1964 Starcraft Jet Star Aluminum Runabout Project

[Woodonglass]

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Good Luck with your new Job! If I may be so bold, whatcha gunna be doin??? I rebuilt both my metal tanks. Pretty easy to do. Thereis a filter screen on the bottom of the pickup tube and mine were totally clogged with varnished gas due to the oil mix. With an hour of work you can clean em and put em back together good as new.

 

[lakelover]

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Good Luck with your new Job! If I may be so bold, whatcha gunna be doin??? I rebuilt both my metal tanks. Pretty easy to do. Thereis a filter screen on the bottom of the pickup tube and mine were totally clogged with varnished gas due to the oil mix. With an hour of work you can clean em and put em back together good as new.

Wellsir, I'm going to be a per diem courier for the lab at the hospital where my wife works. After the 9 week training period, which is full time, I'll fill in as needed. That means I have to learn 9 different routes to begin with. At the interview, the first thing they asked me was if I'd be interested in full time because they would have a position to fill soon. I said no, but got thinking about it and thought it would be easier to learn one route than 9!! (and steadier income too) so I called back and said yes, I was interested.

I had that gas tank apart when I painted it a few years ago and the screen was very clean then. I guess I might check it again. I did have to make my own cork gasket for it where the float/gauge attaches, but I think I did a pretty good job on that if I do say so myself!

 

[parrisw]

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

The battery was in the boat when I bought it 2 years ago -- just checked the sales slip that is in a pouch on the side of the batt. -- 9 years old! Ha! Time for a new battery I think.

You need a new battery LOL.

Yes about the vent problem, could be that, try taking the filler cap off and running it, see if it keeps running, if it doesn't then I'd say you need to rebuild you fuel pump.

 

[lakelover]

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

You need a new battery LOL.

Yes about the vent problem, could be that, try taking the filler cap off and running it, see if it keeps running, if it doesn't then I'd say you need to rebuild you fuel pump.

As it runs, I can see the fuel level going down in the filter, and not filling as fast as it needs to. I'll check how it does with the cap off. I'll probably have to recharge the battery first!

 

[parrisw]

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

The battery was in the boat when I bought it 2 years ago -- just checked the sales slip that is in a pouch on the side of the batt. -- 9 years old! Ha! Time for a new battery I think.

As it runs, I can see the fuel level going down in the filter, and not filling as fast as it needs to. I'll check how it does with the cap off. I'll probably have to recharge the battery first!

If the tank is not venting, you'll get a big vacuum in the tank and then the pump can no longer pull fuel from it. Does it look like the tank is getting sucked inside out?

 

[boatnut74]

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Glad to hear you got it running. Like stated before, check your vent and then your fuel pump. Hopefully an easy fix far ya.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Wellsir, I'm going to be a per diem courier for the lab at the hospital where my wife works.

LOL, that's like the official "retired guy" job.

 

[lakelover]

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

LOL, that's like the official "retired guy" job.

Yup, the lady told me most of the other drivers were "retired". At least I'll be outside almost all the time, practically have lived there over the last year. No more desk for me!

 

[lakelover]

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Does it look like the tank is getting sucked inside out?

Nope. The way that thing is built I don't think it could get that way. It's built like a tank. I'm off to close up at the lake today & help BIL drag docks/boat lift out. I'll be trying the no-cap test tomorrow I hope. Sure hope you are all right about that being the problem. At this point, I'm looking for "easy". I'm a little more concerned about that "NO OIL" alarm! Hopefully that's just a priming issue.

 

[yooperangler]

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

I've seen bad check valves on the primer bulb cause em to run out of gas if You don't keep pumping the bulb if the venting isn't the problem You might check those.

 

[lakelover]

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

I ran it with the cap off the gas tank & same problem.

After more running, it seems like I might have multiple problems. I reprimed the oil line and that seems to have helped the "no oil" alarm situation, but I'm not sure if it's completely cured. I checked the intake screen inside of the gas tank and it's pristine. It ran for longer today, but after a while, the RPMs get erratic and eventually it stops . I was able to run it for a short time without the fast idle lever up around 600-800 RPM (Specs=800 in gear), then it quit. I idled it around 1000 RPM today for about 10 minutes before it surged and then quit.

