Ready to ride, summer projects?

[nola mike]

Well, hopefully this is the year of "fun" boat work...
Last year after getting swamped, I had it running decently by the end of the season. Had a shifting problem that I was unable to resolve--too much slop in the lower. Today I swapped a spare lower. Replaced impeller housing and base, pressure tested. Put it back together. Forgot the slinger on drive shaft. Took it apart. Put it back together. Found out I left myself an early spring present last fall and all the drains and hoses were already connected.
Got her fired up with a little difficulty after finding yet *another* corroded connection. This one from my starter to the OP switch. Broken at the starter. I think I'll wire it into my slave solenoid when I fix it, much easier to get to. Shifting smooth on land without adjusting anything, so that's good. I haven't been thrilled with the performance of the 4.3, I feel like I'm leaving power on the table. ASSUMING that we're (nearly) mechanically sound at this point, this year's projects include:

1. Installing an A/F meter so I can tune the carb like a civilized person.
2. New intake manifold? I bought this one when things were scarce. Looking at it again, it looks like a single plane manifold. I can't find a pic of the OEM merc manifold, but wondering if this might be part of the problem? I'd hate to drop a bunch of money and time to replace if it wouldn't make a difference.
3. Maybe clean and wax?
4. Maybe hook up my trim gauge and limit switch to see if they work

 

[Scott06]

pretty sure that is the oem manifold and made by GM. That is the only cast iron 4 bbl manifolds I have seen for the 4.3

Edlebrock manifold also seems to be single plane with a partial divider as well. Both like like each side of the carb is essentially feeding 3 cylinders

I think until you rewire you will keep finding corroded wiring connections. My brother has a small Twin Vee bay boat (center console) must have had water or probably salt water in the conduit under the floor from engine to console, it destroyed the wires in there. Worked one fall next spring outboard wouldn't start. Janked them all out and replaced the helm to engine cable

 

[flashback]

The slave solenoid worked well for me when I switched to an electric fuel pump..I love easy to get to!

 

[nola mike]

pretty sure that is the oem manifold and made by GM. That is the only cast iron 4 bbl manifolds I have seen for the 4.3

Edlebrock manifold also seems to be single plane with a partial divider as well. Both like like each side of the carb is essentially feeding 3 cylinders

I think until you rewire you will keep finding corroded wiring connections.

That's what I thought. Edelbrock is advertised as being dual plane. Do you still have your adapter on the exhaust? Do you have an a/f gauge installed or did you just do it for testing?
At this point I've rewired damn near everything. Probably didn't do that connection because a) it was still attached at one point and b) pita to get to on the starter. Main harness replaced from the donor, all "big" wires replaced. Stereo replaced, new amp and wiring. New alt, I rebuilt starter and trim motor. New op switch and relay, thought I replaced all those wires as well. Little wires I guess I'll just continue to find as i go along. I'm going to double check the bilge pump though...

 

[Scott06]

Do you still have your adapter on the exhaust? Do you have an a/f gauge installed or did you just do it for testing?
At this point I've rewired damn near everything.

the adapter plate stays in between the exhaust manifold and elbow. I took it off and plugged it so i could use it on my GTO as well. I think the boat is pretty dialed in (a tad rich) so i dont know if put it on. it sat in a box all winter i was just gonna reinstall it on the gto now that the weather is nicer (PA).

Your boat basically sunk when the hurricane hit right? Brackish water ? i think in the end you will end up replacing all wiring as it will corrode under the insulation. I couldn’t believe how many ohms i was getting on the cannon plug cable on my brothers boat , had enough corrosion on the strands that it essentially had no electrical conductivity. Never seen that on a wire like that. In the end was a $150 cable so not a big deal just sucked when trying to splash in may….