Re: A ? for all of the FORCE knowledgable people
Don't run without a tstat,Robert. The mechanic is trying to tell you cool water isn't cool enough to warp or crack heads or manifold plates. would I trust him? Not when the engineeers fealt it important enough that the Tstat stayed in thier design,in spite of the money man's desire to cut unit costs.<br />They regulate the water jacket temps. too hot, and the water boils,cavitates on the steam,and overheats..Engines stops running.<br />Too cold, and the hot metal parts contact cold water and crack or warp...engine stops running.<br />I know this sounds like I'm over simplifying it, but how many times have you heard of Florida car owners who remove the thermostats on thier cars? But then ,these are closed systems. The water will only get warmer.Unlike the outboard,which injests constantly cold water into a varying-temperature engine. So I would (and have) run my car without a tstat. Here in Florida, who needs a heater anyway? But never on my outboards.<br />The tstat desintigrated? Where did the pieces go (I'm allmost afraid to hear the answer)?<br /><br />On all 2,3,and 4 cylinder Force engines, the Tstat is housed in the top of the head. It's an easy and cheap fix (9 buks for the tstat).<br /><br />The mechanic MAY have meant the Bypass valve desintigrated,hut still...Just take it out, and install a new one.<br /><br />And it really does sound like you are overpropped. Prop shops do not like to attempt re-pitching props, but in the case of your 90HP,they will do it,because it sounds like they don't manufacture a lower pitched prop. I have the same problem with my 50HP Force. 13.5x15 or nothing. But my boat is setup close enough to where the prop is about right stock. The problem you are having is the boats wieght and hyrodynamics call for a lower pitch. I'm not a prop man by any stretch. I'm just regurgitating what I have learned on this site about them.<br />But just like a Scarab offshore racer will not win with a tugboat prop (assuming he could mount it), you'll eventually burn that motor up by putting undue strain on it.<br />Also, you are underpowered,given the wieght/length of your craft. But due to the way deckboats and pontoon boats are made,higher speeds are not safe given thier structure. I'm not saying they are structurly unsound, just that they aren't designed for speed. They are designed for par-tays with many folks. This hull design will naturally go slower than a runabout of the same size and HP. Whereas, the Scarab's sequential lift hull was built to plane in less time, and go much faster, but can only carry a few folks...And they best be well-destributed and strapped-in. I have seen them jump 5 foot seas at WOT. I've seen a deckboat off Fort Myers Beach with 7 people stuff the bow (Bow goes under a wave,boat stops dead,stands on it's bow,then backs out like a cork)in 2foot seas.It wasn't pretty. We all must learn our boat's handling characteristics, and stay within it's abilities. Just like my Bayliner Capri,it too, will stuff in a 3 foot boat wake, if I hit it wrong. And I must allways watch out for those, even on a flat body of water like the Caloosahatchee River.<br /><br />But I said all that to say, I would not arbitrarily go up on the horsepower, if the hull plate says no. However, the engine must develope it's full RPM range, or it will live a short life.
