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  1. mwe-maxxowner

    Inboard hull repair

    Hi guys. Long time no see. I did a resto several years ago and my boat is doing well. Unfortunately, I find myself being asked to play boat doctor now since I have a teensy bit of experience here. Long story short, my dad has a V drive inboard boat. It has very little control at low speed...
  2. mwe-maxxowner

    Wiring fuel gauge back up after resto

    Hey guys. While reading a thead below, I remembered I need some help with an issue. I had to remove the fuel tank to restore the boat. I can't make heads or tails of the wiring from the sending unit to the fuel gauge any more. I think the gauge wires ran up and around the bow of the boat, down...
  3. mwe-maxxowner

    Mounting a transducer completely inside hull

    I just purchased a Lowrance Mark 4 depth finder/GPS combo. I was researching mounting the transducer, and came across the possibility of mounting one inside the hull. How much does this affect the accuracy of depth readings? I don't fish, so I don't care about the accuracy over 5' or so. I just...
  4. mwe-maxxowner

    Spark plugs-87 2 barrel 4.3

    Hey guys. I gots a question fer ya! I own a boat with an '87 mercruiser 4.3. 2 barrel carbed version. I picked up some autolite ap25 spark plugs for it. First off, are these suitable? And second, what to gap them at? Thanks for any advice!
  5. mwe-maxxowner

    Routing tower wires.

    Boat and tower shown above. Looking for tips on how to most easily run wires through the tower. I tried to dig up some photos that will show you how the tower is constructed. It's a pretty generic universal tower. My buddy and I ran some wires through a tower on his boat, and I think there has...
  6. mwe-maxxowner

    Carb to fuel injection, just curious mostly

    Just humor me fellas, what does it take to take a 2 barrel carbureated 4.3 to fuel injected? Just curious as to how much the most "affordable" options cost. I have looked into going with vortec heads and a 4 barrel. While I'm exploring all the options I'd also like to look into going efi instead.
  7. mwe-maxxowner

    Questions on why a prop gets so much grip, and suggestions on a 4 blade.

    I own a 1986 Dixie hustler 188. 18'8", with a somewhat shallow v open bow. Powered by a 2 barrel 4.3. When I bought the boat it had a 21 pitch prop, and seemed sluggish. It struggled to reach 3800 rpms and 40 mph with only two guys on board. I have since rebuilt the boat, and put on a borrowed...
  8. mwe-maxxowner

    Anyone ride an air chair?

    I had a chance to ride an air chair last week while on vacation. Looking for tips! I got where I can come up easily every time and ride nice and controlled with the board flat on the water and keep it that way. I can steer myself back and forth and make the board rise up out of the water, and...
  9. mwe-maxxowner

    How long should it run before it pees?

    Just finished up changing bellows, putting my motor in, aligning it, putting my drive on, etc. Finally fired it up today, it doesn't idle very well, so it was tough to run it at a safe rpm for any length of time. It would run for a few seconds and cut off or I'd shut it down to walk back and...
  10. mwe-maxxowner

    Gimbal housing anode and transom gasket

    I'm in the process of reinstalling my outdrive and motor. I need the transom gasket and the two anode bolts on the bottom of the gimbal housing. In an earlier thread I was given a part number for the transom gasket, but when I enter it into the parts search I don't get anything. When I search...
  11. mwe-maxxowner

    changing bellows

    I have an 87 boat with a 4.3 and Gen 1 alpha drive. The marina I called to ask about installing my bellows told me about 6-8 hours for this job at 60$/hr. I have heard nothing but good things about this place, and their hourly rate is good. I want to ask if the 6-8 hour estimate sounds about...
  12. mwe-maxxowner

    Motor mounting hardware for reinstallation-what, and in what order?

    I am realizing as I look through everything that I did not do a great job of organizing the nuts and bolts when I removed my motor for my restore. What is needed, and in what order, for the front motor mounts where it attaches to the inner transom plate. I guess this might actually be considered...
  13. mwe-maxxowner

    Why only exterior grade?

    I have been pondering something. You guys recommend exterior grade ply over cabinet grade because the cabinet grade does not use waterproof glue. At first thought this makes perfect sense. But then I stop to think about it. If your laminated glassed in stringers, deck, and transom have enough...
  14. mwe-maxxowner

    Bilge pump as ballast bag pump?

    Is there any reason a bilge pump cant be used to fill a ballast bag? Put a 12 volt plug on one end and a long enough cord I can lower it into the water?
  15. mwe-maxxowner

    value of a used windshield

    So I was perusing eBay under the search terms Dixie boats, just bored and seeing what I found as I am restoring a Dixie runabout, and I came across a Dixie windshield, the complete 5 piece set just like this For 500$. The boat I show you may look nice, but its rotten. She cleans up...
  16. mwe-maxxowner

    fumoto valve?

    I have a 99 f250 with a 7.3l powerstroke. A while back I discovered a fumoto valve. It is a ball valve that screws in in place of the drain plug on my oil pan. Seems if this would fit my 4.3 in the boat that would make oil changes easy! Need no extractor, no draining into bilge. Just attach a...
  17. mwe-maxxowner

    which most forgiving-durabak or gelcoat?

    For those who have done both on a new deck, which was the easiest to turn out a nice looking job with (most forgiving of possible fiberglass or prepping mistakes)- gelcoat or durabak. If I do gel coat it'll be an off white, and if durabak it'll be something similar with first coat textured, last...
  18. mwe-maxxowner

    removing motor and outdrive

    I'll be removing my motor and outdrive soon to do a stringer/transom job and would like any pointers and/or warnings I may need for doing so. The boat is an 86 Dixie hustler 188 with a 4.3 and alpha 1 outdrive. I'm imagining it will be a bear to unhook the steering cables. While the outdrive is...
  19. mwe-maxxowner

    dixie hustler "deck job" (turned full rebuild)

    I bought a boat that seemed solid. I did everything short of drill holes in it and it seemed good to go. It has a wake tower, tower speakers, looks good and has a good running 4.3. I knew that my situation was still a possibility so I pushed to get the price down to compensate as he'd been...
  20. mwe-maxxowner

    transom repair...from the outside??

    This may sound dumb, but bear with me. I've been reading many resto threads lately. I always read cracks, accidental cuts, holes in the hull, gel coat, its all fixable. So I wonder, when a transom repair is necessary, why has nobody ever repaired it by cutting the outside skin? Pl it to the...
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