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  1. Lou C

    What brand starter should I get?

    Ah yeah, I'm betting there isn't a backyard boat mechanic in the land who actually wants an old school heavy Delco direct drive starter after installing one of the lightweight PMGR starters. The are a pleasure for your forearms, hands and fingers lol.
  2. Lou C

    What brand starter should I get?

    ARCO is good too. I have used their starters and alternators
  3. Lou C

    No water coming out of the exhaust on muffs

    Definitely running rich lucky you caught the crack!
  4. Lou C

    Simple winterization process / draining 4.3gl

    I mix my own....cheaper than -100 (-55 freeze protection) 50/50 mix gives you freeze protection down to -26, but can increase it to suit your climate. Does it help reduce corrosion? 1988 block and intake are original, used in salt water close to 25 years now, 6 month season, moored in the salt...
  5. Lou C

    Simple winterization process / draining 4.3gl

    Look at lower section of exhaust manifolds and engine block for cracks & rust stains and for water in the engine oil. Since I fill mine with PG AF I always verify freeze protection with a refractometer.
  6. Lou C

    Cold Starting RPM: What is normal?

    One other thing to make sure of is that the choke unloader or vacuum break as it is sometimes called is working. This is a vacuum operated linkage that pulls the choke plate open a fraction of an inch right after the engine starts to allow enough air in to keep the engine running. If this does...
  7. Lou C

    Simple winterization process / draining 4.3gl

    You know as long as that hose is full of water and your muffs are on tightly and you turn on the water before starting the engine it should be fine, I like to add the dawn because the impeller has been sitting dry all winter.
  8. Lou C

    One riser 60 degrees hotter

    I did a similar conversion on my 1988 OMC 4.3 and didn’t see that big of a difference in temps, my starboard might be 95 at idle and port like 80*. Now after running out on the water both are higher but maybe like 135 stbd and 120 port after coming off plane. After idling for a few min it’s like...
  9. Lou C

    Cold Starting RPM: What is normal?

    However there is a ton of info on Holleys everywhere. I tried one, it gave me fits so I went back to my original Quadrajet and it’s been far less trouble. Why? Well GM had to make them at least pretty good because they were OEM on millions of their cars!
  10. Lou C

    Cold Starting RPM: What is normal?

    Thinking back to when I had cars with carbs & auto chokes they all had fast idles of at least 1500 rpm. When I crank over my 4.3 cranks over from cold it will start but needs 1500 rpm to keep running.
  11. Lou C

    No water coming out of the exhaust on muffs

    Running the engine cold is bad because the oil never gets hot enough to boil off any moisture condensation or fuel dilution which often happens in cool running marine engines. Water and fuel in the oil will increase wear. Even under optimal conditions the engine runs cooler than the automotive...
  12. Lou C

    Sharing a Pre-Startup Check List > What is yours?

    If you have an I/O or inboard check the tightness of every fuel line clamp & cooling hose clamp! Especially the ones that are for the hidden hose from the transom mount to the P/S cooler behind the engine.
  13. Lou C

    2019 Grand Cherokee came with wrong size spare....Just found it out

    My brother owned a 1999 Ferrari F-355 Berlinetta and we were driving up to Lime Rock Park raceway for an event some years back. Got a flat, and all it had was a can of fix a flat. Not going to work for this so we had it flatbedded to the one shop in Conn. that had the right size Bridgestone...
  14. Lou C

    riser bolts too long

    A good thing to have, when doing jobs like this, is a set of thread chasers, both for threads and bolts, it will make your life a lot easier and avoid grief in the future! You want to clean up those threads where you have to cut them. Good for you changing them before they leaked and ruined an...
  15. Lou C

    Stupid me, no oil

    This depends on which one you have, Merc and OMC used an actuator with a rebuildable control valve up to about 1989, after that the valve changed. The cylinder isn't rebuildable as far as I know but that old style control valve can be rebuilt. Why? Well it's the same one used in old style...
  16. Lou C

    Stupid me, no oil

    There is only one notable exception, Toro or Lawn Boy 2 stroke mowers and snow blowers, were spec'd to get TCW-III because it causes less deposit built up in those low revving 2 strokes (governed to 3600 rpm). Unlike leaf blowers or trimmers or chain saws which can exceed 9,000 rpm. They need...
  17. Lou C

    Stupid me, no oil

    Salt water is very challenging. I started spraying all vulnerable ares at the start of each season with Corrision X or now Fluid Film and that helps. Same on the trailer I spray all fasteners and springs 2x a year…. I started using Fluid Film on my old Jeeps as an experiment and I think the...
  18. Lou C

    Stupid me, no oil

    With the actuator my small leak went from small to big to the point when the bilge pump kicked on some to the red ATF wound up in the water! This will cause a fine for sure so I had to fix it. I was able to do it by pulling the exhaust on both sides after pulling out the rear seats…not a fun job...
  19. Lou C

    Stupid me, no oil

    On rubber bushings with a bolt thru it I will sometimes use silicone grease because it doesn’t deteriorate the rubber.
  20. Lou C

    Stupid me, no oil

    Agreed 100% and I’ve been doing that ever since I read it in my OMC shop manual…now that you can’t really get Perfect seal or Evinrude gasket sealer (same supplier?) I’m using Permatex Aviation…. As far as sprays, I have used them all, not sure if there much difference but the lanolin ones like...
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