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  1. Frank Acampora

    Force worth

    Hey guys! I have a line on an early Force-- say 1984-5 --140 with extra long leg (25 inch) and trim/tilt. This engine looks to be in prime condition. The skeg shows almost no wear and there is almost no paint worn off the lower unit. Only problem is that it is missing the flywheel. But I have...
  2. Frank Acampora

    Substituting Regulators

    Ok--you electrical engineers out there-- I have one for you. I want to replace a Force plain rectifier with an old Chrysler Motorola electronic regulator/rectifier. This regulator is finned for heat rejection. I know it has a couple of fairly large capacitors in it but I do not know what...
  3. Frank Acampora

    Tilt/trim destroyed

    I just found out the hard way: If your 125 is stuck in full up tilt, and if you attempt to force it down by pushing on the prop or cav. plate, and if there should be some problem with the internal relief valving, then you will blow the head off the trim cylinder. It lets go with an impressive...
  4. Frank Acampora

    Magic fish finder

    Hey guys! I have a good one for you. I have a Raytheon fishfinder/depth finder/speedometer. Push small red recessed push button for power--hold button in to power down. I have been working on the boat so I left it uncovered. For three days, when I went out to the boat, the fishfinder was on...
  5. Frank Acampora

    Transom clamp

    Took the 21 foot Manatee with the Force 125 out today. This boat always goes on the trailer crooked and aggravates the hell out of me. So when I got home I started to play around (again) with roller spacing. While I was at the transom, I noticed the starboard clamp was flaking on one side at...
  6. Frank Acampora

    HOT Force 90 hp.

    A few of you have probably seen my reference to a 14 foot boat carrying a 1990, 90 hp Force. With full down trim and full throttle it immediately jumps onto plane and 45 mph. As I feed in up trim, RPMs rise to 5600 and MPH rises along with them to 55-56. When it first pops out, I get a little...
  7. Frank Acampora

    Pet safety

    I just came in off the water. While on the river I met some friends. Their dog was not with them so I asked "Where is your dog?" They replied "We had to put him down." "What happened?" "He fell off the front of the boat and was cut by the prop." Their boat is a 19 foot bowrider. Now, I...
  8. Frank Acampora

    Jeep Cherokee

    I just bought a 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo. Mainly for my wife but I intend to use it for occasional towing. Dealer wants 750 for Chrysler class 4 hitch and electrical installed. Seems like a lot to me. Anyway, I only need a class 3. Anybody have any comments on aftermarket hitches and...
  9. Frank Acampora

    Holes in cylinder wall

    A while back I rebuilt a 3 cyl. 60 or 70 hp Rude looper for a friend. It ate a reed and ruined a piston and head. Unfortunately I don't remember the exact year or hp size. While I had it apart, I noticed a small drilled hole in each cylinder wall about 1/2 inch above the exhaust ports. These...
  10. Frank Acampora

    Used Force 125 -- lower unit

    Well, I decided to start performing annual maintenace on a Force 125 that I bought used and ran all last year. Didn't change the gear oil when I first bought it because the drain plug was stuck tight and I was too lazy to disassemble the unit to change it and the oil. Besides, I was in a hurry...
  11. Frank Acampora

    Chaumont, New York

    OK Bond-O. Here I am. I'm curious. Is Chaumont upstate, or on Long Island? Possibly Lake George or Champlain? When I lived in New York I cruised the Hudson from Peekskill to Thousand Islands, Canada twice. In a 15 footer. It was a trip well worth taking and I would recommend it to anyone who...
  12. Frank Acampora

    Bronze props

    Hey prop man! Ya ever heard of OJ props? The O stands for where they were made and the J stands for Johnson. Actually I think they are nibral, not bronze. I just bought (two) two blade solid hub ones, NOS, mainly for show, on a classic Chrysler engine. As such, I really don't care about their...
  13. Frank Acampora

    Lower unit corrosion

    I have a Force lower unit that's pretty badly corroded right up on the nose of the gearcase. It covers about 2 square inches of the bottom of the nose and looks about at least 1/8 inch deep. I don't trust it. The rest of the gearcase is in good condition. Has anyone had one of these built up...
  14. Frank Acampora

    Prop Repair

    I sent my SS prop to the repair shop to have bent blades fixed. When I bought the prop (used) it had several pits on the blade faces and hub. These pits were about 1/8 inch in size and about half as deep. I suspect they were caused by salt water corrosion. I sent a note along with the prop...
  15. Frank Acampora

    Barefoot waterskiing

    Question: How much horspower and how much speed is necessary to barefoot? How difficult to learn is it for an experienced slalom skier and wakeboarder? Can us older guys learn or is it so strenuous that it's just for the young ones?
  16. Frank Acampora

    Smart Tabs

    I have a 21 foot Manatee cuddy. She has a fine entry but a narrow stern. Because of this, she is tender and very reactive to changing loads within the boat while underway. 1 person changing seats will cause her to lean to the heavy side markedly-- even at full throttle. It can get annoying...
  17. Frank Acampora

    Lower Chesapeak Bay

    I have a 21 foot Manatee cuddy with 125 hp. I have cruised it down from Conowingo to Annapolis. I want to cruise to Tangier Island. Is this boat sufficient to handle the chop in the lower bay? I am fully rigged with radio, GPS, compass, extra tanks and kicker engine, charts, flares etc.
  18. Frank Acampora

    Trim Relays

    Hey guys! I have been reading a lot about trim relays lately. These relays are standard parts and can be purchased at electrical supply stores or Grainger for about $17. So, if a marina is not convenient, you need not worry. Personally, I get mine out of the auto junkyard. They are in...
  19. Frank Acampora

    Stuck and corroded drain plugs in lower unit

    For you fellows with stuck drain plugs in your force 85 and up lower units: You don't need to remove the drain plug! Remove the prop, remove the anode and remove one or two screws holding the bearing spool. Remove the vent plug. Almost all the oil will drain out. Actually, the factory...
  20. Frank Acampora

    Force / Farce Engines

    Hey guys! Lets not get down on Force engines. Remember what they are: Chrysler/ Force were originally West Bend. The technology of the basic block, crank, and pistons is old and the engine is a relatively inexpensive entry level engine. There is really nothing wrong with them. They serve the...
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