1975 Starcraft Mariner 18'

[yooperangler]

Re: 1975 Starcraft Mariner 18'

Quick question planning to replace my telescopic steering with rotary in order to downsize my console a bit and fix my stiffy steering. Ez posted this somewhere http://www.lowcostboatingstore.com/...e-9-ft-to-20-ft-with-STEERING-WHEEL_p_19.html and just wondering if I need anything else to go with it? Also planning to move console forward so my original steering won't be long enough anyway. I need to build a new console so any mounting difference's shouldn't be a problem unless I need some kind of mounting kit etc...Thanks

 

[ezmobee]

Re: 1975 Starcraft Mariner 18'

Assuming your motor has a tilt tube, that kit is all you need.

EDIT: Your motor has a tilt tube. You're good to go.

 

[yooperangler]

Re: 1975 Starcraft Mariner 18'

Thanks I'll be ordering the steering shortly as soon as I can guesstimate a length

 

[ezmobee]

Re: 1975 Starcraft Mariner 18'

I got mine a foot too short :facepalm:

 

[yooperangler]

Re: 1975 Starcraft Mariner 18'

Just a quick update got the motor to run today !!! I'll post some pics tomorrow didn't run it long as no water coming out top ports glanced at the seloc manual afterward ( of course ) and see it looks like thermostat would need to be up to temp before water flow any guesses on how long that would take ? I have some definite fuel line problems and a leaky pump but was pretty happy with the way she purred. A quick FYI if you change cables and tear your controller apart a few times check to make sure idle is actually at idle before starting:facepalm: Motor almost flew across the garage tank and all when it started first time

 

[jasoutside]

Re: 1975 Starcraft Mariner 18'

Ah, no biggie. Just like a nice hot cup of black coffee in the am to get ya going. You know, just get the blood flowing

 

[yooperangler]

Re: 1975 Starcraft Mariner 18'

O.K. time for a recap of the weekend started out with a trip to my brothers to steal what I could off the old glasser

Cold and windy but the rain held off anyway no snow either

The 72 Johnson 65 horse (electric shift but free) Not sure what I'll do with this but.....

Got the steering and controls out no problem wanted the windshield (not sure what for ) and it didn't want to come off so got out the sawzall

Proper way to remove parts from a fiberglass boat.

Victory

 

[yooperangler]

Re: 1975 Starcraft Mariner 18'

Got the windshield a couple anchors,engine and controls, steering , a couple of nav lights and bow light,and a few pieces of aluminum went to the garage to look for a gas tank didn't find it but found my other brothers stash of old evinrudes so took them too

Also took a couple cleats and other odds and ends had hopes for the seats but were totally shot all in all still worth the trip. Future project stuff if nothing else

 

[yooperangler]

Re: 1975 Starcraft Mariner 18'

Saturday I finally got around to expanding my test tank

added another 4" all the way around front was a bit tricky but made it work.

Just posting this one to show I was dumb enough to pick it up off the ground not getting any lighter

The new and improved ginsu 5000 motor test thingy

Put the motor back on the stand and started trying to figure out how to hook up new control cables says to reuse ends from old ones but my old ones had this on controller end appears to crimp on?

 

[yooperangler]

Re: 1975 Starcraft Mariner 18'

Thought about it for a few beers and decided to steal some ends off engine end of the other controls I have had to shorten this one a bit to leave enough room for shifter travel but seems fine

Proof they are new cables for all the naysayers I did spend money on some stuff

The basic set up fastened the controls to a work bench hooked up the wiring motor in the tank battery hooked up try the key and nothing but silence

Checked all my connections and called it quits for the day

 

[yooperangler]

Re: 1975 Starcraft Mariner 18'

Got up this morning (sunday) convinced it had to be the nuetral safety switch as I had trouble getting the controls back together it was some idiot had left the screws loose and switch wasn't making contact:facepalm:

Now that it turns over figured I should at least look at the plugs and check the gap.

Now for fuel I had a couple of tanks this one is hard to see in the pic but stuff I dumped out of it looked kind of like spawn or tapioca pudding decided to use the other one I'll clean this one up good later on sometime.

