Im New! First Time Bayliner Owner

[evilnss]

Hey Everyone,

My names John aka "Little John". I just purchased my 2nd boat this past Monday. A 2000 Bayliner Capri 2050LX.

I purchased my first boat last summer, a 1996 Sea doo Sportster. That was a fun boat, i've become pretty good mechanically. Vie replaced the impeller, wear ring, power take off, and misc gaskets with that boat. Had it all torn apart over the winter, and put it all back together this past Saturday, and tossed it up for sale that night. Woke up with an email from a guy who wanted it so I took it out on the lake for its last drive before it went home to the new owner.

On the way home from selling that boat, I found the bayliner on ebay.

I'm 24, and I have a great job with the govt, and I also own a fairly large internet radio station (A Top40 Format station) I also DJ on the weekends. I do allot of web design on the side along with graphics and such.

The biggest reason for selling my sea doo was I wanted something bigger, my parents are getting older and my mom has come out with us a few times on the sea doo and its hard on her, and the sea doo wasn't very stable just floating around. She almost fell once from a wake, and god forbid if she fell I would feel horrible. My dad isn?t the best swimmer in the world, so the sea doo wasn?t really the kind of boat he would have felt comfortable just setting in. With my full schedule now, I don?t get to spend as much time with them as I?d like, So I wanted something a big bigger so they could come out, and be more comfortable in the boat with my girlfriend and myself.

The sea doo was a 14? boat with 80hp, and the bayliner is 21? with 250HP.

I?m a bit nervous to take the boat out, its a lot bigger than what i'm used to and having only driving jet skis and jet boats im not sure what to expect. (that?s where you all come in!)

I got the boat for a great deal from a family who purchased a new house and has two small kids so they didn?t get to use it as much as they?d liked.

The Boat has a 302 Merc (Does that mean Mercury motor or Mercruiser?) Seats 8 people or 1100lbs. and seems like a great boat. We started it up before I took it home Monday night using the hose from the house and a set of ?muffs?. And it fired right up, motor sounded great.

I also noticed that while we have it running to go from neutral info forward, it grinds a bit when it engages, is that normal?

I just tossed in a new battery last night.

I?ve read the beginners guide that is on another forum. But like any newbie, I still have a ton of questions (But I know how to use the search feature!).

Anyhow I look forward to chatting with everyone, and getting involved with this forum!

Cheers!
John

(sorry about the long post!)

 

[evilnss]

Re: Im New! First Time Bayliner Owner

 

[evilnss]

Re: Im New! First Time Bayliner Owner

 

[Philster]

Re: Im New! First Time Bayliner Owner

Mercury = outboard engine from Mercury Marine

Mercruiser = inboard/outboard setup from Mercury Marine (a.k.a sterndrive, like you have)

Both are from Mercury Marine. Nickname: Merc. Same company. They take GM engines and marinize them. That is what you have: a GM 302.

Sound platform. Very sound.

 

[badbowtie]

Re: Im New! First Time Bayliner Owner

Nice clean looking boat. I am not sure about the noisre shifting into gear since I don't do it while I am on land with it running, I am pretty sure that is bad on it. You can take it to the lake and see if it does it on the trailer before you even unload it.

 

[evilnss]

Re: Im New! First Time Bayliner Owner

Another thing I was wondering, I had the muffs hooked up last night and when going from neutral to forward it would like stall out? Am I shifting to slow into gear?

Thanks

 

[Raybone956]

Re: Im New! First Time Bayliner Owner

I'm jelous, I've been looking for weeks with zero luck and you fall right into a sweet boat...

 

[RickJ6956]

Re: Im New! First Time Bayliner Owner

Mercruisers have a switch that removes torque from the engine during shifting. It does this by killing the engine for the time the shift lever is between neutral and gear. This is because there is no actual clutch, which also explains the grinding sound you hear when you shift.

When you shift, don't be timid. The worst thing you can do is slowly move the throttle into gear. You'll soon get the feel of it so you can shift the boat without increasing engine speed.

It's also a good idea to let the engine RPMs rev down to idle before shifting. IOW, don't jam it from forward to reverse at 4,000 RPM.

 

[Philster]

Re: Im New! First Time Bayliner Owner

Move it into gear to make it engage. Don't slide it slowly into gear or you will be stuck somewhere between engaged and not engaged. It is not exactly a clutch setup like a car that is mating parts smoothly.

Quick "Clunk" is better than griiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnndKalunk!

 

[evilnss]

Re: Im New! First Time Bayliner Owner

Mercruisers have a switch that removes torque from the engine during shifting. It does this by killing the engine for the time the shift lever is between neutral and gear. This is because there is no actual clutch, which also explains the grinding sound you hear when you shift.

When you shift, don't be timid. The worst thing you can do is slowly move the throttle into gear. You'll soon get the feel of it so you can shift the boat without increasing engine speed.

It's also a good idea to let the engine RPMs rev down to idle before shifting. IOW, don't jam it from forward to reverse at 4,000 RPM.

