A couple questions about an anchor and gauges

[jimh1626]

I am new to the forum and appreciate any help you can offer. I have been reading threads for a few weeks now, but can't find what I need. So, here goes.
I just bought a 1988 Wellcraft 210 classic with a 5.7 litre engine and Alpha one Merc out drive. I have had the boat out twice and it seems to run great and I am getting used to it after not having a boat for 30 years. Kids are grown and I can afford it again now.
I have several questions.
1. We went to see the Blue Angels last Saturday in Pensacola. We wanted to anchor in the bay, but when I tried to set the anchor it would not hold the boat. I was told I needed a chain which it doesn't have. Question is how big of a chain and how long should it be. The bottom is sandy around here in the Florida panhandle.

2. Also can someone give me an idea on how much fuel this boat uses per hour at cruising speed. I think that is about 3200 rpm. I don't have to get anywhere in a hurry so cruising speed is fine with me for most trips. The gas guage jumps around and then disappears when I am moving. I never know how much fuel I have and that will bite me one day I am sure.

3. Also my temp guage doesn't get much above 130 which is the low end of it. Is this normal? Don't want to over heat it.

4. Also there isn't anything showing on the oil pressure guage. I checked the dip stick and it was very low. I added 2 quarts to bring it up to the full mark, but now when I check it, it says it is low again. I don't want to run it again until I am sure the oil is ok. I can't see where any is leaking so it being low again after one trip is freaking me out. Should I check the oil when I am in the water or try to get the boat as level as I can in the driveway?

Thanks for any help.
I'm sure I will have lots more questions.

Thanks,

Jim

 

[Rocky_Road]

Re: A couple questions about an anchor and guages.

Re: A couple questions about an anchor and guages.

I am new to the forum and appreciate any help you can offer. I have been reading threads for a few weeks now, but can't find what I need. So, here goes.
I just bought a 1988 Wellcraft 210 classic with a 5.7 litre engine and Alpha one Merc out drive. I have had the boat out twice and it seems to run great and I am getting used to it after not having a boat for 30 years. Kids are grown and I can afford it again now.
I have several questions.
1. We went to see the Blue Angels last Saturday in Pensacola. We wanted to anchor in the bay, but when I tried to set the anchor it would not hold the boat. I was told I needed a chain which it doesn't have. Question is how big of a chain and how long should it be. The bottom is sandy around here in the Florida panhandle.

2. Also can someone give me an idea on how much fuel this boat uses per hour at cruising speed. I think that is about 3200 rpm. I don't have to get anywhere in a hurry so cruising speed is fine with me for most trips. The gas guage jumps around and then disappears when I am moving. I never know how much fuel I have and that will bite me one day I am sure.

3. Also my temp guage doesn't get much above 130 which is the low end of it. Is this normal? Don't want to over heat it.

4. Also there isn't anything showing on the oil pressure guage. I checked the dip stick and it was very low. I added 2 quarts to bring it up to the full mark, but now when I check it, it says it is low again. I don't want to run it again until I am sure the oil is ok. I can't see where any is leaking so it being low again after one trip is freaking me out. Should I check the oil when I am in the water or try to get the boat as level as I can in the driveway?

Thanks for any help.
I'm sure I will have lots more questions.

Thanks,

Jim

I can answer you about the chain...it makes the anchor lay flat on the bottom until it can 'catch'. As for length there is a formula, but in your situation I would think that 5 or 6 feet would be fine. You can visit a local marine store and look at their turn key anchors w/chain and see what they have....

Your temp gauge is obviously not working. The quick check is to put your key to run...remove the wire from the engine sending unit...ground the wire end to your engine block...and if the gauge is good it will peg all the way to the right.

Get your oil gauge figured out...I think that you can duplicate the above test using the wire from the oil sending unit, but let's wait for someone to confirm that for us. Check your bilge for any engine oil...it has to be going somewhere!

Happy boating!

 

[Ciera2450]

Re: A couple questions about an anchor and guages.

Re: A couple questions about an anchor and guages.

1. you "should" have an anchor chain, however it should still hold somewhat without it if your setting the anchor properly. Setting it properly depends on what type of anchor you have and depth of the water. I usually let out about 3-4 times the water depth in anchor rode. I use a danforth style anchor and I slowly lower it until it touches bottom, then slowly reverse letting out line as i go until the anchor grabs firmly and I've let out enough line.
2. No idea on your fuel usage
3. 130 is a tad low but depending on your thermostat could be Normal
4. sound like your losing oil somehow, perhaps a fresh oil change and filter are in order and then check it from there...

