1987 Power Play XLT-185 - floors, stringers, and upholstery

[todhunter]

Need pics of the race car

 

[Scott Danforth]

No rub marks?

 

[todhunter]

No rub marks?

Drag racing. If I'm rubbing, I'm doing something wrong.

 

[Baylinerchuck]

I've heard mixed reviews about the Sniper. I think you are wise to sell it off.

Completely agree. The QJs are rock solid once properly built and maintained. The boat turned out awesome.

 

[todhunter]

Today marks the 1 year anniversary of my project splashing. Just want to encourage those out there who are in the middle of a restoration or are thinking about taking one on that there is light at the end of the tunnel!

 

[88 Capri (2022 SOTY)]

Happy Anniversary!!

 

[todhunter]

Prepping the boat for the season. Today I pulled the swim platforms off so I can oil them. I also pulled the fuel sending unit, which was getting very erratic and mostly not working by the end of last season. I measured tank depth for a Wema / Kus-USA replacement fuel sending unit, and will order one on Monday. I also finally got around to installing my Gator-Guards KeelShield. It's been sitting on the shelf for over a year. I've got a few other things to go through in the next week, but hoping to get it on the water next weekend.

 

[chevymaher]

Looking good. It is time. Enjoy.

 

[dobs204]

More cutting tonight. I got the "kick board" out in one piece from under the dash, and pulled up the remaining front part of the rotten inner stringers and deck that was under the dash. I also dug out the foam that was under this area. The stringers and deck stop at the bulkhead that is just aft of the fuel tank. I'll start working toward the stern later this week.

The "kick board" from under the dash removed. Not sure why someone cut the access hole in the past. I'm going to try and re-use this piece.

The area where the kick board was. You can see the remainder of the deck in the front as well as the bulkhead that's just aft of the fuel tank.

Deck removed, stringers remain.

Stringers cut out.

Current status. This is as far forward as I plan on cutting.

Looks very similar to what I'm experiencing with a 1983 Four Winns Liberator 203.

 

[todhunter]

Got on the water yesterday and it stranded me. Back to its old tricks of flooding out at low throttle and idle. I've got the QJ off the boat and back on the work bench, and I'm adding a fuel pressure gauge to see if it's the fuel pump that's the issue.

 

[tpenfield]

Bummer. I hope you get it sorted out.

 

[Reserector_]

Hmmm... QJ, you say.
Quadrajet is fairly simple.
Float height perhaps? Needle and seat not sealing when the bowl is full?

Idle air circuit mixture screws let more air in as they are backed out. If the carb is from a larger displacement engine, it may not lean up enough. In that case, I'm told that the passages can be enlarged.

It's got an accelerator pump. If that's dumping too much off idle, it can be adjusted, although I don't recall how. It's been a minute since I worked on one.

Secondaries are needles. Maybe they are not moving freely? Hanging open?

 

[todhunter]

Hmmm... QJ, you say.
Quadrajet is fairly simple.
Float height perhaps? Needle and seat not sealing when the bowl is full?

Idle air circuit mixture screws let more air in as they are backed out. If the carb is from a larger displacement engine, it may not lean up enough. In that case, I'm told that the passages can be enlarged.

It's got an accelerator pump. If that's dumping too much off idle, it can be adjusted, although I don't recall how. It's been a minute since I worked on one.

Secondaries are needles. Maybe they are not moving freely? Hanging open?

I tried lowering the float height already to clamp the needle to the seat better and lower the bowl's fuel level. Needle and seat looked fine, and they are only about 8 months old. Idle mixture screws were between 2-3 turns out from seated, which seems about normal from what I've ready.

I've got Cliff's book and the original Rochester Carburetor book by Roe. Pouring back through those now, with the carb fully disassembled in front of me. I'm really kind of thinking it might be the fuel pump supplying too much pressure, blowing the needle off the seat. Hopefully the gauge will tell.

It was doing this last season (though, not as bad as it did it this weekend) and it eventually sorted itself out and ran fine towards the end of the season. It always does just fine when it's cold and warming up initially, and the issue only creeps in after coming down to idle after it's warmed up, or trying to start it back up after it's warm.

At idle I can pull the flame arrestor and see fuel dribbling out of the primary nozzles. From what I understand that shouldn't be the case - the idle circuit should be handling all the fuel delivery at idle.

I'm going to rebuild it again, add the fuel pressure gauge, and maybe try the idle mixture screws in a little leaner and see what I find out.

 

[Reserector_]

I think you are on the right track. Your logic is sound. When the engine is cold, it likes the excess fuel. Same as being choked.
That carb can't handle much pressure before it bypasses the float needle. Probably 2 - 4psi? At that point, the fuel needs to stop, or return to tank until there is demand again.

It was probably better last year because the carb parts were brand new, and because you were on the throttle allot.

 

[todhunter]

Got my carb rebuilt and the fuel pressure gauge installed. I talked to a guy who knows a lot about QJ's and he told me about an orifice to open up slightly, which I did, and that seems to have drastically improved my nozzle drip. On-the-water testing tomorrow!

 

[88 Capri (2022 SOTY)]

Good luck!

 

[todhunter]

Welp! Boat is still up to its antics. I got stranded again today and had to get a buddy to tow me in. Ran great on the hose in the driveway, at first startup at the lake, and for the entire 20+ minute ride at 4,000 RPM up the river. Once I pulled back to idle when we got where we wanted, though, it died and did it's thing where it was just flooding out like crazy.

I did notice on the hose this morning that fuel pressure was 9.0 - 9.5 psi at first start, but it still seemed to run fine at that fuel pressure from a cold start. Despite this, I'm going to replace the fuel pump tomorrow. If it's still high, I'll add an in-line regulator. If that still doesn't work, I think I'll be changing to an Edelbrock or a Holley.

 

[nola mike]

Welp! Boat is still up to its antics. I got stranded again today and had to get a buddy to tow me in. Ran great on the hose in the driveway, at first startup at the lake, and for the entire 20+ minute ride at 4,000 RPM up the river. Once I pulled back to idle when we got where we wanted, though, it died and did it's thing where it was just flooding out like crazy.

I did notice on the hose this morning that fuel pressure was 9.0 - 9.5 psi at first start, but it still seemed to run fine at that fuel pressure from a cold start. Despite this, I'm going to replace the fuel pump tomorrow. If it's still high, I'll add an in-line regulator. If that still doesn't work, I think I'll be changing to an Edelbrock or a Holley.

That sucks. Did you check the pressure at speed and when it died? My Edelbrock had flooding problems at 7.5 psi (and ran fine at 2-2.5 psi). Mechanical or electric pump?

 

[Reserector_]

Put some Vice Grips on the fuel line and adjust the thumbscrew until it leans out at idle.
But seriously, yeah, that's too much pressure for a carb. You only need a couple or a few psi or it will push fuel past the float needle.
The cold engine can apparently tolerate the extra fuel.
Example:
I have an electric pump on my lawn tractor to pull fuel up from the tank if I run it empty. After that, the stock diaphram is plenty. But, if I accidentally bump the pump switch back on with it running, it floods out. The electric pump is only (supposedly) 4 - 4.5 psi. So, my point is that 4-ish may even be too much. nola-mike may be spot on with 2 - 2.5 psi.

 

[todhunter]

It's a mechanical pump. Unfortunately I didn't get a look at the gauge when it was dying. Idle screws are barely out as it is. It looks like it's blowing past the needle and just spilling out of the bowl vent and down both the primaries and secondaries.