18' Starcraft Starchief OB Rebuild

[Gibbles]

Re: 18' Starcraft Starchief OB Rebuild

Yeah... good call on the engine height, I'll try raising the engine and see where it sits.

And the 1/2in is pretty much looking at the chrysler's locking bar thing.

As it sits the lower plate on the engine perfect with the bottom of the boat, but going from my Jet raising it would be a good idea as I get a little bit of a rooster tail from the LU (both 63's) :lol:

 

[Gibbles]

Re: 18' Starcraft Starchief OB Rebuild

Jack Plate; I did a quick google search, cheapest one I found was $170, not bad, and easier than modding the splashwell...

I'm also thinking modding the engine cowl is possible as well...
I think there should be enough empty space up at the top rear to cut into it a little, and then glass the hole all pretty.

The more I look at how the splashwell sits in there, the more I don't want to push just the back down.
And to push the whole thing down would affect draining due to the line up with the drain holes...

 

[64osby]

Re: 18' Starcraft Starchief OB Rebuild

I'd look at raising the motor as it's mounted on the transom. See what 1 inch does for you. The true test will be where it sits in the water at WOT.

 

[Gibbles]

Re: 18' Starcraft Starchief OB Rebuild

Gibbers - Looking at the above pic, could the motor be a little low? Might be the angle of the pic. Raising a bit might make all the difference.

All of us complain about SC splashwells being so darn big - until now. This is a first. I see the fridge keeps the beer cold. :thumb:

Beer could be cooler, I'll take that issue over to the Chrysler forum later on. :lol:

and to think I thought about making the splashwell shorter...
that would of been a mistake :facepalm:

 

[Gibbles]

Re: 18' Starcraft Starchief OB Rebuild

I'd look at raising the motor as it's mounted on the transom. See what 1 inch does for you. The true test will be where it sits in the water at WOT.

I'll give it a shot this weekend and see where it sits, and on this chrysler the water intake is so low I should be safe unless the prop comes out of the water :lol:

 

[dozerII]

Re: 18' Starcraft Starchief OB Rebuild

Hey Chris, the boat looks great with the family sized fridge on the back, that should hold a weeks groceries as well as your wobbly pops. Hope moving it up an inch cures the problem.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: 18' Starcraft Starchief OB Rebuild

A jack plate may improve performance a bit also. Win win.

 

[Gibbles]

Re: 18' Starcraft Starchief OB Rebuild

ok raised by 1in, and I can now raise the engine all the way.

One issue is it only clears when at a full turn, and gives me about 1/2in or less clearance with the spashwell.

 

[Gibbles]

Re: 18' Starcraft Starchief OB Rebuild

Also not much done on the Chief this weekend

I also had a minor issue with the merc 9.8hp kicker on my Jet, it's kinda the center of the fishing platform on that boat.
Gets me going real slow and I can troll around all day on 3 gallons.

The odd thing is it would run fine and have these little short fits of low idle, like it wanted to quit...

I figured an issue with the carb or fuel pump, so I rebuilt the fuel pump and cleaned the heck out of the carb.
slapped it back together, and went fishing.

Same issue but worse...

Then it got me thinking; I had swapped out the flywheel for the electric start one in prep for going full electric...

Maybe I broke a sparkplug wire... so volt meter, tested ohms, found what appeared to be a broken wire, so I bought a kit and made a new one plug wire.
Tested in a tank this time, and I had the same issue...

So I decided what the heck, I took the left over wire from the kit, took the wire I had just replaced, and yanked plug ends apart and made a second new wire, tested in the tank, and issue continued...

So I took off the flywheel, looked over all the electronics under there, all looked great, so I cleaned the pickups and ran in a tank.
same issue, swapped back the old fly wheel, same issue...

So I got the bright idea to wait for the engine to bog while in the tank, grabbed a spark plug wire and yanked it off the plug
I got zapped and the engine quit.

Then on the second wire I waited for it to get bogged down and yanked the second wire off, no zp, and no change in how it ran.

F'n coil!

As luck would have it, my 20hp model 200 has the same coils, so I borrowed one, tested in the tank and it runs great!

So tomorrow = fishing

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: 18' Starcraft Starchief OB Rebuild

You need a smaller dorm fridge. :joyous: Of course less beer.

Are you using the the tilt lock or does the motor have tilt and trim, Gib. In either case, a transom saver would solve the problem, just don't raise the motor all the way up.

 

[Gibbles]

Re: 18' Starcraft Starchief OB Rebuild

You need a smaller dorm fridge. :joyous: Of course less beer.

Are you using the the tilt lock or does the motor have tilt and trim, Gib. In either case, a transom saver would solve the problem, just don't raise the motor all the way up.

No TNT on this motor, and it's the tilt lock.

Honestly the tilt lock holds the engine way to high up IMO.

I had thought about a transom saver, but I have never messed around with one before...

I also saw in my Manual there is an "optional" trailering bracket that holds the engine lower.

I have not seen a clear picture of one, nor one available anywhere tho..

Oh yeah, smaller is never the answer, + I'm a bottom feeder.

