My First StarCraft; 1975 18' SuperSport

[classiccat]

Re: My First StarCraft; 1975 18' SuperSport

Well the wife was wrong about it not starting up anyway. If it's not one thing, it's another.

Yeah GaB, it definitely keeps us on our toes! Besides, the 5 bucks that I won from the Admiral (for it starting) will go towards a replacement manifold :lol:

On the brightside, everything else is working well (ignition, fuel, pisser, etc.)! In an act of desperation prior to tearing it back down, I re-torqued the manifold bolts thinking maybe I missed one. Fired it up again and it jumped right-to-life...still leaking of course.

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: My First StarCraft; 1975 18' SuperSport

still leaking of course.

Naturally. That seems like a heft chunk of AL. Wonder how it warped, could a PO have really cranked down on it to stop a leak? Maybe it could be put on a flat surface and be be persuaded straight with careful application of the BFH. Wouldn't hurt to try before searching ebay/CL.

Or double gaskets????

 

[classiccat]

Re: My First StarCraft; 1975 18' SuperSport

Naturally. That seems like a heft chunk of AL. Wonder how it warped, could a PO have really cranked down on it to stop a leak? Maybe it could be put on a flat surface and be be persuaded straight with careful application of the BFH. Wouldn't hurt to try before searching ebay/CL.

Or double gaskets????

Thanks for the suggestions GaB!! The thought of double gaskets crossed my mind...however I need a bulletproof solution since pulling the head is starting to get old even though I've only done it twice :lol:

There are 3 plates in this manifold...and the piece that's warped (by > 0.040" per feeler gauges @ the bottom) is the outermost cover which is only 1/4" thick. I believe the spec is ~ 0.004".

The torque that goes on these 1/4-20 bolts is relatively small (~ 9ft-lbs)...IMO not enough to pull a warped cover flat and compress 3 gaskets.

I already had a lowball offer accepted on fleabay...fingers crossed that the replacement cover is in-spec!

 

[dozerII]

Re: My First StarCraft; 1975 18' SuperSport

Good to see her running BF, too bad about Murphy showing his ugly face. It seems there is always something. Up here in Canada premium gas is non ethanol which is the reason I use it.

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: My First StarCraft; 1975 18' SuperSport

Is any sealant used on the gaskets? If you get $5 from the wife for every start up, the cover will be paid for in no time. Hopin' you get this working soon, she looks too nice not to run leak free too.

 

[classiccat]

Re: My First StarCraft; 1975 18' SuperSport

Good to see her running BF, too bad about Murphy showing his ugly face. It seems there is always something. Up here in Canada premium gas is non ethanol which is the reason I use it.

Wow, you guys are lucky! For us to fill-up with ethanol-free, we have to go to a marina and pay a huge mark-up. Maybe I'm being overly paranoid but if I don't use my premix in 3 months, it goes into the lawn equipment after being run through a H2O separator.

Is any sealant used on the gaskets? If you get $5 from the wife for every start up, the cover will be paid for in no time. Hopin' you get this working soon, she looks too nice not to run leak free too.

OMC gasket sealing compound (gorilla snot) per the FSM. It does nothing to compensate for abnormalities in metal surfaces; the water will just wash it out. Those gasket makers (aka silly-cone) make me nervous; I'm not ruling them out but I need to do more research to determine if any are compatible w/ marine OB applications.

I'll insist "double-or-nothing" the next time I hook-up the muffs :lol:

 

[classiccat]

Re: My First StarCraft; 1975 18' SuperSport

The dark coloring in the lower-right part of the gasket is where the water was gushing...


The distortion in the cover is quite abrupt...the gushing is ~ the 8mm mark on the ruler:

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: My First StarCraft; 1975 18' SuperSport

How flat is the cover on the bottom edge, from the corner toward the upward curve? Looks to me like the corner got tweeked somehow.

 

[classiccat]

Re: My First StarCraft; 1975 18' SuperSport

How flat is the cover on the bottom edge, from the corner toward the upward curve? Looks to me like the corner got tweeked somehow.

The deflection is actually worse where the curve begins

based on the aftermath, I'm fairly certain that it was leaking there as well...you just can't see it in the video.

 

[Pmccraney]

Re: My First StarCraft; 1975 18' SuperSport

Oh man...sorry about the setback. The smile on your face was priceless once she fired up!! I know the range of emotions you just went through... Boat building is a cruel mistress in that regard... You go can go from really high to pretty low in a matter of seconds...

However, I have utmost confidence that you will get it fixed better than ever. Maybe you could just route your new tell-tale line from the leaking manifold gasket (just kidding - bad joke).

Looking at the positives... She idled nicely (I didn't see or hear any "sneezing" or shakes); she didn't run hot; and the pisser stream was as strong as a russian race horse!!!

