1984 Cheetah 170 restore

[archbuilder]

Re: 1984 Cheetah 170 restore

I think "homemade" is an Iboat requirement......I can't even begin to count how many "homemade" tools l have come up with How about some more pics of the progress?

 

[scottn83]

Re: 1984 Cheetah 170 restore

Ok I have completed my bellows replacement wasnt as bad as I thought it was going to be. I made a you tube video for it so you guys have a look and critique it for me it is my first video but i thought everyone and there brother has one of how to take it off. I couldn't find one on how to put it back together so i hope the video will help other DIYers. http://youtu.be/jU2KN_ewx1M http://youtu.be/Baf8HyCwBdM My next step was tring to align my motor with the alignment tool. It was all going well until then it was way off so i grabbed a manual to fig our how to correct it and looked preaty simple break loose the to nuts adj the adj nut then tighten the locking nuts back down. Seams simple enough WRONG!!! when i went to have a look at said nuts there is only about 2 in of space to get to them. I am going to try to get a crows foot wrench and see if it will break loose but here is a pic. The arrows point to the space i have to get into to get that lock nut loose.

 

[scottn83]

Re: 1984 Cheetah 170 restore

ok last post before i go on vacation so will post more in about 4 weeks. It was killing me not be able to do something with the engine alignment at a halt. finished a few pieces of the teak some before and after

 

[scottn83]

Re: 1984 Cheetah 170 restore

Ok i am finally back to the boat. I ended up not having to do any engine alignment thank good not sure how i would have ever got the lock nuts loose to adj. it. I broke done and ordered a a real engine alignment tool still had problems getting the tool to slide in. I hadn't greased the gembal and it wasn't allowing it rotate in its housing. Greased it up whacked the alignment bar and bamb the gembal bearing aligned. Alignment tool slid in but still couldn't get the out drive on. The final problem was the the shaft at the bottom of the out drive wasn't aligned and me being an armature didn't even know it was there. Ok Next step hook it up to the hose and run it and see if we find any more mechanical problems.

 

[scottn83]

Re: 1984 Cheetah 170 restore

Back on the boat again finally. Ok got it started but no water pumping to the top of the engine. Pulled the lower unit off to inspect the water pump and rebuild pump. I found something I wasn't expecting the tube that goes from the pump housing to the upper unit had been so hot it had completely melted the tube. I have no idea why at this point but here is a pic it almost looks like it had been in a fire.

 

[scottn83]

Re: 1984 Cheetah 170 restore

Ok now i know why it gets so hot, no water getting to exhaust causes it to get really hot in the lower unit. I found out why it isn't getting any water there as well i think the freeze plug on the back of the motor is gone. Thanks to the guys on iboats for our there advice. The knowledge here is awesome.
So i guess my next move it to pull the motor and fix the freeze plug lets just hope there isn't any other damage.

 

[scottn83]

Re: 1984 Cheetah 170 restore

Ok decided to replace the motor all together. After a little more inspection found a little water in the oil and a place on the block that had jb weld of something on it. I was fortunate to find a great deal from a friend that just had one sitting around. It is a few years older then mine but he claimed it had just been rebuilt. It looked pretty good heonly wanted 100 for it and said if it didnt work as promised he would refund my 100.00 i could loose cant even rebuild on for that much for sure. I will drop a couple of pics on soon.

 

[scottn83]

Re: 1984 Cheetah 170 restore

ok got the used motor and pulled the oil plug and out gushed water. I am going to go ahead and tear it apart but i am thinking it my be strike two cant seem to turn it over not good.

 

[oops!]

Re: 1984 Cheetah 170 restore

hi scott.......if water is coming out from the the oil pan.....the motor is toast.

the block is more than likely cracked.....so it would be able to be rebuilt.

did you fix the water pick up tube in the lower yet?

that is major.....after the lower is separated....you will see a tube coming from the top of the water pump......make sure that the tube that joins the lower is in the upper !

it has kind of a bend in it.....and there is a coupler as well......when put together by bolting it back on....this will make a "pipe" line that eventually goes to the motor.

if any one of those parts is missing.....your motor wont cool.

