Flashing up an old-302/898 before parting-out...

[andy1canada]

Howdy from Canada Gentlemen!

Just brought my new (okay, old 80') 19 ft. Zeta/cuddy home on Friday; then, yesterday I sold my old 20 ft. Hourston (abandoned project) and by Jeeze - got all I paid for it back out of it. Go figure? It's all good!

I'm real pumped about the Zeta and can't wait to get her in the water. I've settled on a complete repower with a new Merc. 4.3/MPI/Alpha setup.

First things first: I'm going to rip out the original raw-water cooled 302/898 Merc then part it all out and put the moola towards the new powerplant. The pre-alpha outdrive has just been serviced but the mill is a NO-GO.

I want to see if I can get it running first and just what I've got here. Today I'll pull the plugs and see if I can spin her by hand. If it's locked-up, I guess she's an anchor...

Yesterday I tried to get her to turn over, I got power to the gauges but that was it; the starter did nothing.

I have a test-light, a V.O.A. meter and basic (basic) mechanical skills. In the early 80's I was an apprentice marine mechanic for two summer's including a stint at school for my 1st/yr. stuff. Sadly, I've forgotten most of what I'd learned... but I still have my tools and there's some beer in the fridge! So I'm going out there again today to see if can't remove some skin from my knuckles.

If any of you guy's could point me through the 'dead-engine' diagnostics routine, I'd be a might grateful.

I'd like to do a compression test, but that'll be tough if I can't get her to spin.

Thanks to all for your time and trouble!

Cheers,
Terry

Victoria,BC.

 

[fendersfender]

Re: Flashing up an old-302/898 before parting-out...

if its a 898, then it has a chevy 305
a 888 has a ford 302......if drive is good, why not just replace bad engine??

 

[Haut Medoc]

Re: Flashing up an old-302/898 before parting-out...

http://www.iboats.com/bbboard/bbBoard.cgi?a=viewthread;fid=24;gtid=1104170;gpid=1104170

Read this! Courtesy of Don S.......

 

[qaztwo]

Re: Flashing up an old-302/898 before parting-out...

Did it spin by hand?

 

[andy1canada]

Re: Flashing up an old-302/898 before parting-out...

Howdy again!

Fenders: thanks, thought for sure it was a Ford. More homework I guess...

Hault & Don S. Thanks a bunch! Didn't have to get past much more than the first paragraph or so of Don's link that you posted; I didn't even think about the safety switch. I have an older single lever shifter/throttle (small wooden handle on top/chrome shaft with a pull-out black button in the centre) and I didn't think about making sure the button was out; presumably it has to be to open the starter circuit.

About to find out!

I'll let ya' all know. Thanks!

Terry

 

[Haut Medoc]

Re: Flashing up an old-302/898 before parting-out...

Fenders: thanks, thought for sure it was a Ford. More homework I guess...
If the distributer is in the front: Ford....
In the back....Chebby......

 

[andy1canada]

Re: Flashing up an old-302/898 before parting-out...

Howdy!

Well... it appears it is a 305 Chevy. Dumbfounded, I opened a beer then pondered this new discovery a while.

Any how, I did the start circuit test thing as outlined in the post from Don. The key-switch tested OK so I moved on to the slave solonoid only to discover one of the small wires to it was busted off. The whole solonoid was just hangin' there under the starboard exhaust manifold. I hooked the wire back up then tested for juice - just like the paper says - then discovered the small terminal I'd just reattached the wire to was actually busted, as in, wiggling around even though the nut was tight - Man, was I in a pinch... so I grabbed another beer fast.

Glug-glug...

Okay, okay man, think back to your marine mechanic's apprenticeship days - remember... them two summer's you spent on the wrong end of a 3000/psi pressure-washer, blasting barnacles and all other manner of the genus crustacea off of boat bottoms - what would I have done then, while in the midst of all that high-tech training when my mind was still young and vital, if I suddenly found myself confronted with such a complexity as a busted terminal on a slave solonoid?

Man, just thinkin' about it made me shudder, so I grabbed another beer...

I realized then that I was glad it was Sunday because that's what Sunday's are for, playin' around with the boat, right? Glug-glug...

Then, after further introspection and another coupla' brewskie's... I realized that this whole busted terminal on the solonoid thing wasn't really such a big deal after all cause I'm yankin' the entire power system and droppin' in one of them there pod-mounted Rolls Royce turbo-fan jet engine's, like the one on the jet that took us to Hawaii a few years back. Not sure how good it'll work for trolling for salmon - but it sure as hell otta' yank a herd'a skiers outta' the water pretty quick...

Ya think?

Cheers,
Terry