Newbie 0 experience please help!!!

[rookie_sailor]

I just bought myself an 1984 22' Celebrity Cruiser, paid 4k for it but don't know anything about boats, don't have friends with boats and no surveyors or anything close to me.

The engine (Merc. 4.7L 260HP) starts fine but I am not sure where anything is or what kinds of fluids this needs. There's a fluid reservoir close to the carburator(I would imagine) that looks like oil but it is almost empty. I have 3 battery compartments of which one battery is missing. There's 2 bat. compartments side by side(this is where one is missing) and another battery across the engine (which the guy told me it was for accessories). I also noticed some fluid leaking from the outboard(which was raised for trailering purposes). There's a battery isolator and a charger on the engine compartment but they seem to be unplugged(don't know how to use anyways). The fridge, stove, radio, bath light don't work at all (but the guy also told me everything works). The horn (double air trumpets) don't sound at all. I took examined the compressor and it makes a weird vibration but no air comes out the tubing. It is a 24V compressor which I can't even find one online. I'm not sure either if it would need the batteries side by side to both be present in order to function.

I live close to the Knoxville area, TN. I need someone to help me and if required, I would pay that person for the help. Unless someone here is nice enough to help me gain some knowledge from them which will probably require some emails back and forth.

Thank you all!

 

[Haut Medoc]

Re: Newbie 0 experience please help!!!

Welcome to iboats......
A serial # would be helpful, also some pics of the offending parts......​

 

[Robj]

Re: Newbie 0 experience please help!!!

A good start would be buying an OEM service manual for the drive and engine. Read it over to become more familiar with what you have. There are many experts on this forum who are willing to give you advice on your problems.

Good luck and have a great day,

Rob.

 

[rndcomp]

Re: Newbie 0 experience please help!!!

Rookie_sailor, I too am a newbie to boats and engines. I will say that the knowledge base (and willingness to help) of the people on this forum is unbelievable. Take advantage of the strength of this group, it is a force to be reckoned with.

Best of luck with your new boat

 

[Dakota47]

Re: Newbie 0 experience please help!!!

btw, thats a 7.4 liter motor..

 

[Haut Medoc]

Re: Newbie 0 experience please help!!!

5.7........​

 

[SuperNova]

Re: Newbie 0 experience please help!!!

Yeah, the 260 horse was a 5.7L also known as a 350 c.i. Although I can't imagine what oil resevoir is close to the carb.
--
Stan

 

[RubberFrog]

Re: Newbie 0 experience please help!!!

No way you're getting 260 horse out of a 4.7... and a 7.4 should be around 300 horse.

 

[MikDee]

Re: Newbie 0 experience please help!!!

I have a 1986 22' Celebrity Cuddy Super Sport Twin V6's and all I can tell you is they are nice looking well made boats! You probably have the standard 5.7/260 hp Mercruiser right? The fluid cylinder might be for the power steering, if it is hooked up to the fanbelt. The horn might work if it has the right polarity going to the compressor, it won't work if the positive, & negative is wrong. Get us some pictures, so we can help you out.

By the way, that boat must have optional shore power for docking with those accessories, you probably need a household extension cord to plug in somewhere, & try them.

 

[valkyr]

Re: Newbie 0 experience please help!!!

PLEASE make sure you don't start the boat out of the water without muffs on the drive. Muffs are used to connect a water hose to the drive and provide water to the engine.

DISCLAIMER: I don't know this boat so I'm making the following assumptions:
Assumption #1.) Its Fresh/Raw water cooled - water pulled in via the drive into the engine from the lake/ocean etc - If its Closed Cooling it has a antifreeze and a heat exchanger and various other parts which makes my post irrelevant. BUT there are a bunch of new boat owners that start their boats up in the yard and cook their engines.

Assumption #2) That you might not know to not start the engine without a water supply

 

[180shabah]

Re: Newbie 0 experience please help!!!

PLEASE make sure you don't start the boat out of the water without muffs on the drive. Muffs are used to connect a water hose to the drive and provide water to the engine.

DISCLAIMER: I don't know this boat so I'm making the following assumptions:
Assumption #1.) Its Fresh/Raw water cooled - water pulled in via the drive into the engine from the lake/ocean etc - If its Closed Cooling it has a antifreeze and a heat exchanger and various other parts which makes my post irrelevant. BUT there are a bunch of new boat owners that start their boats up in the yard and cook their engines.

Assumption #2) That you might not know to not start the engine without a water supply

WRONG - Even a closed cooling system (called fresh water cooling) needs the garden hose to provide water for cooling when the boat is out of the water.

 

[valkyr]

Re: Newbie 0 experience please help!!!

WRONG - Even a closed cooling system (called fresh water cooling) needs the garden hose to provide water for cooling when the boat is out of the water.

Really? I thought the closed cooling systems that used antifreeze just recirculated the fluid that was in the closed cooling system. Similar to a radiator system on a car.

 

[WAVENBYE2]

Re: Newbie 0 experience please help!!!

Exhaust system still needs to be cooled.

 

[valkyr]

Re: Newbie 0 experience please help!!!

Ahh...makes sense. I don't have the $ for a closed cooling system, so I haven't looked at them much.

 

[paulrfrancisco]

Re: Newbie 0 experience please help!!!

Most importantly, you need the water connected to the outdrive to "lubricate" the rubber impeller in the outdrive because you will cook the impeller in 10 seconds flat, long before you ever get the engine or exhaust system hot enough to harm it...

Next, get replacements for the missing battory positions and connect them and I'll bet that most of the non working items working again. ie. cabin lights, horn, fridge....

 

[valkyr]

Re: Newbie 0 experience please help!!!

Most importantly, you need the water connected to the outdrive to "lubricate" the rubber impeller in the outdrive because you will cook the impeller in 10 seconds flat, long before you ever get the engine or exhaust system hot enough to harm it...

Next, get replacements for the missing battory positions and connect them and I'll bet that most of the non working items working again. ie. cabin lights, horn, fridge....

Well that really depends. My Mercruiser 7.4L uses a belt driven water pump on the engine. (Not the drive). The impeller is not in the drive.

 

[paulrfrancisco]

Re: Newbie 0 experience please help!!!

Well that really depends. My Mercruiser 7.4L uses a belt driven water pump on the engine. (Not the drive). The impeller is not in the drive.

True, but we're talking about a 5.7L and most likely is an Alpha 1...

 

[Haut Medoc]

Re: Newbie 0 experience please help!!!

All Alphas need water supplied to the drive when the engine is running....​

 

[WAVENBYE2]

Re: Newbie 0 experience please help!!!

Yes, I have an Alpha drive, the manual every where insist "DO NOT RUN WITH OUT WATER EVEN FOR A FEW SEC. WILL CAUSE SEVERE DAMAGE TO STERN DRIVE" They have that almost on every page in the manual, some times 3 & 4 times per page in bold letters. My Alpha drive does have an impeller, thats how the exhaust manifold gets cooled & water to engine(raw water cooling system)

 

[Haut Medoc]

Re: Newbie 0 experience please help!!!

Yes, I have an Alpha drive, the manual every where insist "DO NOT RUN WITH OUT WATER EVEN FOR A FEW SEC. WILL CAUSE SEVERE DAMAGE TO STERN DRIVE" They have that almost on every page in the manual, some times 3 & 4 times per page in bold letters.

Throw that Seloc away!.......