go-fishing
Cadet
- Joined
- Jan 11, 2003
- Messages
- 15
I recently purchased my first inboard, so despite 45+ years of boating experience, I am a newbie." Also, despite some wrenching on my 66 Mustang (289 HO) as a youth -- as a marine mechanic, Im a pretty good house-carpenter.<br /><br />The boat is a 1979 Almar (Aluminum Marine Construction, inc.) Jetline, 209 stem to stern plus a 29 wide jet guard (like a swim deck). The beam is 84 with a 72 bottom with an 18 wide flat for the jet and a 14 deg V (at the stern) from there. This is an exceptionally sturdy welded aluminum boat with a 1/4 thick bottom. The boat weighs 4100 lbs, wet. There were at least 3 previous owners.<br /><br />The power plant is a 302 cu in V-8 hooked to a Jetcraft Turbodrive 3-stage jet pump (Model 753); it also has a small Honda outboard kicker.<br /><br />I have an owners manual for the Jet Craft Turbo Drive, and can find a book for the Honda, but the V-8 has me stumped.<br /><br />I havent yet found the serial number on the block to try to get info from Ford or anyone else. Where should I start looking for info? Or, better yet, a manual?<br /><br />The engine now has a Carter AFB carburetor, which I suspect was not stock. It does have a flame arrestor. (I did read the article about Marine Carburetors at cpperformance.com which is mentioned in another thread.) Is this AFB an approved marine carburetor? How can I tell? What else should I worry about?<br /><br />The present fuel pump (which looks newer than the rest of the engine) is certainly an automotive pump. Should I replace the fuel pump with a marine pump? Where would I find one? Is there a source for marine engine parts, which y'all like as much as Champion Trailers for trailer parts?<br /><br />The exhaust manifolds are aluminum and say Edelbrock, M-15 on them. There is some freeze damage and some damage from someone moosing on one of the fittings until the aluminum split. The damage was repaired with epoxy (it leaks!). I hope my local prop shop can weld the cracks and re-drill & tap the hole for the fitting. If this fails, where might I find replacement manifolds. Once the manifold is repaired, should I replace the existing gaskets, or just use high temp RTV as one local mechanic suggested? I did get all the studs out cleanly, and will replace all of them with new from NAPA. Should I use Never-Seez (Marine Grade) on the new studs? Should I use brass nuts as NAPA suggests or stick with steel? How much torque should be applied to the new nuts?<br /><br />With the manifolds off, its time to replace the Autolite 45 spark plugs. What would you recommend as a replacement? Put Never Seez on the threads? How tight (torque)?<br /><br />Sorry for the length of the post. Im sure that I'll have even more (idiotic?) questions later.<br /><br />Thanks for your time.