I guess I'll throw some new plugs in, I have no idea what, if any, service this has had. I suspect it has had very little. I may take it to a dealer and have them go over it. It probably needs carb cleaning/rebuild, possibly fuel & oil pump work, and new impeller. Unless it's something real simple, I'm in over my head. I don't have the time or inclination to really get into the innards of things. I've changed the impeller on my Merc 20, so thought I might tackle that, but if it's at the dealer, maybe I should just have them go ahead & do it.

The good news is that the battery started it up again no problem after sitting for a couple days!

 

[parrisw]

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

I ran it with the cap off the gas tank & same problem.

After more running, it seems like I might have multiple problems. I reprimed the oil line and that seems to have helped the "no oil" alarm situation, but I'm not sure if it's completely cured. I checked the intake screen inside of the gas tank and it's pristine. It ran for longer today, but after a while, the RPMs get erratic and eventually it stops . I was able to run it for a short time without the fast idle lever up around 600-800 RPM (Specs=800 in gear), then it quit. I idled it around 1000 RPM today for about 10 minutes before it surged and then quit.

I guess I'll throw some new plugs in, I have no idea what, if any, service this has had. I suspect it has had very little. I may take it to a dealer and have them go over it. It probably needs carb cleaning/rebuild, possibly fuel & oil pump work, and new impeller. Unless it's something real simple, I'm in over my head. I don't have the time or inclination to really get into the innards of things. I've changed the impeller on my Merc 20, so thought I might tackle that, but if it's at the dealer, maybe I should just have them go ahead & do it.

The good news is that the battery started it up again no problem after sitting for a couple days!

The next thing I'd do, is check over your fuel lines in the engine, make sure none of them are pinched or kinked, or collapsed, also check the pulse line to the fuel pump. If that's all good, then pull the line off feeding the carbs and stick it in a bottle, and have someone crank over the engine, it should be pumping fuel pretty good, if not, you have a fuel pump problem.

 

[lakelover]

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Thanks parrisw. Everything looks good on first look, but I'll do a closer inspection and try what you suggest.

 

[parrisw]

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Thanks parrisw. Everything looks good on first look, but I'll do a closer inspection and try what you suggest.

Cool, keep us posted.

Here is a quick vid of me testing my VRO pump. This is on my 115 but yours should pump this good.

 

[hidef]

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Are you using a new fuel hose and connectors? Air leaks in the fuel hose can cause the symptoms you are having. No fuel and no oil. Which is why you always run on premix until you get the bugs out. Your fuel tank should be fine and with the fuel cap loose it will be vented. If your hose is new then you most likely have a fuel pump going south on you. Unfortunately the VRO pumps are not cheap to replace. You can rebuild the fuel side of the pump if the intermediate side of the housing is good if that is bad the pump will need to be replaced.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Perhaps spray some pre-mix in the carb when it starts dying. If it picks back up you know you've got a fuel delivery problem. Also, if you try pumping the bulb when it's dying...if it picks up there then you know you've got a fuel pump issue.

 

[Gibbles]

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Great read!

I have a Jetstar that I have been slowly working on.

This winter it's due for a new transom and larger motor.
I will be using this as a guide

And I'm having the same issue you had, My Jetstar is setup for a short shaft, but I have a long shaft...

What was the thickness and type of plywood you used on the transom?

 

[lakelover]

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

What was the thickness and type of plywood you used on the transom?

I used 3/4" exterior plywood, glued together with gorilla glue, then sealed with epoxy resin & painted with Rustoleum marine primer & topside paint.

 

[lakelover]

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

I haven't had a chance to do any of these actual tests yet, but just thinking why would the fuel pump be bad if I drove it, picked it up a couple days later, then it just sat for a couple years? Could just be conicidental (it was about to go), but doesn't seem likely.

 

[lakelover]

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Are you using a new fuel hose and connectors? Air leaks in the fuel hose can cause the symptoms you are having.

The fuel hose is brand new; the oil hose is not.