A few questions from a learner

[kylef]

Hi all, I have a Stingray 190RS with a 4.3 MerCruiser AlphaOne, which I had some minor issues a few months ago that this awesome community was able to help me with. She runs pretty good now, we even had her out yesterday with myself and my son wakeboarding for the first time ever behind her. My arms and legs are a bit sore haha

Anyway, I am relatively new to boating so have a few questions and some pictures go go along with some of them, any help would be greatly appreciated.

Question 1 is around the propeller, it looks like it's had a hard life but whether it's condition affects how it runs is part of my question. As we use the boat for towing a biscuit/tube, skiing and wakeboarding, is this the correct propeller to use? The writing on it is Solas E3x14.8x7R. I have seen 4 blade and 5 blade propellers before, which is best?

Question 2 I have labeled the picture with a number 2 - what is this device/contraption?

Question 3 is aligned to picture 3, which oil pump is this?

Question 4 is regarding my fuel gauge which is not working well at all, it jumps from full to 1/4 to 3/4 to full to empty 100 times a minute. I was told to check the contacts in the fuel tank, is the part I've circled in picture 4 the correct place I should unscrew and inspect?

My last question is regarding the vinyl seats. They are badly faded and a shade of brown from dust and dirt and heaven only knows what else. I've tried soap and water with sponges and hard bristled brushes. Has anybody got any advice on what I can try to use to get these back to a semi decent shade of white and red/maroon?

 

[tpenfield]

1) If the propeller works well for the water sports and you are hapy with it, then don't fix what ain't broke. If you want to get a bit better take-off for water sports, try a 4 blade with a bit less pitch. You'll have to look up what the pitch is on the current Solas prop.

2) That is your speedometer pick up tube (aka pitot tube) There also may be a small hole on the leading edge of the lower unit of the outdrive that does the same thing. Sometimes when the outdrive 'pitot' gets clogged, folks put on these aftermarket pitot thingys as they are easier to clean out if they get clogged. The speedometer works off of water pressure.

3) Trim pump.

4) That is the fuel sender, so check the wiring that is connected to it. BTW - I have never seen a fuel tank so close to the engine. Not sure if that was original or not. Be careful working around the tank/fuel

5) Try some vinyl cleaner/restorer on the seats with both a cloth and then a mild scrub brush to see if you can improve the appearance.

 

[dingbat]

Question 4 is regarding my fuel gauge which is not working well at all, it jumps from full to 1/4 to 3/4 to full to empty 100 times a minute. I was told to check the contacts in the fuel tank, is the part I've circled in picture 4 the correct place I should unscrew and inspect?

Yes, that it it.

Loose or bad wiring would cause the gauge to read empty when faulted.

Jumping between full, 1/4 and 3/4 is normal behavior for a “cork on a stick” type sender.

Change over to a “reed” type sender to resolve the issue

 

[Chris1956]

I think you should get a new prop. That one has significant chips, which will cost speed and efficiency.

Make sure the current Tach turns in the middle of the max recommended RPM range before choosing the pitch of the new prop. If so, a 4 blade with 2" less pitch may be better for that relatively heavy boat you have.

The bouncing in the fuel gauge is likely going to destroy the gauge, if you don't fix it. The gauge sender in the fuel tank looks different than the standard one. Check/clean the wiring on the sender and gauge. The fuel sender must be grounded as well.

 

[Sea Rider]

1-Need a wot run as loaded with current prop to know if the motor is revving inside its min-max wot rpm parameters factory stated which need to know in order to prop right that combo towars max wot rpm range to pull skiers out of the water faster...

Happy Boatig​

 

[Horigan]

The speed sensor on item 2 is flipped to the up position. Push it down is it is below the bottom of the boat. It's spring loaded to either the up or down position. In it's current position it won't read dynamic water pressure.

 

[cptbill]

That prop can be repaired for a lot less than replacing it, and what everyone else said.

 

[Sea Rider]

No way to repair a prop that hasn't been tached as loaded before. For boating WOT rpm is all, don't see those posted numbers nowhere in the post introduction. Once posted can go from there, reapairing, buying a new one, one with less pitch, whatever, not before...

Happy Boating​

 

[briangcc]

No way to repair a prop that hasn't been tached as loaded before. For boating WOT rpm is all, don't see those posted numbers nowhere in the post introduction. Once posted can go from there, reapairing, buying a new one, one with less pitch, whatever, not before...

Happy Boating​

Huh??

Any competent repair shop can do that work without knowing any WOT settings on the boat. They go off the specs of the prop.

Cost me $50 a few years back to have mine repaired for the Four Winns - met a rock pile. Only gave the shop my name and the bent prop - a couple weeks later, good as new.

 

[Sea Rider]

A Competent repair shop will ask which type of boat, size and current wot rpm the motor is revving at with current prop to better its water performance if the owner plans going that way. An Incompetent repair shop which you like to work with will give crap about those numbers and simply charge for the work done. Good as knew means nothing to anybody that understands well how wot rpm parameters works with an engine that revs way high than an automobile.

Happy Boating​

 

[wooky30014]

That prop can be repaired for a lot less than replacing it, and what everyone else said.

Yes it can be repaired but another thing to consider is having a spare prop handy just in case and the second prop could be pitched a little different for the skier hole-shot while the original kept for the "bass tourney boat race", and that is with all the WOT considerations and notations

 

[briangcc]

A Competent repair shop will ask which type of boat, size and current wot rpm the motor is revving at with current prop to better its water performance if the owner plans going that way. An Incompetent repair shop which you like to work with will give crap about those numbers and simply charge for the work done. Good as knew means nothing to anybody that understands well how wot rpm parameters works with an engine that revs way high than an automobile.

