How Fast ?

[R.Johnson]

Re: How Fast ?

I'm trying to think if your 30 has what they called a cruise throttle back then. If it has, check, and see if the carb is going to full open when you advance the throttle.

 

[Chinewalker]

Re: How Fast ?

There was a set of plans available back in the 1950s for a boat called "The Meteor". It was available in the "Boat Builder's Handbook" series and I even built a model of one. Except for the recessed transom the lines are very similar. The recessed transom could be a modification of the design done by the builder.

As for set-up, you should be able to find a higher pitch prop that could work, BUT you would also need to go upwards on the transom. A 2-blade Michigan AJC-series prop might work for you. I saw a couple on eBay in the last week or two - one bronze, one aluminum. We ran a 1956 Johnson 30hp on our Sid-Craft utility and ran it at almost 19-inches on the transom. The 2-blade prop, with a bit of cup in the blades, through plenty of water into the intake. You want your RPM to be in the 4500-4700 range. No more, or they start snapping crankshafts.

Here are some pics of my Meteor model, 1/10 scale.
- Scott

 

[Chinewalker]

Re: How Fast ?

Here is a second Meteor model I built for a friend of mine...

 

[Brymill]

Re: How Fast ?

Ok guys I'm a dumb---! After reading the post by RJohnson I went home and started looking at the throttle and linkage on the carb. I had always felt like I was not getting enough forward throttle on the controls as I should and I was right. I put the motor in forward and shifted to wot and looked at the linkage on the carb. Well I had 3/8" or more before the linkage bottomed out on the stop. I took the cable off for the FNR and pulled the cowl off to look at the linkage under the armature plate to see what was stopping it from going wot. To make a long story short the shift cable was not letting the shift arm seat in the forward position as it should it was not going forward enough so the linkage bar was stopping the throttle from going to wot. I hooked everything back up and tried to adjust the cable but it will not adjust enough to correct the problem. I'm thinking I need a shorter connector on the cable end to make it work. The boat had no controls when I got it so I had to start from scratch. Apparentally I did not pay enough attention to getting it done right. Any thoughts on a fix for my problem? The motor not the dumb--- part. Thanks for everyones help and comments.

 

[R.Johnson]

Re: How Fast ?

Thats great that you found the problem. Can you bring the shift linkage into proper adjustment with the plastic furrle on the shift cable? If not, remove the end of the shift cable, and measure the core wire with the control lever in full forward gear, it should protrude 4 7/16. If the core cable has possibly been shortened sometime in it's life, it won't come into adjustment. It's going to be fun to see what kind of speed you get now. As it was, you were probably at around half throttle, or less. Let us know.

 

[CATransplant]

Re: How Fast ?

Sounds like you're on your way to fixing your problem. I'm betting you fly once you get that fixed up.

You did say that you were having problems with porpoising at the second hole on the tilt, if I remember right. You do look like you're riding a little bow high in that last photo. That could change as you get more throttle, but you may have to come in one more hole.

Keep us up to date, and do take some photos of your boat running at full speed!

 

[Brymill]

Re: How Fast ?

I tried to adjust cable but it still will not work. the cables are brand new teleflex so they should not have been shortened. I will measure the core wire this afternoon and see what I get. Its going to be interresting to see what it will do once I get this problem resolved. I got excited last night when I out what was happening. thanks

 

[R.Johnson]

Re: How Fast ?

If you should find the cable to long, this may be what happened as you say the cables are new. In the control box, when you run the core wire into into the plastic sleeve with the brass connector, the wire must pass thru the connector, and be flush with the outer plastic sleeve, in other word's, it has to be clear thru, but flush, not sticking out at all. When you tighten the two pinch bolts, back both out until loose. Then tighten one screw until it makes contact with the core wire, then give it one complete turn. This puts the proper kink in the wire, then tighten the other screw. Do this at both end's of the cable. At the engine, is the shift lever straight up, and down in neatrul. Straight up, and down is really not the proper adjustment, I just want to know if it has been worked with.

 

[Brymill]

Re: How Fast ?

I don't think its straight up. I believe its a little forward but I would have to look and make sure.

 

[R.Johnson]

Re: How Fast ?

On the handle you will find to adjusting screws, one straight out to the side, the other at a right angle under the handle shaft. The handle will have a pin that ride's on the shift tension shaft, it look's like a two step cam. Shift the engine into forward, and turn the prop up against the shift dog. Shift the engine to neutral, and turn the prop about an 1'8 of a turn, this will put the shift dog up against the gear. Shift to forward, and the handle will stop about half way, the dog will be up againt the notch on the gear. The pin on the shift handle should hit the cam at the mid point. If not, loosen the two screws, and adjust the handle till it does. Favor full engagement on forward gear. Now while turning the prop, shift to full engagement. Go thru the whole routine again, and see if the pin hit's at the midpoint of the cam. It should do this for both forward, and reverse, but favor full forward for engagement. Hope this makes sense.

 

[Brymill]

Re: How Fast ?

