JS Machine 1
Cadet
- Joined
- Jun 17, 2006
- Messages
- 12
I have just bought a '73 glastron v-179 with the volvo 4 cylinder and the volvo penta outdrive. I bought it from an old man I work with and he bought it from the original owner. it has been taken very well taken care of, and the only thing that is not stock is the carpet. I mean if you could see the condition of this boat, you would be amazed. The guy I bought it from lives on the lake and he took it out alot, usually to take his kids skiing. He's never had any bad problems out of it. He just recently bought another boat and didn't need two of them. We took the boat out several times before I bought it in the last couple of days.<br />I took it out on the water today by myself for my first run. I took my tools with me because I knew I might have some trouble. The boat just had the head resurfaced and a new head gasket installed. it runs great, but there are some quirks that I have. I build hot rods as a hobby and this boat is just in a mess when you open the engine cover. There are wires everywhere and most of them go to a specific location, but they are just floating around. I have no prior experience with boating or working on them, but I can run circles around cars. I would like to rebuild some of the specific parts and make sure that I have everything running properly to avoid damage. I definitly want to run synthetic oil in it, but I don't know what grade. The guy I bought it from also told me that the foot or outdrive or lower unit (not sure of what this is referred to) also has some oil too. I have a couple of questions. <br />When I took the boat out today, I noticed how hard it goes in and out of reverse and forward. I am so used to a clutch or an auto trans, so bumps kind of freak me out. Maybe it is supposed to be this way, I'm not sure. The bumps are not really hard just a thump. It does kind of sound out of place to me though. <br />It has two solex carbs that seam to run very well and the engine performs great. I have a couple of questions about the trim. <br />As I said before, I have no prior boating experience, and I am learning. I have a very big quirk about not messing things up and I am very careful with things that probably don't mean a thing. For example, I will lift the trim when I get in or near shallow water because I don't want to scar up the prop or break it. I also put it in neutral. <br />Today I had my first downfall.I was coming out of a slew here on one of our local lakes, and I was putting the boat back in gear. I was also trying to get the trim down at the same time. I can't remember if I was doing them both at once, but if not they had to have been right after one another. I heard a loud pop, kinda like a break--thats what it was I found out later. <br />After I got out of the slew i tried to let the trim down, just to be sure it was all the way down. as I did this the boat abrubtly stopped and everything was dead. After careful inspection and one person stopping and offering a tow, I figured out the problem. The hot wire coming from the battery had gotten jambed in between the broken casting pieces of the trim motor casting and flange. The trim motor is attached to a casting, which is attatched to a piece that resembles the bellhousing on a car(again, not sure of the correct name of these parts) and the spindle travels down and through and out of the bottom where it contacts the out drive unit. <br />The casting broke, right around the flange, where it bolts to the bellhousing looking thing. I can easily reweld and re machine this piece for a good repair, but I can't figure out how to get it off. The flange is more than the usual "stuck to the other surface by an old gasket". I have tried prying and everything to get this flange piece off, but it won't budge. Am I missing something?<br />Also, even if I do get that off, I cannot figure out how to get the little pad on the end of the shaft off, so that I can bring it up through the "bellhousing". This pad I am describing, it looks something like the pad that swivels on the end of a C clamp screw. It appears to maybe be swaged in place or permanently attached, but I'm not sure. Hopefully, you can see what I am describing, but if not just ask, I can post pictures. <br />I am a machinist/toolmaker by trade, and I can fix just about anything metal. I am not afraid of dmaging this Trim motor thing further, I just need to know how to get it out, lol. <br /><br />So basically my questions are:<br />1. Can I get this trim unit out..is it worth fixing..I know a new one would be terribly expensive.<br /><br />2. What is the "bump" that I hear when it goes in and out of gear?<br /><br />3. Is it ok to put it in the water and run it without the trim working??( the rest of the boat is fine the trim is just broken). the drive and prop would just be in the bottom posiion at all times. <br /><br />4. Any other suggestions or opinions you guys have about this boat/motor setup or anything else I need to be doing?<br /><br />Rest assured I have two fire extinguishers on board and I am prepared for just about anything, lol.<br />Thanks. Sorry for the long post, just trying to get everything that is on my mind. I really appreciate the help.