 

[scottn83]

Re: 1984 Cheetah 170 restore

hi scott.......if water is coming out from the the oil pan.....the motor is toast.

the block is more than likely cracked.....so it would be able to be rebuilt.


did you fix the water pick up tube in the lower yet?

that is major.....after the lower is separated....you will see a tube coming from the top of the water pump......make sure that the tube that joins the lower is in the upper !

it has kind of a bend in it.....and there is a coupler as well......when put together by bolting it back on....this will make a "pipe" line that eventually goes to the motor.

if any one of those parts is missing.....your motor wont cool.

After getting the motor tore apart I think the water actually helped me. I think it pushed the oil that was in the motor up over the crank and cam there wasn't a bit of rust inside

as far as being rebuilt the only issue is there was a small about of rust in the cylnders and the piston had to be beat out. The block is at the machine shop as we speak no even going to need a boar just honed and then the new barings and rings .

pump rebuilt and the all back together

doneThanks it is coming along slow but sure

 

[scottn83]

Re: 1984 Cheetah 170 restore

Ok as i said above a few pics of the motor i got a few weeks ago close your eyes cause it looks a lot worse than it is. I really only needed the block anyway so anything else that is usable i can always sell i think the fly wheel is worth around 50.

 

[scottn83]

Re: 1984 Cheetah 170 restore

Ok after a little work in cleaning and preping put some paint on the block decided to go with a gray I may paint the head a different color havent decided, any suggestions. The big run under the freeze plug in the first pic wasnt me I didnt notice it until I started and then it was to late from the last paint job it got. Oh well the paint on a motor is more for protection then looks.

 

[scottn83]

Re: 1984 Cheetah 170 restore

The boat finish is or was really oxidized so this is what i did. I was really pleased with the outcome for as bad as it was i think I am still going to have to get the top section clear coated it is just to thin.

step one bought a porter cable polisher 100.00
step two bought a gel coat restore kit from mcguires i think 25.00
step three bought polisher pad kit included 7 pads and backing plate from chemical guys 85.00
step 4 get to work

it took me about three hours but got about a 3rd of this done

step 5 buffed using a yellow pad and the oxidation remover from the maguires kit Porter cable polisher set on # 5 and slowly made six passes over each section
step 6 polished using a orange pad set and the polisher from the Maquires Kit Polisher set on #4 1/2 made six passes over each section was probably the hardest part cause it was a pain to wipe off in this instance found less is better cut back the amount of polish back and seemed to come off a bit easier
step 7 waxed using a white pad and set polisher on 4 only made about 4 passes on the wax

The pics dont really do it justis but once i get a chance to get it out side in the sun i think it will show alot better


First pic was before i started then after buff then after polish and then after wax

 

[scottn83]

Re: 1984 Cheetah 170 restore

couple more pics

 

[scottn83]

Re: 1984 Cheetah 170 restore

Purchased all the parts for my engine rebuild so hopefully this weekend i can start putting things back together

 

[scottn83]

Re: 1984 Cheetah 170 restore

Engine assembly going very slow. I took the crank to have it polished and it had to be ground so i know need to reorder crank and rod bearings then took the block with me and had the machine shop guy look at it it needed to be bored over .30 to get the cylinders nice and clean. Had him clean it for final assembly. about 250 later i got the block and crank back. Started to install the crank got out the ol torque wrench the damn thing dosent work off to harbor freight to get a new one needed to air hose anyway. Got the torque wrench and got the crank installed and then needed the rod pins pushed out of the old pistons so now i am going to have to wait on the machine shop again. Sucks to not have all the tools you need for thejob. I just cant justify buying myself a press. Here is my crank installed

 

[archbuilder]

Re: 1984 Cheetah 170 restore

Well it looks like you are moving forward.....nice job on the gel coat! Good luck with the engine, seems like they are always frustrating!

 

[scottn83]

Re: 1984 Cheetah 170 restore

Finally a good day it took awhile to get started another trip to the machine shop to get the rods pressed off and re installed on new pistons finally something to get done i can do on my own woohoo. Re installed the crank, torqued to specs, installed rings on pistons correctly this time, installed pistons. torqued rod caps, installed cam, and installed lifters. I still need to make another trip back to the machine shop I think they took the cover off were the lifters are installed and dint send it back with me.

 

[scottn83]

Re: 1984 Cheetah 170 restore

Looks like do to the prep on the block i am going to have to give it another coat of paint oh well easy stuff

 

[tallcanadian]

Re: 1984 Cheetah 170 restore

Your moving right along. Nice job on the gelcoat. The motor is coming along just fine. I think you found yourself a good boat.