That makes me feel somewhat better. Ive been bummed all night thinking i had a problem.

But what about the shifter, if i put it in neutral, how do i get it out of neutral? the button pops out, but it still is in neutral. the prev owner said you had to tap the shifter with your palm sometimes to get it to disengage. is this normal?

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Im New! First Time Bayliner Owner

Welcome to iboats! Nice boat. Looks to have been well maintained. Philster already perfectly covered what I was going to say about shifting.

 

[evilnss]

Re: Im New! First Time Bayliner Owner

So for lack of better words, stop being a little girl about it, and shift it like I stole it?

 

[Philster]

Re: Im New! First Time Bayliner Owner

No, shift it in one distinct movement.

Not saying to slam it.

E.G., Shift it like you would move the shifter on an automatic transmission. If you were going from park to reverse on an automatic car tranny, you would just move it. That 'moment' of time is all that is needed. Actually, you'd move a stick shift the same way. Just move it.

Don't glide it in. Just move it.

 

[RL Gman]

Re: Im New! First Time Bayliner Owner

So for lack of better words, stop being a little girl about it, and shift it like I stole it?

Pretty much...

And like others have said, looks like it has been pretty well maintained.

I would however; (just for my own piece of mind!) change the old in the engine, lower unit (at least) and probably replace the impeller. Unless you have documentation of the most recent service. This way you dont end up burning up your brand new (to you) boat.

Basically, like the rest of us first time I/O buyers, you'll be spending plenty of time on the sterndrive section of this forum! Sounds like mechanically your ready to learn/have experience. Good luck, welcome aboard, and nice boat!

 

[evilnss]

Re: Im New! First Time Bayliner Owner

Welcome to iboats! Nice boat. Looks to have been well maintained. Philster already perfectly covered what I was going to say about shifting.

Thanks

Pretty much...

And like others have said, looks like it has been pretty well maintained.

I would however; (just for my own piece of mind!) change the old in the engine, lower unit (at least) and probably replace the impeller. Unless you have documentation of the most recent service. This way you dont end up burning up your brand new (to you) boat.

Basically, like the rest of us first time I/O buyers, you'll be spending plenty of time on the sterndrive section of this forum! Sounds like mechanically your ready to learn/have experience. Good luck, welcome aboard, and nice boat!

Thanks,

If there a write up on how to change the oil and what type for a Alpha 1? Also you say impellar, where is that? Are you talking about the propeller?

Thanks!

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Im New! First Time Bayliner Owner

Impeller is the water pump. It is a wear item and should be replaced every couple years at least. If you don't know when it was last changed, change it.

 

[RL Gman]

Re: Im New! First Time Bayliner Owner

Since this is the Boat Topics and Questions forum, I wont get to much into it, but if you go back to the main page forum page, and click on" Mercruiser, OMC, Volvo & other I/O & Inboard Engines & Outdrives" forum, you'll find all of the information needed to do these mainanence items.

The impeller is part of the water pump assembly. It is located in the lower unit of the drive. The drive has to be taken apart ect ect and replace the impeller. Its rubber and goes after a while, infact, it's recommended to be replaced every 2 years.

In the forum I mentioned above, they also have downloadable service manuals, definitely for the Alpha 1 (probably gen 1 for a 2000 boat, possibly gen 2) and a manual for the 302. In the manual it will give you the step by step on how to do all of this.

If you are a DIYer like me, its actually a lot of fun and good learning. Plus with iboats.com, you can post all of the questions after you cant figure out what the manual is trying to explain

Go over to that forum and do some searches for "replacing impeller in alpha one" "what oil to replace in my lower unit" etc etc. Basically internet stalk all of the experience posters over there and you will get everything you need.

And if you're not finding what you need, start a post over there and let them guid you along (as I'm obviously not the most experience around here!).

Ps. I replace my lower unit drive oil with "High Performance Gear Lube" made by quicksilver (owned by Merccruiser).

 

[RL Gman]

Re: Im New! First Time Bayliner Owner

I listened to my own advice and went over to the sterndrive section and learned something again...

Turns out I was way off the mark. Being year 2000 (without the S/N of the outdrive, I cannot be for sure), you probably have Alpha 1 Gen II outdrive. Makes a bid difference when doing the maintanence...

Just wanted to clear that up so it didnt confuse you.

 

[madurodave]

Re: Im New! First Time Bayliner Owner

I have the same boat..almost, mine is a cuddy. And I have really enjoyed learning how to work on it and fix it up. You found the right place. happy boating

 

[JoLin]

Re: Im New! First Time Bayliner Owner

Mercury = outboard engine from Mercury Marine
That is what you have: a GM 302.

Sound platform. Very sound.

Ahem- except that GM doesn't make a 302. It's either a Mercruiser/Ford 302 or a Mercruiser/GM 305. Was trying to find something in the thread that indicates age of boat or a pic of the motor.