RJohnson - I read your post about the cable length and checked mine and well with the linkage connector off and control lever full forward its about
3/4" short of the 4 7/16" you said it needed. I went to a local marina and measured a new cable with the core wire pushed in flush on one end and measured the other 4 3/8". I checked mine the same way and it measured
4 5/16". Is this close or should it measure the 4 7/16" with the control end hooked up? Also read your last post on the adjustment and was going to give that a shot yesterday but I wanted to check the cable length first. I took the boat to an ACBS boat show this weekend in Mooresville NC and it didn't turn out very well. I sat out in the baking sun all day and the one time I left my boat to go eat someone tried to lift the boat off the trailer and pulled my handle out of the transom. The sad thing is that they were not going to lift it up anyway because with the motor down on the trailer the nose of the foot gose under a roll on the trailer so they were not going to lift it up but they tried. The guy in charge of the show did not seem to be to concerned. Don't think I'll be going back to that show next year. Anyway got some work to do before I can get it back in the water.

 

[R.Johnson]

Re: How Fast ?

I should have exsplained better. The core wire should protrude 4 7/16 from the bare sleeve, or nothing connected. What on earth were the people at that boat show trying to do? People like that must not have any fear of anything.

 

[Brymill]

Re: How Fast ?

I don't know what those people were thinking. I was pretty upset and was ready to leave. As I was loading up in the parking lot still had people looking at the boat and asking questions. I even opened the cowl up and showed a gentlemen how I converted the motor over to a fuel pump and explained how to do it and the parts he would need. It wasn't a bad day all together but you tend to remember the over the good. I met a lot of nice people and had some good conversation but I will remember thats were my boat was damaged. I hope to give the lever adjustment a whirl tonight before I start sanding on the transom. Again thanks for your help.

 

[CATransplant]

Re: How Fast ?

Shocking! What on earth were those people trying to do by lifting on the handles with the boat on the trailer? I can't even imagine touching someone's old boat at a show, much less doing something like that.

It boggles the mind, frankly.

 

[Brymill]

Re: How Fast ?

Ok, I adjusted the shift lever as RJohnson described in an earlier post but still cannot get the to full forward position with the cable hooked up. I have attached some photos so maybe you guys can see whats happening and shift me in the right direction. Photo1a is where I have the lever adjusted after you go to neutral and rotate prop while shifting to forward. Thats where it stops. Pretty close to half way. The other photos are showing the position with the cable hooked up and the controls to full forward. As you can see I come up short and never make the forward position on the motor. Its in forward but the throttle will not go to WOT. I tried adjusting the lever all the way forward with the procedure RJohnson gave me but still could not reach the forward position when I hooked the cable up and adjusted. Any thoughts on what I have going on here. I thought maybe the shift linkage connector in the lower unit was the problem but it was doing this same thing before I converted to a short shaft. I used a connector off of a 1957 18hp Evinrude. I was told that it was the same and would work. Everything there went together perfectly when I convert to short shaft. Any thoughts would be great. Thanks

 

[R.Johnson]

Re: How Fast ?

Looking at the photo's, that is the position the gear lever would be in if the lug on the clutch dog was up against the lug on the gear which is not full engagement. If you turn the prop, will the engine go into full forward? Try it with the remote cable disconnected. When you put the control box together, is the nylon gear rack in proper engagement with the teeth on the gear handle. In full forward the last tooth on the gear should be in the last notch in the rack. Is the any core wire protruding out the back of the rack? There should'nt be.

 

[Brymill]

Re: How Fast ?

If you turn the prop it willl not go into full forward but if you disconnect the remote cable with it in the forward positin the shift lever will spring forward into full forward position. Its like the cable is whats holding it from making position. I checked the position of the gear with the rack in the control box and looked good. Last tooth in last notch on rack. I'll double check this afternoon. I think the motor part of the equation is good. I think its got to be something in the control box and cables.

 

[CATransplant]

Re: How Fast ?

It does look, in your photos, like the shift lever's movement is limited by the cable, and that it cannot go farther forward.

When you shift into reverse with your controls, does the shift lever on the control go fully back, or is there some room left for it to go further. Obviously, the lever on the engine will go to full reverse, looking at the photo.

Something's sure screwy. It would be interesting to swap in a different cable, one known to work with a big twin. If that worked, then the problem would definitely be in the length of the movable part of the cable. Maybe the 18 hp has a shorter travel on the engine shifter lever and that cable simple will not work on a big twin.

Very odd, and frustrating, too, since I know you want to get out there and find out what the boat will do when that engine's actually at WOT.

 

[CATransplant]

Re: How Fast ?

One other thought here, and it's a long shot, perhaps.

Is it remotely possible that the lower shift rod is not fully engaged in the connector in the mid-section? It's a common thing and, if the clamp bolt is tight enough, things would be repositioned down about 1/4", and you might not notice it. It might still shift into forward with the control cable off, but not with the control cable on. The shift handle might be repositioned to compensate, but not enough for the control cable to work.

It's an unlikely situation, I realize, but just conceivable. Were it me, though, I'd have that cover off and be checking. It would be an easy fix for a problem, and nothing lost if that's not it.

 

[Brymill]

Re: How Fast ?

I think I have the cables that came with the control box. They were about 4' to long for this boat so I bought the new ones. I'll try and round those up and hook one up to see if it makes a difference. As far as the controls goig to all the way back when shifting to reverse I don't think it dose. I was actually thinkinig about shifting the rack more towards the rear of the control to give more core cable a the engine. I'll see what I come up with. I fixed the other damage to the tramsom already just have to paint. Thanks