Happy Boating​

We'll agree to disagree as repairing the prop is just returning it to as purchased state. That can be done without any of the information you're craving. I know, I've had it done and had same performance after the repair.

Think of it as repairing a flat tire that was punctured by a nail. You're taking the tire into the shop to get the flat fixed, not run 100 miles at Daytona Speedway or a high speed run at the Salt Flats.

Now, if you want to repitch the prop to maximize it while its in the shop....then yes, you need that info.

 

[JimS123]

A Competent repair shop will ask which type of boat, size and current wot rpm the motor is revving at with current prop to better its water performance if the owner plans going that way. An Incompetent repair shop which you like to work with will give crap about those numbers and simply charge for the work done. Good as knew means nothing to anybody that understands well how wot rpm parameters works with an engine that revs way high than an automobile.

Happy Boating​

Hahaha. If I take my prop to be repaired and the guy quizzes me about rpm and tiny tach and gpses I say HE was an incompetent shop.

Having a prop repaired and asking for help deciding what prop I need are 2 different things.

Asking all the Qs are the sign of a guy that merely wants to sell you a new more expensive prop.

 

[Chris1956]

Gee, you can get a brand new Turning Point 4 blade prop housing for MerCruiser for under $100. I use this prop on my heavy 21 footer and it works well.
Cheaper prop housings are also available. Likely a direct replacement for yours is about $75.
A reusable hub for that prop and many others is about $45.

If it were me, I would run the boat up to max RPM with the current prop and then decide what pitch prop I wanted and order new. Keep the old one for a spare.

 

[Sea Rider]

Hahaha. If I take my prop to be repaired....

Gee. so you'll have a prop shop blindly repair your current prop when you don't have the least idea if it's a good or an awfull water performer. It's the fastest way of dropping money into the deep blue which can be wisely invested on a much better prop once knowing if the motor revs or not towards its max wot rpm range factory stated. If you pride yourself on being an avid boater this water test must be done yes or yes, will depend entirely on you if going per that route or not...

For Neptune's sake, test current prop on a wot run and go from there repairing or buying a new less pitch prop!!

Happy Boating​

 

[JimS123]

Gee. so you'll have a prop shop blindly repair your current prop ​

If you damage your prop that has been happily in use for some time, yes, blindly repair it.

If you just bought a boat and it has a crappy prop, yes blindly repair it so you can generate the data to find out whether it is the right prop or not. Tiny tack, gps and zipping along with a damaged prop may just give you the wrong answers and then for sure you you wasted money.

In any event, you just now got a perfectly repaired spare, and we all need one of those anyway.

Apples, oranges and symantics.

 

[Sea Rider]

If you damage your prop that has been happily in use for some time, yes, blindly repair it.

Without offense happens the OP's prop is not yours in current use powering whatever your boating with, prop you don't know anytng about, which it's a completely different playland park.

Bad idea to wot test a chewed, shot prop, needs to be water tested way in advance to know if performed top or not in order to have it repaired, buy exact same or one with less pitch whichever situation calls for. It has not occurred to anyone to go towards that route as everybody cares about his prop when it's completely kaputt!!

We're trying to school the OP on what to know, check, do well in advance for top boating, is it not the spirit of this nice boating forum ?

Happy Boating​

 

[JimS123]

Without offense happens the OP's prop is not yours in current use powering whatever your boating with, prop you don't know anytng about, which it's a completely different playland park.

Bad idea to wot test a chewed, shot prop, needs to be water tested way in advance to know if performed top or not in order to have it repaired, buy exact same or one with less pitch whichever situation calls for. It has not occurred to anyone to go towards that route as everybody cares about his prop when it's completely kaputt!!

We're trying to school the OP on what to know, check, do well in advance for top boating, is it not the spirit of this nice boating forum ?

Happy Boating​

Look up semantics in your Funk & Wagnalls. You just said exactly what I said using different words.

Then look up Post #1 Paragraph #1.

Since the OP hasn't been back since Post #1 I'm guessing the first few replies answered his questions.

 

[kylef]

Thank you all for the replies

With regards to the propeller, besides for opening up a can of worms due to my lack of knowledge around propellers and how they perform, I am simply wondering if a propeller with more blades would yield any different results in getting a skier or wakeboarder up. The one that is on the boat at the moment works well enough to get my overweight butt up on a wakeboard with 4 on the boat but due to this one looking like it has been used in a rock pool, I'd like to replace it. If the advise I am being given is that this one is fine, I'd prefer to get the same one new as opposed to having it repaired.

I have pushed the speed sensor pickup device to the power position, hoping this works.

I will take the fuel sender wiring off and give it a bit of a clean up and tidy it all up, hope it fixes the situation.

With regards to the vinyl upholstery, a few hours ago somebody asked me why I don't just dye the vinyl - I didn't even know that that was a possibility. Has anybody done this before? I will put a post in the restoration section around this but thought I'd ask anyway. I am considering putting a grey 3M wrap on the hull of the boat so if dyeing the vinyl would work, I'd simply dye the maroon parts grey to match the boat.

Thank you again for all of your replies, much appreciated.

 

[Sea Rider]

Before investing money blindly rebuilding current prop, buying new same one or one with more blades, need to tach current prop as usually loaded and same scenario while pulling toys, skiers at same time to know the wot rpm differences achieved at both scenarios.... Does your boat counts with an installed tachometer ?

Happy Boating​