My '72 Starcraft 18' SS 140 Mercruiser Project

[Gammtka]

Re: My '72 Starcraft 18' SS 140 Mercruiser Project

It looks like is was from a 1972 boat show. Here is the link:

197220STARCRAFT20PRICE20SHEET20BOAT20SHOW20WORKSHEET20VINATGE20BOATS 1972 Starcraft Price Sheet Boat Show Worksheet Vinatge Boats | eBay

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: My '72 Starcraft 18' SS 140 Mercruiser Project

Looking at the 18' SS OB price with the writing:

18' SS OB 1690
Dealer prep 100
Motor 1800
Trailer 450
Total 3440

Just guessing, but no trailer included in the brochure price list. I see 18' Holiday I/O and SS prices are the same. Also I'm pretty sure that is from Starcraft, not a dealer generated price list.

 

[Gammtka]

Re: My '72 Starcraft 18' SS 140 Mercruiser Project

I didnt read the fine print. Looks like my 18' SS would have been around $4k then. My seat swivel arrived about an hour ago so I installed the helm seat box and the seat. Lots of good storage underneath. At some point I think I will put a lock on it.

The admiral is anxious to launch. Looks like Monday, even though I wont have the name on the transom. Oh well. I will post some pictures when we do go out on its first sea trials.

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: My '72 Starcraft 18' SS 140 Mercruiser Project

Gamm - looking at your locations - Lake Havasu City and Plymouth, which is your preferred launch site on Monday?

 

[Gammtka]

Re: My '72 Starcraft 18' SS 140 Mercruiser Project

Ha ha. I talked to family today up in Minnesota and they are prepared for the cold. The temperature difference between Havasu and Minnesota on Monday, taking windchill into account, will be over 120 degrees. Wow.

 

[fishrdan]

Re: My '72 Starcraft 18' SS 140 Mercruiser Project

I noticed the port tilt cylinder was leaking a little oil. I will probably have to replace it at some point soon. I see them on ebay for around $100. Is it a complicated job to replace a cylinder?

Trim cylinder repair kits are pretty cheap, $20-30. I bought a couple, but haven't got around to installing them yet. I did rip apart a spare trim cylinder, and it's easy.

For Ebay, I wouldn't trust a used trim cylinder that will fit a M1 drive as the seals are 40 years old. If you're looking at the new trim cylinders that will fit a M1 drive, you'll need new hoses as the cylinders have different hose locations. If you could find a rebuild M1 trim cylinder, that would be OK.

 

[Gammtka]

Re: My '72 Starcraft 18' SS 140 Mercruiser Project

We launched today. I was a little apprehensive about the ramp, but launching and retrieving was very smooth. My van pulled the boat up without any problem. Two issues though. I ran the motor on muffs in the driveway before we left and everything was fine. When we got to the ramp the blower wouldnt work. I pulled the doghouse off and after a while started the engine. We had to drive around with the doghouse half open for safety sake. Second, I noticed the temp was high when idling around. When I went any faster than idle the temp would go down to normal. Any ideas what that is all about?

I forget to test the trolling motor. I will do that the next time we go out. It really wasnt a great day for boating - temp was only about 60 degrees and overcast, so we didnt stay out long.

 

[redneck joe]

Re: My '72 Starcraft 18' SS 140 Mercruiser Project

re-overheat.

on my 454's I put the impeller in backwards and they didn't 'flip' like everyone told me they would. After testing many, many other things when I got around to pulling them back off and realized my mistake all good from then on.

And thanks for rubbing in the 60 degree temps...

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: My '72 Starcraft 18' SS 140 Mercruiser Project

There ya go, Gam. First splash of 2014! You are a heck of a lot warmer than here.

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: My '72 Starcraft 18' SS 140 Mercruiser Project

We launched today

STARCRAFT on the water!!!!

Congrats ~ We have the 1st splash of 2014............

If you haven't done so, don't forget to scan the 2013 Splash of the Year nominees & vote for the SOTY 2013:

[h=3]1st HALF of the 14 SOTY 2103 Nominees, (6 of 14)please only vote once[/h]

 

[Gammtka]

Re: My '72 Starcraft 18' SS 140 Mercruiser Project

I think I am going to have the impeller replaced. Oddly, the engine temp wouldnt climb high when running it in the driveway. I am also not happy with the reverse. It seems like you have to pull back way too far to get it to engage.

