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  1. Lou C

    Shift Interrupter Switch Unhooked however...

    You must have the idle set very low for it to come out of gear. I have a 4.3 in my Four Winns with the Cobra drive and if the ESA is not working it would be a bear to get out of gear which would stretch the shift cable or bend components. On the OMC the ESA doesn't totally cut the spark it...
  2. Lou C

    Trailer Brakes or Not

    If that's actually a 23' boat I'd be surprised if it weighs as little as 4000 lbs. I bet the boat + trailer are close to 6000, I learned in weighing mine you can't go by whatever the manufacturer lists as dry weight. For mine F/W said the boat is 2560 and trailer is about 850. In the case of the...
  3. Lou C

    Trailer Brakes or Not

    if you're in salt water Kodiak or Dee Maxx if you trailer & launch every time you use it get full stainless if you keep it in a slip or mooring you can use the coated ones instead of full stainless full stainless is the best but pricey with keeping mine on a mooring in salt water I have been...
  4. Lou C

    Trailer Brakes or Not

    Other point for safety. Get your trailer & boat weighed and find out if the tires & axles are overloaded. It’s much more common that you’d think and I blame boat companies for being too lazy & cheap to take the time to weigh their boat and give you accurate weights. You buy a truck or SUV you...
  5. Lou C

    Trailer Brakes or Not

    Nothing complicated here. Surge brakes are simple and effective. I’m used to drums and know how to make them work well & last. You want discs you have a lot of choice in terms of corrosion resistance. My boat is moored so using drum brakes is not a problem and they are better than discs in some...
  6. Lou C

    Trailer Brakes or Not

    BTW Trailer brakes are simple there is nothing difficult about installing them for any half way decent backward mechanic. The most difficult part is snaking the lines through the frame and thats not even very difficult. Money pit? Get used to it ALL boats are money pits. People who don’t want...
  7. Lou C

    Trailer Brakes or Not

    Agreed the legal implications of that are very significant. My boat is approx 5,000 lbs on the trailer no way would I pull it without brakes.
  8. Lou C

    Alpha 1 Gen 1 Mercruiser power steering

    I wish I had the equipment to do that, just not practical for me. Live in crowded suburban NY. Not much room in driveway, small garage etc. That job is all about the way the boat is set up. Old school boats with wood divider panels you can get stuff out of the way, new boats with all the built...
  9. Lou C

    Alpha 1 Gen 1 Mercruiser power steering

    On modern boats with some you might have to pull the engine to do this job.
  10. Lou C

    Alpha 1 Gen 1 Mercruiser power steering

    PS, if you need the cylinder and can't get one, or can't fix the one you have, I have heard (but am not sure) that the newer style actuator for the Alpha 1 Gen 2 can be used, the hydraulic fittings could be different, but I think probably one of the Merc gurus around here would know. Same thing...
  11. Lou C

    Alpha 1 Gen 1 Mercruiser power steering

    I think the control valves on those (my Cobra has the same thing) were the same as the Corvette and Ford Unit body models (Mustangs, Fairlanes, etc) but the hydraulic cylinders were different, however the seals might be the same. I wound up being able to find some NOS parts as spares but picked...
  12. Lou C

    Boat trailer rusting at welds galvanized

    Agreed my old Load Rite is galvanized but all bolted together. Very little rust and it’s a 1994. What little rust there was I took care of with cold galvanizing paint.
  13. Lou C

    A few questions from a learner

    Agreed I like to prop mine to the upper end of the range given, esp in my boat with the little 4.3. I'm a lot more worried about that gas tank, however! The water pressure speedo needs the tube cleaned out every now and then. I took mine off blew it out with compressed air and it started working...
  14. Lou C

    A few questions from a learner

    yes, I can't imagine that a boat company would install a gas tank that extends UNDER the engine pulleys. If an engine mount failed with the engine running that would put the pulley right into the top of the gas tank which is plastic with disastrous consequences! If the Coast Guard inspected your...
  15. Lou C

    A few questions from a learner

    SEM sells paint that can be used to rejuvenate vinyl seats you might check out their website. That alu prop I’d probable replace but get that one fixed & keep for a spare. I’m more concerned about the fuel tank than anything else. I can’t imagine that the boat was built that way, it looks like...
  16. Lou C

    New DP-M outdrive install: need advice

    OK Bruce so it doesn't work on the Volvo, I got it....
  17. Lou C

    New DP-M outdrive install: need advice

    that jack is the same one I have, it works great and when I bought it they were around $175 or so. the screwdriver in the u joints trick works just fine. as far as the 'stupid' water pump, yeah that's the one where you can change the whole thing for $45 in 15 min, not like an Alpha where you...
  18. Lou C

    New DP-M outdrive install: need advice

    Agreed if you are going to own the boat a long time the tools will pay for themselves in one season basically, and your boat will be better maintained than otherwise. I've been doing this in salt water with a moored boat 6 months out of the year which is probably the hardest use of an I/O power...
  19. Lou C

    Towing and Launching

    Definitely put brakes on the trailer, the Outback has good brakes but even a light trailer can push you through a red light.
  20. Lou C

    New DP-M outdrive install: need advice

    Sounds like that might be it, that you bought it from a different dealer, but it’s really not a hard thing for any marine mechanic. When reinstalling you want to check alignment as mentioned and make sure the driveshaft bellows is in good shape. There are a few tricks to make it easier such as...
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