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  1. Lou C

    Honda BF75 "Making Oil" – Need Help with Thermostat in Cold Climate

    If you do an oil analysis you may be able to tell if it’s fuel dilution, condensation or both. I wonder if Honda makes an optional thermostat for cold climates? I have used a 160 in my Chevy/OMC 4.3. This was the standard one used in many OMCs and Volvos. People say that in salt water you need...
  2. Lou C

    Bought my first boat to cut, gut and rebuild from bow to stern, including engine. Killed my back and suffered the wrath of the fiberglass demons

    I had mine gelcoated in non skid gelcoat. I will not have carpet in an open boat, plywood cored deck, in a coastal region, with constant moisture in the air. That, and the non-sealing of screw holes, is what kills decks and boat structure. All the rot in my original deck started right under the...
  3. Lou C

    Honda BF75 "Making Oil" – Need Help with Thermostat in Cold Climate

    I like to test thermostats even new ones, to make sure they open at the rated temp, but also that they close 100%. I have found that in salt water, with a raw water cooled engine, sticky thermostats are common. When that happens the engine will never fully warm up unless you keep it on plane for...
  4. Lou C

    Honda BF75 "Making Oil" – Need Help with Thermostat in Cold Climate

    Many OBs use a 140 stat you might need a 160 but not sure if Honda offers that.
  5. Lou C

    Mercruiser 3.0 Leaking Water On Top of Manifold

    Yep probing the drains is very important.
  6. Lou C

    Restoring a trailer vs replacing a trailer

    Take a look at Eastern Marines website they have info on the sizes of trailer bearings given the size of your spindle. I did the modify/restore trailer thing with my galvanized Load Rite over the years. The final version: Longest tongue I could get from Load Rite Longer roller bars, added more...
  7. Lou C

    2006 Trophy 2052WA 4.3 merc I/O

    One year I had a bit of oxidation on the tabs in the old style fuse box & glass fuses. Had me guessing for a while. Fuse had continuity not blown but the oxidation prevented current from flowing across the tabs.
  8. Lou C

    2006 Trophy 2052WA 4.3 merc I/O

    Do the gauges power up when you turn on the ignition to the first notch? If not check the fuse for the ignition in the fuse box.
  9. Lou C

    Easiest Conversion

    A 4.3 will need side mounts in front just like a V8 except 3.5” shorter. If the engine compartment is wide enough for the V6 it would be a very good power source for a boat that size. Shorter but wider than the 4 cyl but with much more low end torque.
  10. Lou C

    1996 Four Winns Sundowner with 5.0 Cobra engine and drive

    Agreed I use triple guard on the D/S splines & use Lucas Marine grease on the gimble bearing & ujoints. Triple guard also on the prop shaft splines.
  11. Lou C

    Moving outdrive with engine off?

    Old style Cobra with the Bendix style actuator can be moved side to side from the drive end. Older Merc & OMC both used the same Bendix style actuator which was also used on cars back in the 60s and 70s (Corvettes and unit body Fords). Thats' why you can still get parts to rebuild the actuator.
  12. Lou C

    1996 Four Winns Sundowner with 5.0 Cobra engine and drive

    Don't know if you can source it where you are, but the best grease I have found for driveshaft splines is the Evinrude Triple Guard grease, it is sticky and clings on like crazy. When I pull it at the end of the season, there is still grease on them. However, if someone was to run one of these...
  13. Lou C

    1996 Four Winns Sundowner with 5.0 Cobra engine and drive

    I think that delamination would happen from bad alignment, sagging engine mounts, etc but spline wear I think is more so due to people never pulling the drive and greasing the splines. That is a regular maintenance item, that many people ignore. Merc at least put grease fittings on theirs, now...
  14. Lou C

    1996 Four Winns Sundowner with 5.0 Cobra engine and drive

    What seems to make couplers last a long time: Proper alignment Pulling the drive regularly and using a good grease like OMC/Evinrude Triple Guard on the splines. My 1988 Cobra still has the original coupler.
  15. Lou C

    Maintenance Grease/Oil

    The Lucas Marine grease I use is calcium sulfonate. I do still use the OMC/Evinrude triple guard on certain things.
  16. Lou C

    Maintenance Grease/Oil

    There are grease compatibility charts out there, if you really don't have any idea, I think a lithium complex grease is about the most commonly used, but the only way, is to clean out what is in there, to eliminate all doubt. I started using Lucas Marine which is a calcium sulfonate grease, it...
  17. Lou C

    1996 Four Winns Sundowner with 5.0 Cobra engine and drive

    Not sure if this will work on the cone clutch drive, but on my OMC Cobra what I have found helpful is to use a long thin screwdriver to turn the u-joints to get the driveshaft splines to line up, as long as the driveshaft is centered and entering the coupler that will help it to slide on. The...
  18. Lou C

    Looking at buying a 2006 Bayliner Cierra 2455 that has seen better days at auction with an eye to restore it. Not sure what to look for.

    What to look for? A much newer boat!!!
  19. Lou C

    Maintenance Grease/Oil

    https://www.jbtools.com/lisle-63600-oil-filter-wrench-2-1-2-to-3-1-8/?wi=off&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc-shop_A10-D50&msclkid=aa60074e93e918ab0fad6142e2d51f9d this model comes in different sizes and is good in limited spaces like a boat bilge with the SBC Chevy filter standard mount way at...
  20. Lou C

    Maintenance Grease/Oil

    The V8 takes a larger diameter filter than the V6 does, I think most strap wrenches will fit the filter for the V8. I like the Lisle filter wrench that uses a clamping force. I also have a collection of cap wrenches that fit both the Sierra or Merc/Quicksilver filters for my V6. Of course, I...
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