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  1. tpenfield

    My boat is being a boat . . .

    BTW - in looking at the digital trim senders for the outdrives, I noticed that they are on the port side of the gimbal ring, where the old-school analog senders were on the starboard side. Not sure why Mercury changed it, but it is a good thing I noticed.
  2. tpenfield

    My boat is being a boat . . .

    I thought about it, but preferred not to put any electronic stuff below the water line. I did not have the helm space for the mechanical indicator display, else I would have run a 100% mechanical system, like I had on my F-242. So, this was a compromise. This year, I am going to try using...
  3. tpenfield

    My boat is being a boat . . .

    I get it, but it seems weird to be . . . I usually think of which side of the boat needs to go up :LOL: I switched the hoses at the pump, which was pretty simple. With the tabs all sorted out, I was able to test out my homemade senders. . The ram travel is only about 2.5 inches, so I was able...
  4. tpenfield

    My boat is being a boat . . .

    After a little more effort trying to figure things out . . . OMG !!! The switches are hooked up reversed !!! o_O The trim tabs both actually work, but the starboard switch runs the port tab and vice versa . . . :rolleyes: I got to swap out some wiring. This had to be that way since the...
  5. tpenfield

    My boat is being a boat . . .

    Of course, now that I'm hooking up position indicators, the port Trim Tab is frozen and move does not want to . . . why wouldn't it be frozen :rolleyes: I put a few hundred pounds of lifting force on it to get it to contract some, but it only moves part way. The starboard side works fine. I...
  6. tpenfield

    My boat is being a boat . . .

    Having better luck with mechanical stuff today . . . I got the control cables installed for the tabs and outdrives. . . Having drilled a few holes in this boat, I got to say that the fiberglass is really thick. . . almost too thick. I bet the boat would be just as solid with a little less...
  7. tpenfield

    Maintenance - New owner of 89 Mercruiser 4.3L Alpha One

    Welcome to iBoats . . . If you are going to remove the outdrive (foot/pied), which you probably should check the engine alignment and inspect the bellows for signs of wear, cracking, etc. There is a special tool for checking the alignment that you can search for online. There are various...
  8. tpenfield

    Evinrude 4hp 2 cylinder 2 stroke cooling question

    That looks like one of those 'spin around to reverse' style engines. Usually, any kind of telltale is put lower on the drive shaft housing, so it does not 'pee' in your boat when you turn the engine around to go in reverse.
  9. tpenfield

    Embarrassing question

    @jefsummers - you mentioned having previously owned a Suzuki 2-stroke (right?) I'm assuming you had to add 2-stroke oil on a regular basis? Perhaps the Suzuki was oil-injected? Back in the day (1970's) we had to add the 2-stroke oil to the gasoline . . . (very primitive, I know :ROFLMAO: )...
  10. tpenfield

    How to reposition lift rams

    IDK . . . When I have re-installed the outdrives on my boat, the trim rams have usually shifted. I get the more extended ram loosely attached to the end pin and let the weight of the outdrive 'push' the other ram outward. Once they are even, I slide the end pin all the way through the other...
  11. tpenfield

    My boat is being a boat . . .

    Quick Update . . . I fixed the plumbing . . . the new section of red supply line that I installed was a wee bit short, causing the whole mess not to go together properly. Now all set, no leaks. :)
  12. tpenfield

    My boat is being a boat . . .

    OK, for my next trick, I am going to add some position indicators for the trim tabs and convert the outdrive trim indicators to an electro-mechanical set-up where the pricey trim senders do not have to live in the water. Trim Tabs - My boat really needs the trim tabs to come up on plane, and...
  13. tpenfield

    My boat is being a boat . . .

    The only adjustment is the shut-off delay. I've come up with an alternative, which will be an indicator light for the light switch. So, if someone does go to the head and does not know how to turn on the light, it will be fairly obvious.
  14. tpenfield

    Maybe my turn for new boat time

    I'll have to check the steering (lock-to lock) on my boat. I have not noticed an excessive number of turns. It also has the electronic steering and if you turn the wheel too much, it chucks out a warning on the VesselView display. o_O So I don't try to turn too much 😆
  15. tpenfield

    My boat is being a boat . . .

    That is what Cruiser Yacht used/uses. So, I had to follow suit, otherwise re-plumb the entire boat (which I am not doing, as it would be nearly impossible) o_O My Formula had the PEX as well, but is was the more household PEX pipe & fittings, not this quick connect stuff.
  16. tpenfield

    My boat is being a boat . . .

    I think the boat manufacturers like the stuff, since it is quick . . .
  17. tpenfield

    My boat is being a boat . . .

    In other news, Since I suck at electricity, I tried my hand at some plumbing :unsure: The transom shower has only a cold water feed, which seems unusual. I wanted to have some warm water at the transom for folks who rinse off after swimming. The transom shower only has 1 inlet feed to it...
  18. tpenfield

    My boat is being a boat . . .

    OK . . . I am not skilled at PIR switches. But maybe the head enclosure is too small. I tried a second PIR with the same results. (Just goes on and never goes off) So, either I don't know what I'm doing (it's happened :ROFLMAO: ), or it is just not the right technology. I may go with a...
  19. tpenfield

    2001 4.3 vortec oil is milky

    Welcome to iBoats . . . Why did you acquire this boat? Who are 'they'? Sounds like a freeze damaged engine, i.e. cracked engine block.
  20. tpenfield

    My boat is being a boat . . .

    I was wondering that too. The cabin voltage is pretty steady, but does go up and down over time as the batteries charge and get used. I ordered another PIR switch and we will see if it works. I've also found another type/brand that appears to be more robust, if I need to get yet another...
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