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  1. Lou C

    new surge brakes installed

    Remember surge brakes are basically self regulating, its the push of the trailer against the tow hitch that applies the brakes. So them coming on too soon, is not really something that you can change, or adjust. The thing you want to make sure of is that they do not stick on. This can be tested...
  2. Lou C

    Mercruiser 4.3 woes - help please

    they make a better quality one, brass I think, evinrude/johnson brand was what my mechanic used.
  3. Lou C

    new surge brakes installed

    The way I do it is to adjust them while turning the wheels in the forward direction until you feel strong drag; then back off till there is no drag just light scraping noises. Then engage the actuator to apply the brakes (on some you can use a screwdriver to do this like on my Tie Down model 66)...
  4. Lou C

    new surge brakes installed

    It’s actually cheaper and much easier to replace the entire drum backing plate & they are actually pretty reasonably priced; bearings are more involved because you have to knock the old races out of the drum and install new ones & new seals. if the drums have heavy corrosion I’d just replace all...
  5. Lou C

    Looking for a boat

    Think about a closed bow walk around for LI Sound instead of a bow rider style boat, and self bailing with outboard power. I've taken my bowrider out in the Sound but only on calm days, with the bow cover on, just in case. I would never get another bowrider with an I/O for these boating...
  6. Lou C

    Swell, waves, and period

    take a look at this website, it is from the Univ of Conn, they have weather and wave buoys across LI Sound and it gives you the wave height and period. For a given wave height the shorter the period is the more choppy it will be, 4 sec is pretty short, so that will be a rough day if in smaller...
  7. Lou C

    Gas vapor out the secondaries at WOT

    are you sure that both the secondary throttle blades and the secondary air doors above them are opening?
  8. Lou C

    General Info on VP Engines (V8-350-CE-D)

    My brother and I took a nice ride in his 2020 Chapparal with the Merc 4.5 200 hp with cats, I tried to convince him to buy an outboard, but he wanted this boat, I have to admit that it runs great, is more powerful and refined than the old 4.3 by a long shot but for me....the only cats on any...
  9. Lou C

    89’ OMC 4.3L Winterize Question

    You have to remember that water causes freeze damage when there isn’t room for it to expand. So even if there’s a little left in there it will cause no harm. You should get a lot out of the engine (3.5-4.0 gallons) and out of each exhaust manifold (1/2-3/4 gallon or so). Not much out of the raw...
  10. Lou C

    89’ OMC 4.3L Winterize Question

    Well I'd just return the AF if you can. Not worth the bother and mess if you are not leaving it in. How cold does it get where you are? If below zero I'd use only -100 or Mix up a batch of Sierra like I do. The problem with these is that -50 or -60 is burst temp of a copper pipe, but I don't...
  11. Lou C

    89’ OMC 4.3L Winterize Question

    correct because the thermostat most likely will not open far enough to allow all the raw water (approx 4 gallons) in the block to exit. the other issue with these kits is they can damage the impeller because the AF is fed via gravity flow, not pressurized like with muffs. the way I do it on my...
  12. Lou C

    89’ OMC 4.3L Winterize Question

    Yep don’t use the winterizing tank they are only good for closed cooled engines. Just drain poke all the holes and that will do it. Adding AF can be done but has to be done the right way.
  13. Lou C

    replace Mercarb on 4.3 with Rochester?

    that old Rochester 2bbl is a pretty simple carb. We had one on our '72 Chevrolet my parents bought new. Back then I remember my motor head friends saying that Quadrajets were hard to rebuild, too tricky for a beginner but I did not find that to be the case, all these years later. I had mine...
  14. Lou C

    replace Mercarb on 4.3 with Rochester?

    I'm agreeing with Rick, with a re-furburbished carb you might get good, might get bad. Even brand new, might be trouble, I had that exact experience, thinking my old Quadrajet was too old to rebuild, I tried a new Holley, had a lot of trouble with it, wound up pulling the Quadrajet out of the...
  15. Lou C

    Volvo penta 5.0 gl not sucking water

    First of all do you have an AQ series or SX series, there is a difference in the AQ uses a metal water hose fitting that can rot out and not seal, but the SX series used a plastic fitting in the pivot housing that can crack and leak water (inherited from the OMC Cobra design). Make sure your...
  16. Lou C

    Mercruiser mpi ecu mapping

    Was it a marine spec cam or an auto spec cam?
  17. Lou C

    Mercruiser mpi ecu mapping

    It’s a lot more complex than just weight and displacement. Torque curve, gear ratios and spacing between ratios to name a few. BTW our 07 Jeep 5.7 liters 5 spd auto and 98 Jeep 4.0 liter 4 speed auto get nearly the same fuel economy and the 07 weighs 700 lbs more….
  18. Lou C

    MC-1 Back Together, Temp 175 Fahrenheit?

    Yep you should at least see water pouring out of the idle relief ports like in my vid. That’s how I tell if my impeller is good, if I see that healthy stream there I know it’ll be good for the season.
  19. Lou C

    MC-1 Back Together, Temp 175 Fahrenheit?

    Much better mine will run a 140* all day if I want.
  20. Lou C

    MC-1 Back Together, Temp 175 Fahrenheit?

    That may be your problem. These are the best!
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