioned about getting cool water out of the exhaust ports. Keep in mind that a fair amount of the cooling water by-passes the engine and goes directly to the exhaust to keep it cool. If you have restricted water flow, then there may not be enough pressure to 'push' enough of the...
  4. tpenfield

    2012 5.0 Ltr. MerCruiser overheating issue

    I had a similar issue that caused overheating for a season of boating. Did & checked everything . . . At the end of the season, I removed the outdrive and there was the issue. a shell had grown inside the outdrive water duct, dislodged and was partially blocking the intake hose that goes from...
  5. tpenfield

    2003 Stingray 230lx Bilge questions

    The thru-hulls could be drains and not pump locations. Look into the guts of the boat to see what you have for pumps.
  6. tpenfield

    Quadrajet Secondaries Problem

    After 45 posts it sounds like a no-win situation. Perhaps, sell the boat as is . . . find another hobby/recreational activity.
  7. tpenfield

    Quadrajet Secondaries Problem

    If you don't use your boat much, which it sounds like, your best approach would be to keep less gasoline in the boat. Topping off the tank for winter storage is a 20th century myth and really not necessary. With little boat usage, it leads to running on old gasoline, which clouds any...
  8. tpenfield

    2017 Stingray 198 LX

    The 2020 model year manual might be worth looking at, as the boats don't change much, if at all, year-to-year.
  9. tpenfield

    Quadrajet Secondaries Problem

    @LuvBoating A quick question. . . While living in FL, did you run the boat in salt water? I assume the engine is raw water cooled (?) :unsure: I am wondering if the exhaust manifolds and associated gaskets have been inspected/replaced?
  10. tpenfield

    Can you spray paint a prop?

    I spray the props with 'cold galvanizing' spray paint. (salt water)
  11. tpenfield

    2003 Sunesta 210 - can’t access fresh water pump

    Yup . . . tight access. Looks similar to my situation. I'd be putting pillows and blankets across the engine and battery to get at it.
  12. tpenfield

    1990 Sea Ray 270 Headliner Replacement

    Got any pictures to share? Those should help with responses. I replaced the headliner in my Formula 330. It was really 'fun' :rolleyes: The first thing to do is figure out if there are sections to the headliner and how it is secured to the ceiling. You may have to get creative in taking...
  13. tpenfield

    Blue Sea dual battery troubleshooting

    My thoughts are 1 dead battery. Are the batteries kept on a maintenance charger?
  14. tpenfield

    Quadrajet Secondaries Problem

    One thought that comes to mind is that you did not run the boat much last year. So, assuming there is older fuel in the boat, and perhaps it sat in the carburetor untreated over the winter? You would need to know exactly what was done during the winterization to determine this. Before giving...
  15. tpenfield

    engine swap need to find right prop

    I would go down a couple of increments on the pitch . . . so maybe a 15(dia) x 13(pitch) 15" diameter is actually a fairly big prop, so you should be much lower on the pitch. So, maybe even 11" pitch. Your situation reminds me of when I had one dead engine on my twin engine boat. I tried...
  16. tpenfield

    Merc Sterndrive 3.0 Pressure test is holding steady at 7psi, should I be concerned?

    Boats will do that, particularly if you are working on an older boat/motor. On the OD pressure test, usually the concern is if the pressure does not hold . . . :D
  17. tpenfield

    2003 Sunesta 210 - can’t access fresh water pump

    Greetings, welcome to iBoats. Maybe post a picture (or a few) of the tank & pump. My initial thoughts are to remove the tank to get better access to the pump. My current boat has a similar situation . . . there is an inverter in the way, so I can barely reach the pump. I had to replace the...
  18. tpenfield

    Is it possible to put the upper half of the sterndrive on first? Or do I need to put the whole drive on together?

    No, I have Bravo outdrives, so they go as one. Not sure of the advantage of doing an Alpha the way you described. It is nice to know you have the outdrive together properly before you install it to the bell housing.
  19. tpenfield

    Is it possible to put the upper half of the sterndrive on first? Or do I need to put the whole drive on together?

    It is often tricky to get the gimbal bearing to align (pivot) so that the drive shaft meets the coupler properly. I often grab the u-joints (to the extent that I can reach them) to help the drive shaft find its way.
  20. tpenfield

    New Cobalt 23LS

    It sounds like the only thing left to do is go get your boat. :)
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