I had 3 different partial fuel lines so picked what I thought was the best bulb and spliced it all together with a bunch of hose clamps. (No reason this motor should ever run with all this halfassed mechanicing)

 

[Triton II]

Re: 1975 Starcraft Mariner 18'

Looks like you had a productive day Yooper. Hope she starts for you!

TII

 

[yooperangler]

Re: 1975 Starcraft Mariner 18'

Filled the tank with water just in case

Had a few small leaks marked em for later.

Full to the top put a squirt of gas in the carbs pumped up the bulb ( leaked near bulb and from fuel pump) pulled the manual choke out and hit the key

Houston we have a problem !!! Motor started right up. At pretty much full throttle shut her off quick but had to take a pic first

 

[yooperangler]

Re: 1975 Starcraft Mariner 18'

In the aftermath the fumes settled in the tank like mustard gas in a foxhole made some slight cable adjustments and tried again

A little more manageable

Seemed to be a lot of sloshiness happening for idle in nuetral but when I tried it in gear got a whole lot more so must be O.K.

I like this one looks like a homemade jetski with the handlebars on stand hmmmm.....

 

[Triton II]

Re: 1975 Starcraft Mariner 18'

Great pix Yooper, made me laugh, thinking...

Q "What's the best way to test your garage smoke detector?".

A "Get Yooper to start his outboard in there."



TII

 

[yooperangler]

Re: 1975 Starcraft Mariner 18'

I didn't let it run for long at a time started 3 or 4 times shifted forward and reverse fine but never got water out of upper exhaust holes not sure how long before thermostat opens ? Ended up with plenty of crap in the water so something must have circulated of course motor was plenty dirty to begin with. Keep in mind motor has set outside for a few years and I did nothing to it so pretty happy with it at this point. Guess I'll order a fuel pump,fuel line and maybe an impeller but would like to know if pump is working since I'll have to get in there to replace impeller.

Hauled in the two 7.5 fleetwins and took a quick look at em one on right appears to be froze up

Seem to be some interchangeable parts maybe I can make one run. I see quite a few of these on CL but no idea how they would perform as a kicker on the Mariner might think about picking up a running one and using these for parts. I'm practically overrun with old Johnyrudes at the moment still have the 72 65horse in the truck need to get it in and put away tomorrow. Good problem to have I guess

 

[yooperangler]

Re: 1975 Starcraft Mariner 18'

Great pix Yooper, made me laugh, thinking...

Q "What's the best way to test your garage smoke detector?".

A "Get Yooper to start his outboard in there."



TII

Thanks for the reply Triton I could have checked the neighbors smoke detector when it first started up But it settled down after a while might need some carb cleaning and new plugs though

 

[dozerII]

Re: 1975 Starcraft Mariner 18'

Hey Yoop, looks like you had a fun weekend, I guess it was not real emissions freindly, but test running a two stroke o/b never is. I just love to watch a sawsall in fiberglass LOL
Glen

 

[ezmobee]

Re: 1975 Starcraft Mariner 18'

Those old ones without the tell-tale definitely don't show you much to let you know the cooling is working. Even once the thermostat opens you may only get some spitting out of the relief holes. Basically just run it for a few minutes and if the heads don't get too hot to touch for a few seconds, you're good. Of course a new impeller is pretty much mandatory anyway since you don't know how old it is.

As for that '72, I'd see if I could get it running for not a lot of cash. If it runs and shifts, I'd absolutely mount it on the boat and take it out to the lake. Take lots of pictures and video. With that evidence posted in a craigslist add, I bet you could get over $500 for it easy from someone who doesn't know any better about the electric shift. That's what I'd do with it for sure.

 

[yooperangler]

Re: 1975 Starcraft Mariner 18'

Thanks for stoppin in guys

Ez the 72 was running last year so you may have the right idea . Out of curiosity what is the problem/problems with the electric shift motors? I have noticed a few of the parts are interchangeable from the 72 to 73 though not as many as I would like I may just keep her for parts.
I'm planning on ordering an impeller soon and thinking thermostat might be in order as well, also need to decide on new fuel pump or just try replacing gasket to see if it fixes the leak (leaking between cap and pump) I have to admit I am a bit nervous about the impeller replacement as I haven't had one of these apart before.