1983 26' Starcraft Sportfisherman 261V Rebuild

[chriscraft254]

Re: 1983 26' Starcraft Sportfisherman 261V Rebuild

Well, it's not that nice of a machine. It's an old utility sled, really good shape though. 1986 Yamaha 340T, I think if I were an ice fisherman it would be perfect. Ah, I'm not really though. I dunno, maybe you guys can talk me into it, he says it's valued at $900. I don't know enough about sleds but I kinda feel like that's a little optimistic.
View attachment 217318

That's not a snow machine, that's a boat!!! Its all in how you look at things I guess. Snowmobile Water Skips Jumping and flying high!

 

[Gibbles]

Re: 1983 26' Starcraft Sportfisherman 261V Rebuild

oooooh a sled

I was thinking.... wth would Jas do with a snow machine??! :lol:
https://www.google.com/#q=snow+machine

 

[jasoutside]

Re: 1983 26' Starcraft Sportfisherman 261V Rebuild

OK fellas, I have something to show ya!

Love it:thumb:

Couple of notes:

@I've got water coming into my trim oil somehow so that will need my attention down the road.

@You can here at the end there the belt/pulley squealing. Once I clean up the pulleys, new belt, tighten things up, oil things up, I should be set there.

@It seems the port side of the block is getting pretty hot. Starboard seems a little warm too. I may have a thermostat issue there maybe??? I'll need to get that sorted later on too.

All in all, this should be a nice boat pusher:becky:

 

[budski]

Re: 1983 26' Starcraft Sportfisherman 261V Rebuild

Sounds awesome Jason, man that boats gonna fly

 

[cj8mule]

Re: 1983 26' Starcraft Sportfisherman 261V Rebuild

Sounds good Jason. I might have missed it, but did the compression check out OK?

 

[InMotion]

Re: 1983 26' Starcraft Sportfisherman 261V Rebuild

Nice man!!! Fired right up and running smooth as a hot knife through butter!

+1 on what CJ said.... compression check out ok?

Jim

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: 1983 26' Starcraft Sportfisherman 261V Rebuild

I remember Frisco had some issues with one side hotter than the other. Don't remember what he found, but don't think it was major.

 

[mr300z87]

Re: 1983 26' Starcraft Sportfisherman 261V Rebuild

Nice! I recently ran my 7.4L (454) on a pallet, which is going into my project Sea Ray. I love the sound of a marine engine. As mentioned above a compression test for a base line is always good, and easy to do while it sitting on the trailer.

You say the port side getting hot I would check the exhaust manifold on that side there did not seem to be as much water coming out as on the starboard side. The manifolds will clog and prevent the hot water from existing which will cause it to get hot. Also it is normal for one side to be warmer than the other but neither elbow should be too hot to touch.

Looking forward to seeing how this one turns out.


Have a be a great weekend

Mike

 

[chriscraft254]

Re: 1983 26' Starcraft Sportfisherman 261V Rebuild

Looked to me to have more water coming out of the port than the starboard. Sounds good though.

 

[bajaunderground]

Re: 1983 26' Starcraft Sportfisherman 261V Rebuild

Thumbs up!!

SeaRay...you're days are numbered!

 

[bear_69cuda]

Re: 1983 26' Starcraft Sportfisherman 261V Rebuild

Sounds great brutha!

Yes how is the compression on the 5.7?

 

[Watermann]

Re: 1983 26' Starcraft Sportfisherman 261V Rebuild

Hey that 1987 5.7 MC is the same year as my donor 4.3 MC. Sounds puuurfect for the big Tin. On your belt noise, check out the flopping alternator belt when your up there revving her up. A new stat and a good flush should take care of overheat hopefully. Now hand her off to your guru wrench buddy and maybe get back a 300HP with a nice lopey idle. Oh yeah... through the transom exhaust with diverter!

 

[jasoutside]

Re: 1983 26' Starcraft Sportfisherman 261V Rebuild

Thanks guys! Yah, love the deep rumble of the big V8!:thumb:

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My compression tester is being a real pain right now, hang tight.....