 

[barato2]

Re: My First StarCraft; 1975 18' SuperSport

i suspect that's overheating damage from prev owner. you are gonna have the newest 30 yr old motor around at the rate you're going. nice work.

 

[classiccat]

Re: My First StarCraft; 1975 18' SuperSport

Oh man...sorry about the setback. The smile on your face was priceless once she fired up!! I know the range of emotions you just went through... Boat building is a cruel mistress in that regard... You go can go from really high to pretty low in a matter of seconds...

However, I have utmost confidence that you will get it fixed better than ever. Maybe you could just route your new tell-tale line from the leaking manifold gasket (just kidding - bad joke).

Looking at the positives... She idled nicely (I didn't see or hear any "sneezing" or shakes); she didn't run hot; and the pisser stream was as strong as a russian race horse!!!

This is small stuff...in fact, I'm grateful that murphy threw an external leak my way ...as opposed to an insidious, ambush attack that fills the bottom cylinder with water after towing the rig 9hrs to the James River :lol:

I'm still smiling...I even threw-on some headphones over lunch to listen to it purring. full-blown OMC addiction :madgrin: !!!

i suspect that's overheating damage from prev owner. you are gonna have the newest 30 yr old motor around at the rate you're going. nice work.

Thanks B2!!! ^^ Quite possible...this and/or uneven torque across the manifold. The lower exhaust cover bolts on these 3cyl engines are impossible to reach with a socket without pulling the head...or drilling holes through the lower cover.

 

[classiccat]

Re: My First StarCraft; 1975 18' SuperSport

Free advice for stopping by my thread:

Thoroughly mix gorilla-snot gasket sealants (OMC, QuickSilver Perfect Seal, etc.) using a rigid object (BF screwdriver as opposed to the soft, pliable lid brush)...there's a thick layer of "sediment" at the bottom of the can and it's kind of important.

And that is all that I am going to say about that.

:facepalm:

 

[tdselby]

Re: My First StarCraft; 1975 18' SuperSport

Hey Im new to the forum, this is my second starcraft I let my last one go and 3years ago and have been kicking my self. Last week I found another one and grabbed it, for 250.00. Ive started the resto and this is almost more fun than catfishing....... a labor of love.
Does anyone know how big I can go with the motor on this boat because I was given a 1977 115 merc and am planing on coupling these two.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: My First StarCraft; 1975 18' SuperSport

Sorry you're running into so much trouble with this motor. She will be like new when you're done though. And yes, you're being way too paranoid with your gas. Mine has never had an issue with 6 month old 87 from last season, but to each their own

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: My First StarCraft; 1975 18' SuperSport

Where else can a guy find Gorilla Snot hints? Proper use of a BFS is required. :lol:

Are you sayin' the thin snot didn't help sealing the plate? Inquiring minds want to know, ya know.

 

[classiccat]

Re: My First StarCraft; 1975 18' SuperSport

Sorry you're running into so much trouble with this motor. She will be like new when you're done though. And yes, you're being way too paranoid with your gas. Mine has never had an issue with 6 month old 87 from last season, but to each their own

careful EZ...Murphy spends alot of time lurking my threads

Where else can a guy find Gorilla Snot hints? Proper use of a BFS is required. :lol:

Are you sayin' the thin snot didn't help sealing the plate? Inquiring minds want to know, ya know.

Nowhere! Not even on the stinking can! :lol:

Regarding the gorilla snot (Quicksilver and OMC), I've struggled with this from the get-go on the LU shift housing. I even put a thread on the J/E forum making sure that this is the best stuff for the job. Then I stumbled on a thread with a dood bitchin about having to stir-up the 16oz cans of snot...and then the lightbulb lit-up when he showed a picture of a BFS sticking out of the dang can!!

I don't know yet whether or not the "properly-stirred" GS works. The manifold also has some upgrades since the last run (new cover and nearly-new middle plate).

Before installing the LU I'm going to 1st check for leaks by putting compressed air (low pressure) into the pisser, rotate the flywheel to listen for air coming out of the exhaust ports. If that checks-out then I'm going to connect a hose directly to the water-pump pipe and check for leaks (external and the individual cylinder exhaust ports).

 

[classiccat]

Re: My First StarCraft; 1975 18' SuperSport

Almost...but no cigar...

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: My First StarCraft; 1975 18' SuperSport

Have you looked for an old Merc, you know, a good outboard.

This thing is putting you through the wringer, Blue. What's left to replace, the nameplate? Jeez!

 

[classiccat]

Re: My First StarCraft; 1975 18' SuperSport

Have you looked for an old Merc, you know, a good outboard.

This thing is putting you through the wringer, Blue. What's left to replace, the nameplate? Jeez!

the nameplate is in tip-top shape, thank you very much