90' spectrum 19' I/O

[huggyb1972]

I'm back to a regular size boat again but we're going cheap. I lucked in to a cheap scrap price Spectrum 19' I/O last week. The deck and seats are shot but the hull is in amazing condition haven't found so much as a scratch below the water line which is rare for a boat this old. It is powered by the 2.3l omc outdrive appearently dreaded by many but I had a extra motor laying around so I took a chance. The outdrive don't look to bad other than the bellows are rotted out the motor does turn over but the 4th cylinder was full of water and had no compression so i may be pulling the motor in the next couple day waiting to hear the motor run for the first time.




My daughter got in on the fun and removed the spark plugs and vacuumed the leaves out. Shes gonna love when we start on her Bronco

 

[jerryjerry05]

Re: 90' spectrum 19' I/O

Before spending a lot of $$$$ Check the manifold/riser.they are no longer available.
If yours hasn't been in salt water it's possible it might still be good.
I like Marvel Mystery Oil.Or really any snakeoil you get will help free the piston..

 

[huggyb1972]

Re: 90' spectrum 19' I/O

What do I look for on the manifold? it has no cracks the back exhaust port was full of gunk and the drain for it was plugged up as a result. does this thing just have a bad design or what?




How cool they made the adaptor with mounting holes for Ford and Chevy v-8's I have a extra 351w laying around Hmmmmm...:facepalm:

so i can remember which wire goes where

 

[jerryjerry05]

Re: 90' spectrum 19' I/O

The end of the riser? Look up inside it?Take the riser off and inspect it.
The manifold is no longer available.The riser can be bought.$200+
Look inside the riser and the manifold. PICS??

 

[huggyb1972]

Re: 90' spectrum 19' I/O

The end of the riser? Look up inside it?Take the riser off and inspect it.
The manifold is no longer available.The riser can be bought.$200+
Look inside the riser and the manifold. PICS??

I will see if I can get it apart, but I ain't doing anything until I can find a suitable gasket replacement for it and get it ordered I have had things happen before you know. Thanks for the advice though I really appreciate it.

 

[jerryjerry05]

Re: 90' spectrum 19' I/O

The gaskets shouldn't be a problem.
0912477 Riser gasket
0913393 Manifold gasket.
Both about $7-8 boats . net

 

[huggyb1972]

Re: 90' spectrum 19' I/O

So here is what it looks like inside mine.



These guys show they have replacements for this one but I can't see any major problem with mine other than the degredation of the metal between the exhaust ports.
Marine exhaust manifold for OMC 2.3L Engine

 

[jerryjerry05]

Re: 90' spectrum 19' I/O

Yours looks good. You can get the mating surfaces milled if they don't clean up?
There is a thief on e-bay selling one for $1000 He's in Ontario,Ca.
He knows how rare they are.
Your link is a much better price.

 

[huggyb1972]

Re: 90' spectrum 19' I/O

Anyway we got some more work accomplished





Raised the floor 1-1/2" the ski well is to shallow to hold skis so I raised the floor a little. Kellie and dad will be priming and painting the deck tomorrow so next week we can start putting this stuff back in. I hopefully will get my little boat sold so I have some extra cash to quick this baby up a notch and get on the water quicker.

 

[huggyb1972]

Re: 90' spectrum 19' I/O

I think this paint job would look cool on the lake this year represented on my hull.

 

[jerryjerry05]

Re: 90' spectrum 19' I/O

Your not wasting any time.Good job.

 

[huggyb1972]

Re: 90' spectrum 19' I/O

I should have been on the water by now with my little john boat reeling in one Crappie after another but intead of staying the course and buying a new 9.9 or 15hp outboard I bought the SS "steaming pile". So I got to make hay while the sun is shining I want to be on the water in 3 weeks I'm hoping the guy shows up tonight with money in hand to take my little boat. That transaction will let me get the motor sent off to the machine shop and turned around here in about a week or so. This will be a much better family time boat than the 12' john was it's paid for and will be newly rebuilt so I should get a few good years out of it before moving on and the next guy will have a well built utility boat if I can bear to part with it.

 

[huggyb1972]

Re: 90' spectrum 19' I/O

Okay so here is a question for you OMC guys. What is general problems this outdrive has that need be reckoned with before I put it back in? I already plan on a new water pump and bellows and maybe a gimble bearing. What other inherant problems does a OMC Cobra have aft of the engine?

 

[wcasey5]

Re: 90' spectrum 19' I/O

Lower shift cable.

 

[huggyb1972]

Re: 90' spectrum 19' I/O

Okay I found this little link for info about the cable and related things.
OMC Cobra Sterndrive Tech Info

 

[jerryjerry05]

Re: 90' spectrum 19' I/O

Your boat probably has the newer type cable.
Even then the bell housing where the shift lever sets can have trouble.
There is a piece called a bellcrank. It can get corrosion aroung the end.
It builds up over time and makes shifting difficult.
You can take it apart and clean it.BUT!!!! you need to remember the setting and the turns on the screws etc.
Or buy the tools. That's the best bet.

 

[huggyb1972]

Re: 90' spectrum 19' I/O

No real progress this week I did teardown the motor and send it to the machine shop for cleaning and magnifluxing, if that all goes well we will punch the block out .030 and reassemble the motor. I keep putting my head in the clouds for some performance mods cause you never want a slower boat but then again I don't want to spend all the resto money in one spot.

 

[jerryjerry05]

Re: 90' spectrum 19' I/O

Stay stock.The amount of speed you'll get is minimal.
At .030 check into rejetting the carb??? Not sure it's needed but you never know.
I'd start a thread on that.
Say gonna bore a 4cyl out.030 and do I need to rejet?
Then add everything all the details?

 

[huggyb1972]

Re: 90' spectrum 19' I/O

So the last few days I have been piddling around on the boat motor, but today was a all out assualt on installing the deck in the boat and I made a dent in it finally.


laying foam board to keep the channels open when the expanding foam.


Deck finally fastened down ready for the rest of the construction to begin.

 

[jerryjerry05]

Re: 90' spectrum 19' I/O

1 more thing.When you change the oil in the drive.
The oil should be filled from the side.
Filling from the bottom, it won't get enough oil and the top gears will burn up.

Don't forget the ski locker in the floor.