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  1. artificialreef

    Drydock time between turning over the motors.

    Hello folks, question on my land locked boat. I have twin 1983 470's in a so far 3 year project. I spent alot of time working on one and have not been turning over the other frequently. And vice versa. I just recently checked compression and they both are great. How long would you let a...
  2. artificialreef

    Valve adjustment on a Mercruiser 3.7 aka 470

    Hello again Friends. Things going great with my basket case purchase. Twin 470's no less. (didnt read these forums before i bought but got lucky and it has all the upgrades) Got both motors running (rehabed the impellars and replaced a flapper, had to drill out broken bolts on the exhaust in an...
  3. artificialreef

    Power steering rack assembly leak on a 1983 tiara twin 470's.

    Hello friends. Thought i was real close to putting this planter in the water when i found the power steering pump losing fluid. I havent climbed down into the bilge with the motor running yet but am expecting the worst. The boat is a 1983 26ft. Tiara with twin 470 3.7 mercruisers w/I/O. Not much...
  4. artificialreef

    Assistance on using my snap-on dwell/rpm gauge tuning 470.

    Hello folks. I am still trying to tune my starboard motor after replacing points, plugs, condenser, wires, cap, rotor. I got the dwell set right at 30 degrees. Now trying to set the timing idling at 700 rpms. Problem is i put the one lead (yellow on snapon mt416) on the negative of the coil and...
  5. artificialreef

    Tuning idle question.

    Hello Friends, my project still has not seen the water after 3 1/2 years of dry dock but am very close. Trying to tune the last motor (1983 Tiara with twin 470, mercruiser 4's)and have a hopefully easy idle question. The manual says rmps 650 to 700 at idle in gear. I guess first question. Can i...
  6. artificialreef

    My timing is drifting.

    Hi again friends. I am trying to time my 1983 merc 470. I bought an old dwell meter on flea bay and set the dwell. Am now trying to set the timing. I get it to idle decent then go and bring the timing to close to the 4 degrees by rotating the dizzy and it gets pretty smooth but then runs away...
  7. artificialreef

    shade tree tech tip on pressure testing outdrive.

    Dang, came close to causing myself alot of work for nothing. Changed my impeller on an R drive and pressure tested it and lost pressure over the course of about 4 hours. I made one of those nifty back yard pressure testers and soaped all the clamps to see if it was just my connectors. no bubbles...
  8. artificialreef

    Newb in boat restoring. Help with water tank please?

    Hi folks. New to this forum. Been not actually restoring but, trying to get a boat that has been sitting for what i have been told was 2-3 years seaworthy. I did a compression test on the cylinders before buying and have the engines running (after being drydocked in my yard for 2 and a half more...
  9. artificialreef

    Messy valve adjustment backyard marine mech question

    Hi again folks, got both my dreaded 470's running pretty good. Still need to do a pm impeller on the starboard but. One motor is clacking a little bit and being as anal as i am would like to quiet it down with a little adjustment on the rocker once i find which one it is. I have adjusted rockers...
  10. artificialreef

    Trouble shooting trim pump

    Good morning iboaters. On vaca so i am getting some serios restore/repair time in. First off 1983 Tiara 26, twin R drive mercruiser I/O w/oildyne round metal resevoir and two solenoids on each pump. It uses a Trim rocker switch momentary on-off-on momentary. One outdrive works fine. The one i am...
  11. artificialreef

    Mercruiser R drive Trim Ram rebuild

    Hello again friends. I have actually gotten both motors running on my resto of the basketcase i purchased, and am moving on to the outdrives. One drive's tilt/trim was frozen so i yanked the pump out and unfroze it with a new motor and some flushing and pump parts. All my rams have the lockring...
  12. artificialreef

    wont turn over.

    Good morning folks. I am working out my electrical gremlins. I fixed my no spark issue. I still have an intermittent wont turn over situation. What i have noticed is when i turn the key, the only gauge that moves is the power trim gauge. I have read that the sending units on the drive go bad...
  13. artificialreef

    Neutral start safety switch test.

    Hello folks. i am not getting spark from my coil to the dizzy. I tried a new coil and a new ignition switch, still nothing. I am also getting intermitten not turning over which is starting make me think Neutral start safety switch. This is on a 1983 470 and has the 4 inch long metal knife...
  14. artificialreef

    Follow up on my project. Thanks folks.

    I am so happy i could do cartwheels if i wasnt so old and out of shape. Update on my project. Bought a 26 ft. Tiara with the dreaded 470 (twins no less) that was covered in mold and pine needles that sat for 2 years on the real cheap. I did a compression test before i bought and all around...
  15. artificialreef

    Can i increase my tow rating on my K2500 by swapping..

    Hi folks, I bought a boat right at (over) my trucks limit. Truck is a 95 K2500 with a 5.7l. I think the rating for it is 6500lbs. My boat is rated at 5500lbs. Triple axel trailer is prob 2300lbs. I bet i am at 8500lbs loaded up maybe more. It has the 4l80e transmission (good stout tranny)and i...
  16. artificialreef

    Anyone ever tried this to get a metal stud out of aluminum?

    Hi again folks. Still trying to resurrect my twin 470's. Every dang bolt or nut i try to take off turns to cr##. These are 1983 motors. I found a broken bolt on an aluminum elbow in the exhaust so feel the need to button it up so my gf doesnt die from carbon monoxide poisoning in the cabin...
  17. artificialreef

    Can i use stainless steel bolts and nuts on an exhaust flange?

    Hello again Folks, getting closer to getting this boat wet for the first time. Been sitting in my yard for 2 years and 1 month now. Heres the story so far. Twin 470 mercruisers 1983 with Alpha R drive. Bought the boat on the cheap because sitting for 2 years somewhere else (and prob because it...
  18. artificialreef

    I would like to weld in my engine bay, please help

    Hi folks, my twin 470's had the alternator conversion on them allready when i purchased. Prob is when i run the puppies the alt is flapping around like it needs some more stability. I have a cheap harbor freight arc welder that i am getting pretty good with that i would like to weld an extra...
  19. artificialreef

    Tels starter

    Hi again Telstar, like i stated in the thread i "almost hijacked" i have twin 470's that i havent gotten wet yet(2 and 1/2 years now) One has an intermitten starting problem that i havent dug into to get all the connections "bright and tight" yet. Was just wondering what you went through with...
  20. artificialreef

    My outdrive pressure test could blow out a candle

    Afternoon folks. First water pump service attempt on a Mercruiser one drive R (1983 attached to a 470). I replaced the impeller and put in a new housing with all the gaskets, Orings and seals. Assembled back together and rigged up a pressure tester. I plugged the top vent tube hole with a bolt...
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