1966 Starcraft Starchief

[SCStephens]

I started a thread in the restoration section http://forums.iboats.com/boat-restoration-building-hull-repair/1967-starcraft-starchief-622826.html and was pointed here to the Starcraft section which I hadn't seen before. The boat is titled as a 1967 but with some help on my other thread it has been appropriately identified as a 1966. I will try to keep the other thread as the restore thread and put this one up as a boat intro thread.

 

[kfa4303]

Re: 1966 Starcraft Starchief

Score!!!!! Those old Starchiefs are sweet! Congrats on the new toy. Still plenty of time left in the season to get on the water. What are your plans for her?

 

[SCStephens]

Re: 1966 Starcraft Starchief

I have been mostly working through small problems so far. The people I bought it off of had it for 45 years and seem to have taken pretty good care of it. I am going to try to use it as much as possible this summer while doing smaller things and probably tackle some crazier things this winter. We will see how this motor holds up and hopefully my quick fixes have refreshed it a bit. I cant wait to break out the tube or skis, but I have fished with it and cruised many times.

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: 1966 Starcraft Starchief

A one owner boat, now you're number two. That's great. Makes it easy when blaming prior owners (PO). :lol:

I saw the blowby mentioned in the other thread. Hope it isn't a serious problem

She looks to be in really great shape. I like the hull color.

 

[SCStephens]

Re: 1966 Starcraft Starchief

The color is quite unique, I either need to repaint or mount some machine guns on it, either would suffice. blowby seems to be more of an annoyance at this point, but it has had a pretty steady stream of smoke coming out of the valve cover breather. I thought it was oil burning off of the engine at first, but I was able to run it with the motor cover off to see what was going on. It had a lot of carbon visible through the plug holes, but I have been attempting to chemically clean it out. after a good mystery oil soak it seemed to be doing better today, but I will have to get it on the water to know for sure. hopefully it is stuck rings and hopefully they will/have become unstuck. most of my work with problems like this has been on old motorcycles, but they are easier to test for progress.

 

[Weep'n Willy]

Re: 1966 Starcraft Starchief

Wow, I am quite impressed. That is really a nice looking boat and appears to be in great condition especially considering its age. Good luck with her and hopefully she give you many more years of enjoyment.

 

[dozerII]

Re: 1966 Starcraft Starchief

Welcome to the Starmada SC, great looking Chief. Have you tried some Seafoam in the gas it is great at loosing carbon and gummed up rings, I add some to every tank of fuel.

 

[classiccat]

Re: 1966 Starcraft Starchief

Welcome! Glad that you found your way over to the SC forum

It looks like that old boat lived a good life...you scored a gem right there!

Good luck with the motor troubles!

 

[SCStephens]

Re: 1966 Starcraft Starchief

the seafoam/marvel mystery oil alternating piston soaks seems to have helped, I still have my fingers crossed.

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: 1966 Starcraft Starchief

The color is quite unique, I either need to repaint or mount some machine guns on it, either would suffice

Keep the color- go with twin 50 cals. Moves you to the head of the line at the ramp every time. Unless you're outgunned.

Has she been parked for a while? Add some Seafoam to the fuel also.

 

[ShowMeGuy]

Re: 1966 Starcraft Starchief

Hopefully the blowby is just maybe some stuck rings from sittin? maybe runnin it will help break them loose...

 

[SCStephens]

Re: 1966 Starcraft Starchief

yeah, definitely hoping for stuck rings and not broken rings/pistons. Put another dose of mystery oil in there tonight, I wont be boating this week so it can't hurt.

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: 1966 Starcraft Starchief

Keep the color- go with twin 50 cals. Moves you to the head of the line at the ramp every time. Unless you're outgunned.

Having the right tow rig helps get ya to the front & stay in front at the ramp:

Having the original paint in almost mint condition, for no other reason then saving the work to prep for a re-spray, I'd suggest you skip the re-paint

 

[ezmobee]

Re: 1966 Starcraft Starchief

Very cool rig! I do hate the paint but it's still cool. Good luck with it. Super cool that it the PO's had it for 45 years.

 

[ShowMeGuy]

Re: 1966 Starcraft Starchief

Have you been able to run it out at the lake again and work it hard to try to unstick possible rings? thats what I do on tractors when they have sat a while... I work them at a plowday or brushog for a day.. usually clears alot of it up.

 

[SCStephens]

Re: 1966 Starcraft Starchief

Hopefully I can get it out this weekend for some fun. I changed the oil today, what a PITA... I went to Delvac 15w40 because I have had really good luck with it and it is $12/gallon. I think they had been running 10w30, idle oil pressure went from 30 to 35ish. Sorry I haven't posted in a while, the boat had to take a back seat to camping at the Iowa State Fair last weekend. I also went about trying to unblock the drain in the boat ribs, is there a product to dump in there to dissolve the crud? It is a mixture of oil and slime apparently. The motor doesn't leak, but after doing the oil change I know exactly how it got down there. I'm thinking of putting on one of those drain plugs with its own valve and hose so I can avoid the nightmare in the future.
Opened it up for the heck of it, there is some pretty impressive sludge.

 

[SCStephens]

Re: 1966 Starcraft Starchief

double post

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: 1966 Starcraft Starchief

She might be a candidate for some short time oil/filter changes. I have no idea if that will help get rid of the sludge though.

 

[mark942]

Re: 1966 Starcraft Starchief

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

[ricohman]

Re: 1966 Starcraft Starchief

That sludge is nothing compared to what my 2001 Toyota Higlander had. But sludge it is. I think your sludge problem is related to all the blow by you have. Which may mean its time for a fresh set of rings or a rebuild.
I really like your boat as it looks so much like the modern day Islander.