Recent content by Chris1956

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    Mercury V6 XR2 - Does this Stator looks bad?

    A lot of V6 Mercs do not have a telltale until the thermostats open. On a flusher, that may never happen at idle. Does that motor have an idle relief tube, exiting the lower cowling at the rear? Is it connected on both ends? If it leaks, exhaust will get sucked into the carbs, killing the...
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    4.3 crankshaft/housing oil leak - next steps?

    Check the oil pan for rust. They can rust thru pretty easily in the salt water. Obviously, they are easier to replace when the engine is out.
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    Unknown electronic device in bilge... Is it motor or out-drive related?

    Gee, I had a transducer in my bilge, that was in contact with the hull, via a strap. It was not glued to the hull. It was necessary for it to be wet to actually operate, so each spring I needed to put a cup of water in the bilge to get it wet. a small price I thought. The key thing necessary...
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    Prop Walk, need a possible solution.

    I thought prop walk was when the boat moves to the side of the "hand" of the prop. i.e. in forward with a right hang prop, the stern will move to the right a bit. Does the motor (swivel) steer the same amount in both directions? Sometimes they turn a lot more in one direction, due to improper...
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    Kicker Motor

    Gee, my 4.3LX trolled quite nice and economical. Any idea how much fuel you would save?
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    Swap wood panel in upholstery

    Will the varnish stick to the linseed oil, as a top coat? I do not know, but all varnish (and paint) cans direct the surface to be dirt and oil free.
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    Battery cable

    There is a difference between stranded copper battery cable and marine battery cable. On the latter, there are many more, thinner strands of wire and each one is pre tinned. Obviously marine wire is superior, but costs much more.
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    Swap wood panel in upholstery

    A lot of times paint and varnish will not adhere to linseed oil. e.g. My parents had cedar clapboard on their house in the 50's. It was treated with boiled linseed oil for some years. After that, they wanted to paint the clapboard. Even good oil based paint had trouble sticking to the...
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    High RPMS instant rpm drop to zero and back

    That could be an indication of fuel delivery issues, if it happens regularly at a given RPM. Run it on a portable tank, with a short 3/8" ID fuel line, and see if it continues.
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    90 Mercury 40HP motor

    You might stick a bore scope into the bottom two cylinders and see if the cylinders are scored, or if the rings are stuck. Sometimes when motors sit for a long time, the rings stick. Sticky rings can be loosened w/o disassembly. Not that I don't trust the shop, they may have been too busy...
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    '84 90 hp Johnson Crossflow. Water coming from engine front. Ain't lookin good.

    Gee, the leak looks to be under the upper motor mounts. There are a couple of places for it to leak, or to have a crack, in that area. Here is parts diagram for an '84 Johnny 90. It may be the same as your engine. https://www.crowleymarine.com/johnson/oem-parts/outboard/1984/j90tlcrd/midsection
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    Boating GPS

    The internet says that my Garmin echomap chirp 74 is bluechart. It does seem to get updated over the air pretty often. I suspect that the NOAA claim of knowing where every buoy is within 30 feet is advertising, however, I see that the buoys in Oyster Creek Channel are market on the NOAA...
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    Durability of bottom paint

    If the boat has antifouling paint on it, and it bothers you, it can be "soda blasted" off. After the soda blast, the hull will usually be a matte surface. If you want it shiny, you will need to repaint it. Antifouling paint will provide some drag to the hull, due to it's soft, rough finish.
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    Swap wood panel in upholstery

    Sunshine and wood are not much of an issue. Polyester resin also holds up well to sunshine, as do the "spar" versions of varnish and polyurethane. People advise to paint the epoxy resin to protect it from the sun. I have never tried that, as I only use epoxy resin for high strength repairs...
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    Swap wood panel in upholstery

    Make sure you use only stainless steel tee nuts and bolts, or they will rust away. Normally you simply lay the foam onto the plywood and wrap it with the vinyl. No need to tack it. I always reused the plastic "wrap" over the foam, however, I would not sweat it as I think is has little value...
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