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  1. Lou C

    OK I’ve had enough.

    We used to get winter.....real winter....but the last few years....nothing....snowblower gets tuned up and hardly used....then I just wind up draining the the carb in the spring.....I have 4 sets of snow tires in the garage, just taking up space, have not used them in a few years. I find this...
  2. Lou C

    Engine replacement help…

    Maybe the extra 100-150 lbs of the V8 made it sit a bit lower, I know with the Volvo exhaust I have on mine there is a choice of standard height elbows, and ones that are approx 3" taller. If I go with a V8 I might have to use those, would have to measure first to make sure there's enough...
  3. Lou C

    Houston….. We’ve had a problem…..

    Looks like they were way too long. The pre Vortec heads took the short plugs while the Vortec heads took the longer ones. Nice work there gotta love the simple Chevrolet small block!
  4. Lou C

    Engine replacement help…

    This boat was offered with the 5.0 and the engine mount pads are long enough for the V8 already. The the same hull with a different top cap was sold as the Liberator 201 and these were all V8s.
  5. Lou C

    Engine replacement help…

    Agreed, working with wood n 'glass is pretty forgiving and doesn't have to be pretty, it just has to be strong. I too go back and forth with the stay with V6 vs take that chance to have a V8. I think in my case my 20' is a heavy one, very thick 'glass it weighs in at approx 4200 lbs. So the...
  6. Lou C

    Bellows Water Detector - Retrofit?

    I check the bellows every season when I pull the drive, what I have learned is that you will see small cracks forming in the folds, way before it fails, if you replace it then, you are unlikely to ever have a problem. I saw that on one that was installed in 2005, by 2016 and replaced it then...
  7. Lou C

    Engine replacement help…

    Yes you need the PS cooler, they sometimes self drain but they can freeze and crack just like the engine if not drained. You can get them aftermarket in some cases, look for Mr Cool's website, they sell them, or depending if it froze, it might be repairable, depending on what the damage was.
  8. Lou C

    Engine replacement help…

    People who know me know what I'm gonna say: Just say NO to raw water cooled inboards! There is an increased cost factor but if that boat even had just a half system on it, all you'd be doing now is changing the exhaust & heat exchanger. I would never ever put a new or reman engine in my boat...
  9. Lou C

    Engine replacement help…

    Yep in freshwater they last forever here in the salt they are wear item. The elbows are good for 5 seasons maybe 7, manifolds can last longer if filled with good no tox antifreeze over the winter to cut down on corrosion. The cyl heads will eventually rot out too but it takes like 15 years...
  10. Lou C

    Leaf Spring Placement

    Those are C-Hook springs and it’s normal to for them to look like that with a load on them. With no weight on the trailer the C end will move inward. Weight makes the spring flex & get longer.
  11. Lou C

    what is it with spark plug $$$$

    IIRC the AC Delco 43s for my old 4.3 are like $3 each. I never seem to wear em out, I have a couple of sets that I clean and rotate in use.
  12. Lou C

    Engine replacement help…

    It is! No sign of water intrusion there
  13. Lou C

    Engine replacement help…

    The 4.3 only holds approx 4.5 qts, less than the V8. Mine has never taken 5 qts for an oil & filter change. If nothing read on the dipstick I wonder if the oil pan rotted through and the oil wound up in the bilge under the oil pan!
  14. Lou C

    Parallel battery specs

    You can do it 2 ways: one way is the typical #1, #2, 1+2 and off switch, 1+2 parallels the batteries, which should be used only if neither battery has enough amps to start the engine, or you want to charge one of the batteries which is weaker than the other, but do not leave it on 1+2 because...
  15. Lou C

    Houston….. We’ve had a problem…..

    You know that is odd, while there is some carbon build up on top of the pistons, the cyl heads/combustion chambers are pretty clean, cleaner than my old engine was when I took the cyl heads off. I am wondering if the electrode from that plug broke off and got caught between the valve and the...
  16. Lou C

    Engine replacement help…

    I'd be curious as to if the person who bought it would be offering any other information such as: was it overheated? did the oil filter spring a leak (unlikely) did the owner back down too fast and cause it to hydrolock? there are only a limited # of things that can cause that kind of engine...
  17. Lou C

    Tires…

    Radial & bias tires corner at different slip angles and that’s why they are felt to be incompatible on the same vehicle. I don’t think it matters though if you have a tow vehicle with radials & a trailer with bias. I have used Kenda Loadstar Bias tires for about 20 years with no failures not...
  18. Lou C

    My 3-year electrical headache was solved today, and it was a simple fix! Wondering if this is common.

    What were you using to secure the battery cables to the small threaded posts? Wingnuts? If so they can cause problems because they don’t stay tight. Use locknuts instead or a stainless nut with a lock washer. I bolted auto style but marine grade clamps to my cable ends and use the big posts.
  19. Lou C

    Engine replacement help…

    Sounds like it could have hydrolocked.
  20. Lou C

    My 84 4winns horizon 195 project.

    Long Island is a damp climate yesr round except if it gets really cold in the winter. I had the original carpet in mine & it never dried out under the rear seat or the seat pedestals up front. You could clearly see that is where all the rot started. So, no carpet for me. So far my partial...
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