The cowlings on my twin tunnel 26' Vindicator were cracked and losing their chaulking. I purchased new cowlings and mounted them.
Now I am experiencing a significant decrease in power. Both engines were rebuilt this summer and ran at 35-3700 rpm @ 24 knts. Now the engines struggle to get to 1500 rpm and I can't get to plane. The only change I've made is to replace the cowlings and to seal them tightly against the transom and the transom plates. The engines act as if the exhaust has is being restricted.
Looking at the exhaust ports, they do seem small. And I've noticed that the transome plates are tappered toward the transom. In fact the tapper is so large that 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch of chaulk is needed to fill that space.
Should I NOT chaulk the cowlings to the transome plates? Has anyone run into anything like this before?
Now I am experiencing a significant decrease in power. Both engines were rebuilt this summer and ran at 35-3700 rpm @ 24 knts. Now the engines struggle to get to 1500 rpm and I can't get to plane. The only change I've made is to replace the cowlings and to seal them tightly against the transom and the transom plates. The engines act as if the exhaust has is being restricted.
Looking at the exhaust ports, they do seem small. And I've noticed that the transome plates are tappered toward the transom. In fact the tapper is so large that 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch of chaulk is needed to fill that space.
Should I NOT chaulk the cowlings to the transome plates? Has anyone run into anything like this before?