Smarter folks will be along to help you out i'm sure.
Happy boating!

 

[jimh1626]

Re: A couple questions about an anchor and guages.

Re: A couple questions about an anchor and guages.

Thanks for the quick info. I will go to the marine store and see what they say. I want to get another one anyway. One for the front and one for the back.

Jim

 

[Silvertip]

Re: A couple questions about an anchor and guages.

Re: A couple questions about an anchor and guages.

You are flirting with disaster unless you get the oil pressure gauge working, AND determine why enigne oil is low after relatively short trips. Just because an engine HAS oil in it, does not mean it HAS good oil pressure. If you cannot readily see where two quarts of oil disappeared to, it likely went out the exhaust and the engine is tell you it is tired, compression is likely low, and it is actually CONSUMING oil. Do not be surprised if the oil pressure gauge was disconnected on purpose to help disguise a tired engine. For your sake, I hope I am wrong. Always check oil with only you in the boat, and with as close to the same load each time. This gives you a bench mark so you always read oil level under the same conditions.

 

[themaniam1]

Re: A couple questions about an anchor and guages.

Re: A couple questions about an anchor and guages.

1. 10-15' of chain will keep the anchor shank flat against the bottom. let out a minimum of 3:1 (30' of line for 10' of depth or until you get about a 45? angle), 7:1 is best. To do this, let the anchor down until it is on the bottom and then in a controlled fashion while slowly drifting backwards (to avoid fowling the anchor with the line) let out more line until you think there is enough to make a 45? angle and hold it until you feel it bite into the bottom. Then tire it off and reverse just a bit to set the anchor.

2. Best guess on fuel is at 3200-3400 rpm is ~ 2.0 mpg / 12 gph. At WOT (wide open throttle) I would guess 1.5 mpg / 18 gph. I guess this from my old boat which was about the same size as yours with a 5.7, I had a fuel meter on it. This is only a guess.

3. That seems a bit cold. Should be around 140-160. Possibly a semi stuck open thermostat is my first thought.

4. The oil is going somewhere. If not in the bilge or into the water then it has to be going out the exhaust. I would do a compression check on each cylinder. Run it in the driveway and see if it smokes.

Good luck.

 

[jimh1626]

Re: A couple questions about an anchor and guages.

Re: A couple questions about an anchor and guages.

Thanks everyone for the replies. I will try them.
I have run it in the driveway and there is no smoke. I am going to clean up around the engine and launch it tomorrow and see if there is oil residue there. I will also check the compression this weekend.

Thanks,

Jim

 

[NHGuy]

Re: A couple questions about an anchor and guages.

Re: A couple questions about an anchor and guages.

Hey if you are lucky the oil could be leaking into the oil to water cooler. Reason I say lucky is that's a darn sight cheaper to repair than a tired engine. The cooler is kind of a pain to pull, in fact not all boats have one, but it's a maybe.

 

[jimh1626]

Re: A couple questions about an anchor and guages.

Re: A couple questions about an anchor and guages.

Thanks, I'll check that. I don't think it is a tired motor. It gets up and goes. Seems to be powerful enough. I can get it to 45 mph with 4 people onboard. Maybe I'll take it out tomorrow and re check everything.

Thanks,

Jim

 

[Philster]

Re: A couple questions about an anchor and guages.

Re: A couple questions about an anchor and guages.

It was probably so low on oil, even two quarts ain't enough. Make sure you clean the stick, put in back in carefully, be very still to not move the boat and check it again.

 

[Chris1956]

Re: A couple questions about an anchor and guages.

Re: A couple questions about an anchor and guages.

5-6' of 1/4" galv chain is fine for the anchor. More than that is unnecessary.

It is very important to figure out where that oil is going. The only water to oil cooler, that I have seen is for the power steering, not the engine oil.
If you do not see oil burning in the form of smoke, check the bilge carefully for oil. On salt water motors, oil filters can leak and oil pans can leak oil into the bilge.

A lot of Mercruisers have low oil pressure warning switches and overheat warning buzzers. These use different sensors/senders than the oil pressure and water temp gauges. Make sure the oil pressure gauge is connected to the right sender. It should look like a 1/2 of a salami in shape. The low oil pressure switch is shaped more like a thick lollypop without the stick. Both have 1/4" NPT male threads.

