89 Chris Craft Sea Hawk 254

zool

Captain
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Aug 19, 2012
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3,432
Re: 89 Chris Craft Sea Hawk 254

My clamp rings are still intact, ill take a look in the mornin and see if they are offset a touch, theyve never been off mine from new.
 

zool

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Re: 89 Chris Craft Sea Hawk 254

I looked at mine and they are both a little off center. The starboard sits slightly lower than center, the port, slightly left of center. I think its more important to make sure you have the 3 alignment tabs within tolerance. a 2 mm or less difference is acceptable between the 3. You tighten the clamp ring bolts at 35 ft lbs, then check alignment.
 

fscuttle

Seaman
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Jul 9, 2012
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Re: 89 Chris Craft Sea Hawk 254

When i put the outdrive on is it easier to put the bellows on on the boat first or the outdrive first?
 

zool

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Re: 89 Chris Craft Sea Hawk 254

The best way is to have the upper removed from the intermedate, install the int/lower, then the upper seperate, because its much easier to handle that way. But since you have it together already, i would put the bellows set on the flywheel housing and exhaust, making sure the clamp screw is facing an accessible direction, then connect the bellows to the attached drive. The reason its done seperate is that its tough to wrestle the water hose, shift cable and lower bellows with the head on.

Nice paint on the drive btw ;)
 

fscuttle

Seaman
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Jul 9, 2012
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Re: 89 Chris Craft Sea Hawk 254

Thanks. Thats Volvo spray paint. Almost $20 a can but it was worth it. I'm going to use the scaffold i built for the engine to hang the outdrive from a chain hoist with a canvas tie strap. One more question if you don't mind. The old tanks had quite a bit of fuel in them when the boat was put in storage in 2000. I'm hoping most of it evaporated by now. I was planning to just remove any old gas that was left and fill them with fresh gas. I really dont want to try removing them right now. So i'm going to bring two extra fuel filters with me on the first test run. What do you think?
 

zool

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Re: 89 Chris Craft Sea Hawk 254

I just pulled my tank, it sat for years and i found about 70 gallons of old fuel in it. Besides some pits and craters from sitting in some water, the inside was surprisingly clean, just some very minor rust specks. I rinsed it with xylene, letting it soak for a day, and no visible varnish came out with it. You could probably pump the old out, then soak some xylene, then pump that out, then look into them with a flashlight and know what your dealing with. The xylene should come out clear.

Extra filters are a good idea either way..beats waiting around for sea tow....

I have the VP grey and clear, just havnt applied them yet, good to see it on yours.
 

fscuttle

Seaman
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Jul 9, 2012
Messages
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Re: 89 Chris Craft Sea Hawk 254

How much xylene do i need to put in there? One tank holds 120 gallons and the other 40. If i dont remove the tanks should i just move the trailer back and forth to slosh it around?
 

zool

Captain
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Aug 19, 2012
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Re: 89 Chris Craft Sea Hawk 254

I just put about an inch on the bottom, then turned it every hour, but the bottom is where everything settles...i used maybe a half gallon if that. No big deal if a little is left in there, will just boost octane a bit.
 

fscuttle

Seaman
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Jul 9, 2012
Messages
67
Re: 89 Chris Craft Sea Hawk 254

Thanks again. Now i noticed that the driven gear for the trim potentiometer is broken. So i bought a new one {$70....ridiculous}. So i need to get this on in the right position to get an accurate trim reading right? Any idea what the procedure is?
 

zool

Captain
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Aug 19, 2012
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3,432
Re: 89 Chris Craft Sea Hawk 254

looks like around p153 is the procedure
 

fscuttle

Seaman
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Jul 9, 2012
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Re: 89 Chris Craft Sea Hawk 254

Yes thats what i needed. Thanks yet again. Now i just have to figure out my transom angle and unfortunately i think the lcd on my trim gauge is shot. It might be unreadable.
 

fscuttle

Seaman
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Jul 9, 2012
Messages
67
Re: 89 Chris Craft Sea Hawk 254

Yes i saw that. Im going to hook up the batteries today and see if my gauge is readable. Unfortunately its pouring right now. And if i need its going to hold me up for at least 4 days.
 

fscuttle

Seaman
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Jul 9, 2012
Messages
67
Re: 89 Chris Craft Sea Hawk 254

Got the new trim gauge for $100. Also needed to order a rebuilt carb because i couldn't get a kit anywhere for this holley 850. Put the batteries in and most everything works fine except the power trim. It trims down but no motor activation on trim up. Nothing on tilt down either and on tilt up i just hear the relay clicking. Anyone have a link to a wiring diagram of this trim system?
 

fscuttle

Seaman
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Jul 9, 2012
Messages
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Re: 89 Chris Craft Sea Hawk 254

Never mind i see its in the link Zool already gave me.
 

fscuttle

Seaman
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Jul 9, 2012
Messages
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Re: 89 Chris Craft Sea Hawk 254

969347_10200391518936799_938936479_n.jpg The next auto mechanic who tells me boats are easy to work on is going to get hit in the head with a hammer.
 

GT1000000

Rear Admiral
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Jul 13, 2011
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4,916
Re: 89 Chris Craft Sea Hawk 254

The next auto mechanic who tells me boats are easy to work on is going to get hit in the head with a hammer.
I am and I wouldn't dare...I constantly wonder what the engineers who designed all of these mechanical maniacal contraptions were thinking...obviously had nothing to do with future servicing and everything to do with the bottom line...$$$:facepalm:
 
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