1974 Chieftain 25 "Adventurer" Restoration

[IslandExplorer]

The oil pump shaft is down in this hole. It wiggles around and turns but won't lift out even with 5 different powerful magnets, what a pain.

 

[IslandExplorer]

 

[IslandExplorer]

Starboard log exhaust manifold disassembly:

Nuts, bolts, and studs came right out luckily.

A view down the ol log flume

Risers appear to have block off plates with just a small vent hole pass through in one passage to log.

 

[IslandExplorer]

Stbd front end cap:

Some evidence of rust present inside.
Stbd rear end cap:

No manifold bolts broken or needing anything more than a 3/8 ratchet, very lucky. Guessing everything must have been assembled with antiseize, been seeing grey on mostly unrusted bolts. A number of things like this have made it seem as though the former owner may have been a mechanic of sorts. All the notoriously frozen water pump bolts were also a breeze somehow.

 

[IslandExplorer]

I am considering swapping all the marine parts over to another 302 block I have. This block has never seen anyrjing but coolant in its passages. Need to find out how compatible it would be with its truck cam and standard 302 firing order. Any comments/ideas on this are welcome. But please keep in mind I am working mostly with what I have and this boat is staying Ford V8 powered despite the obscurity of it that I am well aware of so I don't need the 'I should really switch to a 350' talk lol Nothing against GM, I just love my 302 dino-drive. I am intending on converting to closed cooling to protect it and likely will be running a simple crank mounted sea pump instead of the limited MC1 outdrive pump, and either one large or two separate heat exchangers for the engine and exhaust system. Raw water to exhaust elbows only. Trying to figure out what capacity heat exchanger I will be hunting for since I will be running a 302 with logs either way.

 

[IslandExplorer]

The HP robbing log manifolds I have would be fine for my cruising purposes other than all the corrosion inside that would clog an exchanger. I want to keep the original Y pipe setup so I am not complety redoing everything so I don't think I will be converting to Osco's or anything. Is there a good way to effectively descale the manifolds? After scouring I've been thinking of setting up a pump to overnight purge them with something like CLR maybe. If anyone has successfully done this to convert to coolant I would really like to hear about how it was done.

 

[IslandExplorer]

Starboard log

Port log
Manifolds and Risers off to be cleaned and inspected later. Both sides have lots of old river sediment and rust flakes. Going to scrape it out and see what it looks like afterwards.

 

[1975oday22]

Awesome Job Brother. cant wait to see what you do with this engine.... Paint? new decals? maybe put Adventurer on it ? so many items to list. keep up the great work.

 

[IslandExplorer]

Thanks! Just grabbed a sweet 454 big block heat exchanger for the ol girl. Gotta protect the Ford Dino-drive you know. Saves me the giant hassle of moving the distributor alll the way to the back.. lol Definitely going to paint it and get all that done before next season now that I have the time to do it. Adventurer-V8 valve covers could definitely be a thing..

 

[IslandExplorer]

454 big block heat exchanger for the small block. Passages inside look really clean, no tubes blocked off or evidence of repairs that I have noticed so far.

 

[IslandExplorer]

 

[motley crew]

cant wait to see your boat splashed you are doing one heck of a job

 

[ejnichol]

I missed the comment as to why you were or are considering going to a different 302 block. What was wrong with the original block? Did you see why one side was running hotter than other?

 

[IslandExplorer]

cant wait to see your boat splashed you are doing one heck of a job

Still haven't given up on her, thanks!

 

[IslandExplorer]

I missed the comment as to why you were or are considering going to a different 302 block. What was wrong with the original block? Did you see why one side was running hotter than other?

The log manifolds seemed hopelessly corroded inside, I didn't even bother digging all those huge rust flakes out of them. I think the rust was wreaking havoc with flow and insulating whole areas. It was discouraging to see but I decided to take the hit and commit to saving up for new, better designed manifolds. Other than the water jackets the block itself looked great internally, but the unknown level of corrosion in block was just too much of a concern for me to trust it going a ways from shore. So the plan switched to utilizing my 96 Ford Bronco block instead.

 

[IslandExplorer]

Picked up a nice lower cfm marine 4 barrel Holley to replace the non-marine 2 barrel Holley that I had. Came off a 351 Windsor boat. Thinking I'm going to go down a jet size or two. Anyone run a ~600 or lower cfm Holley on a 302 that has some input on this? I know they put both 2 and 4 barrels on marine 302's in the 70's, think Merc called the 4 barrel version a 225.

 

[Watermann]

Merc only used Rochester QJs and that Holley spread bore I believe is a replacement for a QJ. My 4.3 V6 has a QJ on it, best OE carbs on the planet.

 

[IslandExplorer]

Merc only used Rochester QJs and that Holley spread bore I believe is a replacement for a QJ. My 4.3 V6 has a QJ on it, best OE carbs on the planet.

I've only ever had a Quadra jet on an old yard truck, but it always seemed to run! Well hopefully I can get the Holley going with slightly smaller jets or maybe it will run as is. Still quite a ways off from starting it so time will tell. How many CFM is the quad on your 4.3, happen to know? Just curious.

 

[IslandExplorer]

The ol small block is getting a little taller before installation thanks to the new "Edelwok" dual plane manifold that came in. She's going to be running coolant through her veins so went with a nice light aluminum manifold that will actually fit my 302 with factory heads and 4bbl Holley.

 

[IslandExplorer]

Surprise rebuild parts for the 302 compliments of my awesome brother! What a great surprise.