1976 Starcraft American 16' Runabout w/ 140HP OMC Sterndrive - Have Pictures

[GreelyPete]

Hi everyone. My name is Pete, I just bought my first boat for 500$. Its a Fibreglass 16' Starcraft American Vee Bottom Runabout It has a 140 HP 3.0L Sterndrive System. The boat needs some upholstery work done like most older boats and some TLC. I pulled the battery out, charged it, threw her back in and had power to all the gauges and lights! Bonus! I just turned the key for a microsection to see if the engine would turn over and it did. So thats a good start. Here's where things get tricky, the outdrive is taken off the boat. I have the outdrive both upper and lower units, but It's in pieces and nuts and bolts and small pieces are in bags. I have photos and want to see if anyone can point out what's missing and what should be replaced. I've noticed the knuckles need to both be replaced, np. I need what appears to be called a quadrant. I don't see that anywhere, or do I use one? I dont know what type of steering but when the wheel was turned some gears moved in what I think is called the intermediate housing? I have photos if anyone cares to look. It is my first boat and I plan on putting some elbow grease into her so time is not an issue.

Images via Imgur

http://imgur.com/gallery/ueaDv

 

[southkogs]

Welcome aboard GreelyPete:

Well ... ya' gotcha' a project. The drive is an electric shift Stringer - it's obsolete by over 30 years and there are several parts that are NLA. Take careful stock of how much you want to put into it. When you get done, you'll have a drive that may be a little finicky and will require some constant attention. I like mine, but you need to know what you're getting into. It's possible you could purchase a running boat with a Mercruiser engine cheaper than you can put this one together (though, that's not always the case - mine wasn't).

It's hard to tell if anything's missing from the photos and I didn't have long to look, but I HIGHLY recommend you get a shop manual for the drive.

The "knuckles" you refer to are the ball gears.

The intermediate housing is the part coming through the transom attached to the engine itself. Clutch pack is out and I think I see it on the work bench. The quadrant gear is essential - that's what tilts the drive up and down, and also what holds it in place while you're running.

That boat has what's called Tru-Course steering and it's OMC specific to the Stringer drives. A great system, but ya' gotta' find parts.

 

[GreelyPete]

Thanks southkogs. I got a Seloc manual and hope to give it a read soon. Is there a prefered site that sells OEM parts at a reasonable price? I have found a couple sites that have some parts and there is always ebay I suppose. I appreciate your reply and hope to get some good smiles per gallon out of this old rig.

 

[southkogs]

I think THESE GUYS have the shop manual.

I like older boats, and I'm keeping a Stringer alive too, so I'm with ya'. Mine has stayed afloat fairly cheaply and without too much trouble. BUT ... just bear in mind they can get pretty outta' control cost wise if things get real bad. Keep yer' head about ya', know what ya' got and have a good time.

 

[GreelyPete]

southkogs, is it possible that the boat is setup to have a manual form or trimming if the quadrant is off it? I only ask because the guy I bought the boat off didn't have it and he says he bought the boat off a guy without it.

 

[southkogs]

No way to trim manually without tools and time. You don't trim a Stringer from the stern. If you have trim, there is either a hydraulic or a jackscrew system at the front of the engine block. The tilt motor and quadrant gear are strictly for tilting up for storage or LOW RPM. Manual tilt means grabbing the lower unit and horsing it up and tying it off somehow. I personally think it'll bounce around too much on the trailer to be good for it.

You can run the boat without the quadrant gear: HOWEVER you have no way to tilt the drive up to put it in the water or take it out of the water. You also will drag the drive every time you come off plane and it can pull away and kind of "flop" back down when you settle into the water - that can be hard on your drive, not to mention your ball gears.

Short answer: you can operate without a gear and tilt ... but it ain't good for it.