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Yah, that Sea Ray is on borrowed time right now. I'm doing my best not to trash her as she would make a great project I think. With most guys out hunting and winter knocking on our door, boat buying/selling is a lil slow at the moment. I'll give her just a couple more days here, then, that's it:rip:

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I did get an email on my Sea Ray clist ad:

"Hello, is that a big Starcraft in the background? Is that for sale?!"

I thought that maybe one of you punks had found my ad and were messen with me:boink:

 

[dozerII]

Re: 1983 26' Starcraft Sportfisherman 261V Rebuild

Runs really nice Jason, I had the same problem with one manifold being warmer than the other on my 4.3. I posted up the question in the Mercruiser forum and they said so long as you can put your hand on it is perfectly normal for there to be a little imbalance in the temps due to the water taking the path of least resistance. I went as far as to buy one of those cheap infra red point and shoot thermometers to makes sure everything was good.

 

[Watermann]

Re: 1983 26' Starcraft Sportfisherman 261V Rebuild

Check out the how to videos and the last video does the test fire.

Installing Thru Hull Marine Exhaust Systems | Performance Product Technologies

 

[Teamster]

Re: 1983 26' Starcraft Sportfisherman 261V Rebuild

I think the snow machine trade would have been a great way to get rid of the searay,.......

 

[jasoutside]

Re: 1983 26' Starcraft Sportfisherman 261V Rebuild

Runs really nice Jason, I had the same problem with one manifold being warmer than the other on my 4.3. I posted up the question in the Mercruiser forum and they said so long as you can put your hand on it is perfectly normal for there to be a little imbalance in the temps due to the water taking the path of least resistance. I went as far as to buy one of those cheap infra red point and shoot thermometers to makes sure everything was good.

Yah, I guess it's that it's just getting to the point of almost too hot to put my hand on it. I think I may grab one of those thermometers too just for checkin eh

Check out the how to videos and the last video does the test fire.

Installing Thru Hull Marine Exhaust Systems | Performance Product Technologies

Dood, I'm building a fishing boat here man:lever:

I think the snow machine trade would have been a great way to get rid of the searay,.......

Yah, that fella wanted the boat, trailer and outdrive for the sled and a canoe. Nah, pass.

I did tell him that I'd take the sled for just the boat! He wasn't into that so much:becky:

 

[mr300z87]

Re: 1983 26' Starcraft Sportfisherman 261V Rebuild

Do you have any pics do how you attached the chain you used to pull the engine to the trees. I am looking to put the 7.4L into my project Sea Ray (link in signature) and I need to be up way high to clear. There are 2 large trees about 17 ft apart in my field I was thinking about lagging a couple 2 x 8 across the trees but I would need 20 ft boards and a bunch of large lags. Then I read you used chain which got me wondering how you attached the chain, although I will still need like 30ft + of chain it seems way easier than the boards.

 

[jasoutside]

Re: 1983 26' Starcraft Sportfisherman 261V Rebuild

Oh yah, no doubt 300, chains and trees are the way to go! (unless you have a sweet boom lift like Glen does, then that's way better)

Simple man, two beefy trees, heavy duty chain, wrap the trees, hook the chainfall, lift er out, easier than fallin out of bed in the mornin:thumb:

One tip I will give you is to hook your anchor points higher than you think. That way you are sure to clear the transom when you pull the boat out from underneath.

When I hauled the 470 out of this 261 it was pretty surprising just how high that engine was in the air.


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OK guys, that's it, it's been long enough, I feel I have done my due diligence to be nice to the nasty glasser, gave her a fair shot, let her hang around the place for a really long time, she seems to be getting way to comfortable, so that's it, done with that, time to pull the rest of the good stuff out....

....then she'll have a date with a big yellow CAT.

 

[InMotion]

Re: 1983 26' Starcraft Sportfisherman 261V Rebuild

Chop chop.... crunch crunch.... sounds good to me!!