I'm thinking about buying a 1976 Starcraft SS; advice needed

[Tom55]

Re: I'm thinking about buying a 1976 Starcraft SS; advice needed

I was not able to get out today after all. Hopefully this amazing weather will stick around for a while. I'll let you know how it goes as soon as I can get her on the water. A lot going on at work -- might be a few days or even next week.

 

[64osby]

Re: I'm thinking about buying a 1976 Starcraft SS; advice needed

Tom, What an awesome boat. Great find, and worth every penny from the looks of it.

You have to love the splash ready feature, there are a few of us here that have done that.

 

[Tom55]

Re: I'm thinking about buying a 1976 Starcraft SS; advice needed

OKAY -- took the wife and two granddaughters out on a glassy smooth reservoir about 5 miles long today. Slid off the trailer real nice and she fired right up. Idled out to the channel and slowly took it up to plane at about 20. She handled like no boat I've ever been in with featherlight steering and runs real quiet (my first I/O). Had to use my own wake to hit any waves but it was an amazingly stable ride. Crusies nice at about 3500 rpm and will do about 33 WOT at 4300. It was great and I'm hooked on Starcraft. The ONLY problem I found was that when I tried to throttle up fast it would spit and stall. If I go up real easy it's fine, but there's no jumping out of the hole. The carb was just rebuilt so I'm thinking it's not the accelerator pump (assuming it has one). Sound like timing to you guys? Any ideas? Thanks.

 

[64osby]

Re: I'm thinking about buying a 1976 Starcraft SS; advice needed

Timing check sounds like a good start, if still an issue, next would be fuel pump and carb even a rebuild can have issues.

I think I saw your smile from my house.

 

[CheapboatKev]

Re: I'm thinking about buying a 1976 Starcraft SS; advice needed

How old is the gas that you ran?
May want to add some sea-foam through her and see what blows out.

 

[Tom55]

Re: I'm thinking about buying a 1976 Starcraft SS; advice needed

Long time since I last posted because I've been running around Ohio putting my SS in the water. Need help with a shifting issue. The choke was sticking closed and I found a small crack in the vaccuum line which I replaced and now he choke pulls off as it should. I also sprayed some carb cleaner on the outside of the all the choke linkage which cleaned it all up nice. But now I can't get the idle to drop down below 1100 rpm and it looks like the idle adjustment screw isn't even seating so that it would even make a difference. BUT the bigger issue is that not when I go to shift, the engine starts increasing iin RPMs before shifting into gear so that there's a definite lurch. This happens in both directions because the throttle lever is deifinitely now traveling further before putting the outdrive in gear. Is there a way to adjust this back into tolerance? Do I need a new shift cable? What do y'all think? BTW: I drove across Sanford Lake in Michigan and remembered our half hatched plan to do a Starmada gathering there this summer. Is there still any interest in that? Thanks for any help you can give.

 

[jasoutside]

Re: I'm thinking about buying a 1976 Starcraft SS; advice needed

Sorry I can't help ya with your motor issues Tom...

BTW: I drove across Sanford Lake in Michigan and remembered our half hatched plan to do a Starmada gathering there this summer. Is there still any interest in that?

We seem a bit scattered this summer and I'm thinking most of us still have "projects":facepalm:

 

[Tom55]

Re: I'm thinking about buying a 1976 Starcraft SS; advice needed

Sorry I can't help ya with your motor issues Tom...



We seem a bit scattered this summer and I'm thinking most of us still have "projects":facepalm:

Yeah, that happens. Maybe later.

 

[Captmills]

Re: I'm thinking about buying a 1976 Starcraft SS; advice needed

man, that is one nice looking boat! if she don't run well just sit by the dock and folks will still love it! LOL

 

[dozerII]

Re: I'm thinking about buying a 1976 Starcraft SS; advice needed

Tom , check the maual there is a procedure for adjusting the throttle and shift cables properly. You don't want to be shifting at that high rpm or something expensive will break down in the bottom end.
Glen

 

[Tom55]

Re: I'm thinking about buying a 1976 Starcraft SS; advice needed

Thanks for all your help. Now runs, idles and shifts flawlessly. Took the grandkids out tubing last week and it it ran like a new boat. I have yet to put it in the water without someone coming up to me on the ramp and saying something like, "Man I had one of those back in 19___ and I'm sorry I ever got rid of it -- it was the best boat I ever had." Thanks again for the help.

 

[Tom55]

Re: I'm thinking about buying a 1976 Starcraft SS; advice needed

Could use a little more help. Took her (named her "Arleen") for a week's vacation at Indian Lake in Ohio. The boat ran flawlessly and drew a lot of looks and comments. It's been real dry here so the lake is very low and you probably know where this is going -- chewed up the prop when I didnt have it trimed up in the channel. I don't know anything about buying a new prop (especially the "pitch" I should be looking for), whether it's worth it to pay more and go stainless, and where to actually get one. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[dozerII]

Re: I'm thinking about buying a 1976 Starcraft SS; advice needed

Could use a little more help. Took her (named her "Arleen") for a week's vacation at Indian Lake in Ohio. The boat ran flawlessly and drew a lot of looks and comments. It's been real dry here so the lake is very low and you probably know where this is going -- chewed up the prop when I didnt have it trimed up in the channel. I don't know anything about buying a new prop (especially the "pitch" I should be looking for), whether it's worth it to pay more and go stainless, and where to actually get one. Any help would be appreciated.

Hey Tom if you if you pull the old prop off, chances are the size and pitch are embossed on the hub. Some are between the blades on the outside of the hub (Solas) Mercruiser usually has them on the face of the hub. If you are going to boat in shallow water and may have a chance on wacking another prop stay away from stainless, it is very unforgiving and instead of just wrecking a prop you may bend a prop shaft or something worse.

 

[barato2]

Re: I'm thinking about buying a 1976 Starcraft SS; advice needed

go with a pirahna prop (replaceable composite baldes so you only need to replace damaged individual blades) or a Comprop (composite prop, whole thing is about $75 if you trash it). IMHO, stainless is mostly for having a nice Shineeee thing on the back of your rig.

 

[64osby]

Re: I'm thinking about buying a 1976 Starcraft SS; advice needed

Look for a new prop I like basic alum. ones and also see if you can find a prop shop that could salvage, re-tune your damaged one. Gives you a spare in the future. They also might have a good used one.

I take mine to a shop in Grand Rapids MI and $35 -40 later I have a new prop.

You not at the launch now, and your boat does look beautiful.

 

[Tom55]

Re: I'm thinking about buying a 1976 Starcraft SS; advice needed

Thanks for all your help. I'll pull the prop and see if there's anything stamped on it. Keep doing what you guys do. It's a real help to us rookies.