 

[stackz]

Re: A couple questions about an anchor and guages.

Re: A couple questions about an anchor and guages.

oil pressure sender on normal 350's is either up front on the timing chain cover or out back on the engine block. I'd go grab a cheap mechanical oil pressure gauge from walmart for $20 and unhook the original sender and hook in the mechanical gauge and just hold it by hand to confirm your oil pressure. if you have pressure then (with the proper amount of oil in the pan lol), then either your sending unit, your gauge, or your wiring in between are bad.

I cant stand not knowing what the oil pressure is on a 4-stroke engine.

 

[H20Rat]

Re: A couple questions about an anchor and guages.

Re: A couple questions about an anchor and guages.

4. Also there isn't anything showing on the oil pressure guage. I checked the dip stick and it was very low. I added 2 quarts to bring it up to the full mark, but now when I check it, it says it is low again. I don't want to run it again until I am sure the oil is ok. I can't see where any is leaking so it being low again after one trip is freaking me out. Should I check the oil when I am in the water or try to get the boat as level as I can in the driveway?

One thing to keep in mind is that oil pressure and oil level are NOT indicators of each other. You can be dangerously low on oil but still have pressure. If you are so low that you are sucking air and your oil pressure drops to zero at any speed above idle, the engine is already done for.

Oil pressure isn't as critical of a gauge as people would think. Oil pumps very rarely fail, and when they do, you aren't going to notice the gauge quick enough to do anything anyway. (in the case of a complete pump failure, you have seconds at best at WOT to turn the key off...) And if a pump does fail, you are going to have pieces of the pump scattered throughout the engine, meaning its full engine teardown time anyway. Chances are there is going to be zero cost difference, its new shortblock time either way. LOUD oil pressure warning buzzers are far better, it doesn't require your eyes glued to a gauge.

About the only time a gauge is useful is when you have an engine with external oil lines. Either a turbocharger, external oil cooler, or dry sump. In that case you do have the possibility of a leak developing and dropping the oil pressure but not enough to trigger a buzzer.

As far as general engine health, a vacuum gauge and compression test will tell you far more than oil pressure.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: A couple questions about an anchor and guages.

Re: A couple questions about an anchor and guages.

Fact is low oil pressure is RARELY due to an oil pump wear or impending failure. It is due to rod, main, and cam bearing wear. Oil consumption except for external leaks, is due to worn rings and/or valve guides and seals.

 

[H20Rat]

Re: A couple questions about an anchor and guages.

Re: A couple questions about an anchor and guages.

Fact is low oil pressure is RARELY due to an oil pump wear or impending failure. It is due to rod, main, and cam bearing wear. Oil consumption except for external leaks, is due to worn rings and/or valve guides and seals.

which again goes back to the point, not many people are going to pull an engine just for low oil pressure to rebuild bearings... the cost of a shortblock vs an engine builder to go through it makes it a wash, and people will usually run it until it dies or at least runs poorly before tearing into it.

 

[jimh1626]

Re: A couple questions about an anchor and guages.

Re: A couple questions about an anchor and guages.

Wow. Thanks everyone. I will get an oil pressure guage and connect it. I am pretty sure it is the guage, and not low pressure, because I have run it for several hours and it has run good. If there was no pressure then it would have bitten the dust by now. I will look into the warning buzzer.

Thanks for the anchor chain answer also.

Jim

 

[Stachi]

Re: A couple questions about an anchor and guages.

Re: A couple questions about an anchor and guages.

If I were you, a good inspection and cleaning of all of my electrical connections would be in order. A 1988 boat is pretty old , mine is 1990 vintage , and I found MANY bad electrical connections , after a thorough inspection and cleaning of all connections. You may be surprised at what previous owners have done.
A bit of sandpaper and a wire brush can make a HUGE difference. Be prepared to spend a couple of hours to do this....it's much easier to do when you are not out on the water. Dielectric grease is your best friend...use liberally on every connection. It's purpose and function is to repel water without conducting electricity....you can smear it across a terminal board after you clean and reconnect. I butter up in between the connection as well.
Tight lines bro !

 

[jimh1626]

Re: A couple questions about an anchor and guages.

Re: A couple questions about an anchor and guages.

Thanks Stachi, I will check them all next week and I will get some dielectric grease.
Read your post on anchors too.

Thanks,

Jim