I only have this engine because Glen dropped it in my lap :lol:

So it's this or a 65hp

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: 18' Starcraft Starchief OB Rebuild

Go for a transom saver. The tilt lock isn't made for transport. My little motor tilt lock hardware is all missing because none of the PO's used a T/S and it broke off and is laying along side a road somewhere in South Carolina. Happened long before I got her, but a T/S is on the back now.

The optional trailering bracket is the equivalent of a 2X4 under the clamp bracket from what I've seen. And probably good luck finding one after all these years. What was it, 1984 when Chrysler sold out to Force?

 

[Gibbles]

Re: 18' Starcraft Starchief OB Rebuild

84 sounds about right.

evenrude has this nice little bracket that folds down, I love the design.

Merc has the little ear/knob things that rotate down, very sturdy.

I thought it odd the way this chrysler had the tilt lock bracket, it looks just like the one on my 9.8hp, only slightly thicker.. :lol:

I noticed walmart sells the transom savers, not sure what type I'll need (I saw 2 types), I'll look at them harder the next time I'm down there.

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: 18' Starcraft Starchief OB Rebuild

84 sounds about right.

evenrude has this nice little bracket that folds down, I love the design.

Merc has the little ear/knob things that rotate down, very sturdy.

I thought it odd the way this chrysler had the tilt lock bracket, it looks just like the one on my 9.8hp, only slightly thicker.. :lol:

I noticed walmart sells the transom savers, not sure what type I'll need (I saw 2 types), I'll look at them harder the next time I'm down there.

I think the one I got at WallyWorld had both a rear keel roller U-shaped thingie and a bracket for frame mounting - which I use because the roller is covered by the stern. If it had the roller U thing I tossed it. Or I just got a frame bracket type. Have I confused you yet, I know I confused myself.

Anyway I got this one Attwood Over Roller Transom Saver: Fishing & Marine : Walmart.com. If I was in the market again, I would go with one of the other ones. The plastic pad on one side that goes against the lower unit broke at the bolt and I rigged some zip ties to hold it together. I think I dropped it taking it off at the ramp, but still.

 

[Gibbles]

Re: 18' Starcraft Starchief OB Rebuild

Hrm...

I recall seeing one prob online... it had a thing that you bolt onto the trailer frame and then drop the arm into or onto.

anyways last night before I hit the sack I found the PN for the one in the manual, I did a google image search after ebay and other places came up dry.
I found this.

and apparently the one and only out there... cost about $60 after shipping so I pulled the trigger.

some how I bet this engine came with one in the first place, but I bet it's in the dirt or in the bottom of Glens boat :lol:

(guessing because I found everything else for the engine in the boat including the adjusting bar)


ETA: the more I look at that part the more I recall seeing it in the boat and thinking "wth is this" and tossing back into the mess for Glen to figure out. :lol:

 

[classiccat]

Re: 18' Starcraft Starchief OB Rebuild

Hrm...

I recall seeing one prob online... it had a thing that you bolt onto the trailer frame and then drop the arm into or onto.

anyways last night before I hit the sack I found the PN for the one in the manual, I did a google image search after ebay and other places came up dry.
I found this.

and apparently the one and only out there... cost about $60 after shipping so I pulled the trigger.

some how I bet this engine came with one in the first place, but I bet it's in the dirt or in the bottom of Glens boat :lol:

(guessing because I found everything else for the engine in the boat including the adjusting bar)


ETA: the more I look at that part the more I recall seeing it in the boat and thinking "wth is this" and tossing back into the mess for Glen to figure out. :lol:

well at least Glen knows the market value of that thing now! however given the market for Chrysler parts...it may be on his shelf for awhile :lol:

so you put the pin through the last tilt hole and the cross-bar attaches to the reverse lock?

 

[Gibbles]

Re: 18' Starcraft Starchief OB Rebuild

Yeah, it looks like you leave the bar in place in what ever position you have set, and it will rotate up and locks into the reverse lock hook.

Looking forward to see it in action

And Glen; if you find it toss that sucker on ebay

 

[dozerII]

Re: 18' Starcraft Starchief OB Rebuild

Hey Chris, I cleaned all the crap out of the boat and never ran across anything like that. The only place it could be is under the bow seating. When I dig her out, she is all wrapped in tarps till rebuild time I will look for it.

 

[Northwoodacres]

Re: 18' Starcraft Starchief OB Rebuild

Gibb:

Have you given any thought on what type of seats you are going to use at the helm and for the passenger. That is one thing I have not ironed out for my starchief yet.

 

[Gibbles]

Re: 18' Starcraft Starchief OB Rebuild

I have a set of folding fishing seats I got on sale at cabelas that will work for now.

One problem I had with the same line in my Jet is a Friends son managed to crack the base by leaning to hard back in them.
In order to prevent that I'm thinking a 1/2in mounting board under the seats.

Later on I'll get something better as I can afford it.

Here is an image of the seats from early on in the build

and I'm still thinking the passenger side would be better off with just the cabin wall and no console, but it's to late to move the seat forward in order to make it work.