chiefalen
Captain
- Joined
- May 18, 2008
- Messages
- 3,598
Ok guy and gals, i have been getting restless, and more and more, my mind turns to waking the boat up after it's long winter slumber.
So i say to myself, myself whats the first thing your gonna do, when you yank that boat out of the backyard and onto the driveway, into it's prized spot right in front of the right garage door.
My 2 cents, every year when i pull the boat out from the backyard the first thing i do is go thru the fuel system.
I first pull the fuel pickup tube, and stick the clear hose i have attached to a dc electric fuel pump i keep onboard the boat into the tank way back into the farthest corner and i lift the bow up as far as it will go.
I pump the water and gunk out of the tank, till i see fresh gas in the clear tube, usually about a quart full of gas and gunk into the clear container, and shut off the pump, pull the line and blow thru the anti-syphin valve to make sure it's working good and nothing is gunking it up.
Then i move on to the fuel water separator, new filter, fuel pump, mine has a filter in it and i clean it. Then i move on to the fitting at the carb and clean that filter.
This is all done before i ever start the boat so i know i'm starting with a clean fuel system.
Now to do all this takes me about a half hour to 45 minutes, and i know it's sounds like it's a waste of time, but i have a old boat, and it has sat over the winter, and in my mind it's worth the time.
Above is a post from another forum i just left.
The second thing i do is install the drain plugs.
The third, check the oil in the motor.
The fourth is pull the dizzy cap and lightly sand the points and replace the cap. I don't do the tuneup yet at this point, but i do have the new kit to install new points and condenser, and plugs. And no i don't put new plugs every year, i do pull each one clean them and re-gap them and reinstall them, every 2 years i install new ones.
Then i move on to the drive and check the oil.
Thats when i put water to the drive, and remove the flame arrester and dribble a few drops of fuel in the carb and start the ole girl up.
I look everywhere to see if the motor froze even though i know i winterized it right. No water dripping, no broken hoses or cracks. Off with the motor, off with the water going to the drive. Check the motor oil once more for water and level. And i pull the rabbit ears and let the drive drain. Belt good, everything good, then life is good.
Tune up maybe the same day, maybe the next day depends on the honey to do list. But it will get tuned up before i go on the water.
The above is what i do, and not intended for others to follow in my footsteps.
But is my start up.
I like to get started about 2 weeks before i intend to go on the water, in case something is amiss and i can get it sorted out and fixed, so when i do go on the water, i have all the uscg equipment onboard, my radio checked, and my handheld radio charged and in the proper holder, i keep 2 raidos onboard.
Good luck people with your start ups, hope they go well.
So i say to myself, myself whats the first thing your gonna do, when you yank that boat out of the backyard and onto the driveway, into it's prized spot right in front of the right garage door.
My 2 cents, every year when i pull the boat out from the backyard the first thing i do is go thru the fuel system.
I first pull the fuel pickup tube, and stick the clear hose i have attached to a dc electric fuel pump i keep onboard the boat into the tank way back into the farthest corner and i lift the bow up as far as it will go.
I pump the water and gunk out of the tank, till i see fresh gas in the clear tube, usually about a quart full of gas and gunk into the clear container, and shut off the pump, pull the line and blow thru the anti-syphin valve to make sure it's working good and nothing is gunking it up.
Then i move on to the fuel water separator, new filter, fuel pump, mine has a filter in it and i clean it. Then i move on to the fitting at the carb and clean that filter.
This is all done before i ever start the boat so i know i'm starting with a clean fuel system.
Now to do all this takes me about a half hour to 45 minutes, and i know it's sounds like it's a waste of time, but i have a old boat, and it has sat over the winter, and in my mind it's worth the time.
Above is a post from another forum i just left.
The second thing i do is install the drain plugs.
The third, check the oil in the motor.
The fourth is pull the dizzy cap and lightly sand the points and replace the cap. I don't do the tuneup yet at this point, but i do have the new kit to install new points and condenser, and plugs. And no i don't put new plugs every year, i do pull each one clean them and re-gap them and reinstall them, every 2 years i install new ones.
Then i move on to the drive and check the oil.
Thats when i put water to the drive, and remove the flame arrester and dribble a few drops of fuel in the carb and start the ole girl up.
I look everywhere to see if the motor froze even though i know i winterized it right. No water dripping, no broken hoses or cracks. Off with the motor, off with the water going to the drive. Check the motor oil once more for water and level. And i pull the rabbit ears and let the drive drain. Belt good, everything good, then life is good.
Tune up maybe the same day, maybe the next day depends on the honey to do list. But it will get tuned up before i go on the water.
The above is what i do, and not intended for others to follow in my footsteps.
But is my start up.
I like to get started about 2 weeks before i intend to go on the water, in case something is amiss and i can get it sorted out and fixed, so when i do go on the water, i have all the uscg equipment onboard, my radio checked, and my handheld radio charged and in the proper holder, i keep 2 raidos onboard.
Good luck people with your start ups, hope they go well.
We'll be skiing by Easter. 
