i've been on this website so many times but this is my first post. got this boat about 9 months ago. it is a 1990 champion 184 fish and ski with the aforementioned motor. from what i've gathered reading other posts on tons of different websites this combo should be able to hit 60 mph without much trouble. i have a hi-tech four blade staineless steel prop on it. i believe it is a 24 pitch as that is the only number anywhere on the prop. my tach quit working correctly approx. around the same time i decided i wanted to try and figure out how to make this boat go faster. before when i would turn the key on the tach would go down to zero and when i started it it worked just fine. i cannot say for certain, but i believe it ran around 5800 rpm according to the tach at full speed. now the tach stays around 5500 shut off and when it is running it is bouncing all over the place. i would like to fix it if at all possible rather than buying a new one. just ordered a clymer manual for the motor, but if any of you have an idea of whats going on i am all ears.
when i got the boat, i used the gps on my phone and it said i was running 58 mph with two adults and one kid in the boat. it seemed like it wasn't as fast as it was after a few months but i thought i was just getting used to it. well after i upgraded the fish finder to one with side imaging and gps, i see i am now only running 48-49 by myself and 46-47 with my dad in the boat with me. the motor starts easy, seems to run fine at idle and on plane. still has great holeshot. it has a whale tale xl on it as well. i pulled the plugs tonight and replaced them. the old plugs do not look bad at all. i also just replaced the gear oil in the lower unit and it was black! i cannot say for sure, but i think everything is stock on the motor including the lower unit (looks thin like it is probably the smaller lu, and held less than a quart of gear oil). i fish a lot of tournaments a year and would really like to get as much speed out of this boat i can. i have heard of waterlogged fiberglass boats, but not sure how i would test that? it does not appear to be and it doesn't leak. i haven't added any extra weight to the boat that it didn't used to have.
i would love to take it to a shop and say "make it go faster and i will write you a check" but that is not in the finances right now. i am fairly handy at working on smaller motors from a weedeater to an atv but i've never done much with an outboard other than replacing a starter and general maintenance on my last boat. it doesn't look complicated but there are a lot of wires going in every direction hence the clymer manual. if anybody has any ideas on what could be going on or what things i need to check i would love your input.
btw...my older brother has the xr2 on his ranger. when i got this boat i blew him away. not anymore...you know how brotherly rivalry is lol. i've got the need for speed! thank you in advance!
when i got the boat, i used the gps on my phone and it said i was running 58 mph with two adults and one kid in the boat. it seemed like it wasn't as fast as it was after a few months but i thought i was just getting used to it. well after i upgraded the fish finder to one with side imaging and gps, i see i am now only running 48-49 by myself and 46-47 with my dad in the boat with me. the motor starts easy, seems to run fine at idle and on plane. still has great holeshot. it has a whale tale xl on it as well. i pulled the plugs tonight and replaced them. the old plugs do not look bad at all. i also just replaced the gear oil in the lower unit and it was black! i cannot say for sure, but i think everything is stock on the motor including the lower unit (looks thin like it is probably the smaller lu, and held less than a quart of gear oil). i fish a lot of tournaments a year and would really like to get as much speed out of this boat i can. i have heard of waterlogged fiberglass boats, but not sure how i would test that? it does not appear to be and it doesn't leak. i haven't added any extra weight to the boat that it didn't used to have.
i would love to take it to a shop and say "make it go faster and i will write you a check" but that is not in the finances right now. i am fairly handy at working on smaller motors from a weedeater to an atv but i've never done much with an outboard other than replacing a starter and general maintenance on my last boat. it doesn't look complicated but there are a lot of wires going in every direction hence the clymer manual. if anybody has any ideas on what could be going on or what things i need to check i would love your input.
btw...my older brother has the xr2 on his ranger. when i got this boat i blew him away. not anymore...you know how brotherly rivalry is lol. i've got the need for speed! thank you in advance!