I dont mean to rub in the temperature. Even here you will see few recreational blaters on the lake in January. We probably wont be doing much boating until February at least. The temp can get into the 80s then.

It was a great project, but I am already thinking of another boat. The 18' will only fit crosswise in my little two car garage here. The admiral likes the roominess of the eighteen footer, but for practical purposes it is a wee bit too long.

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: My '72 Starcraft 18' SS 140 Mercruiser Project

The problem with using muffs is it can mask a bad impeller because of hose water pressure. Then on the water, the impeller doesn't pull the water in. Not a hard fix at all if you want to tackle the replacement.

The reverse trouble may just be a cable adjustment.

 

[fishrdan]

Re: My '72 Starcraft 18' SS 140 Mercruiser Project

Good to see you got the project out on the water, Congrats! (I went out Sunday, a tad on the chilly side, and I only saw 1 other boat all day long...)

I agree, check the impeller if it's overheating at idle. Once,,, I broke a vane off the impeller and it would do the same thing, creep hotter at idle, but run cool off idle. Actually, forget checking the impeller, just change it. If you're in far enough to "check" it, you might as well just replace it. For not overheating in the driveway, the hose was probably providing enough positive pressure to keep enough water flowing through the engine.

Good call on leaving the doghouse cracked open with the blower in-op. Lots of horror stories about boats blowing up down at Havasu, well anywhere for that matter. My blower "switch" burned out last summer and I was nervous the whole time,,, until I finally decided to hot-wire across the blower switch.

How much "too long" is your boat/trailer, to fit into the garage properly? Would a swing-tongue shorten it enough to get it into the garage?

 

[Gammtka]

Re: My '72 Starcraft 18' SS 140 Mercruiser Project

I am thinking it is the reverse linkage too. Hopefully that is all it is. The throw is just too long before it engages.

The boat trailer is a couple of feet too long. Unfortunately the trailer tongue cant be a split away as there isnt any excess tongue. The two trailer siderails and the middle piece for the winch meet about eight inches from the ball. The boat is well balanced on the trailer as is though. I have a full boat cover for it, but I hate to have the boat sit outside after all the work I put into the interior.

I forgot to mention one silly mishap. When I parked the boat on the side of the house after returning from our outing I didnt fully unconnect the trailer plug and I pulled all the wires apart when I drove the van away. Not a big deal, but another thing to add to my punchlist.

-Gregg

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: My '72 Starcraft 18' SS 140 Mercruiser Project

Well that's a first. I have never once driven off with the plug connected. Twice yes, but once, nope.

 

[Grandad]

Re: My '72 Starcraft 18' SS 140 Mercruiser Project

It really wasnt a great day for boating - temp was only about 60 degrees and overcast, so we didnt stay out long.

I'll bet it's a good feeling to get her back in the water. Lookin' good. You just had to rub some salt though about your cold 60F weather for boating. It was -35C wind chill here today with blizzards and snow squalls. The water's like glass around here though, smooth and hard. - Grandad

 

[Gammtka]

Re: My '72 Starcraft 18' SS 140 Mercruiser Project

I spent three hours the other day pulling the wires off the port side of the trailer trying to figure out why that side didnt work. I found some frayed wires and replaced sections of wire. Turned out the bulb wasnt seating itself correctly inside the socket. Yikes. I put a new plug on the trailer with connectors to the new plug. That is what pulled apart. I am going to have to reverse the ball on my hitch. It rides too low methinks.

Oh, one more thing. No leaks!

 

[Gammtka]

Re: My '72 Starcraft 18' SS 140 Mercruiser Project

I got two quotes for replacing the impeller. One for $240 and one for $300. Does that sound about right? Problem is our place here in Arizona is a vacation home and I dont have alot of tools here so I will have to have it done in a shop.

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: My '72 Starcraft 18' SS 140 Mercruiser Project

Do the prices include parts and lube? Dropping the lower only takes a 9/16" or 5/8" open end wrench, a couple of socket sizes, a screwdriver and a 3/8" allen wrench. Really a fairly simple job if you feel up to it.

 

[fishrdan]

Re: My '72 Starcraft 18' SS 140 Mercruiser Project

I do all my own work, so $240-300 sounds like the amount it would cost to buy all the tools and supplies to do the job,,, and then you would have all the tools to do the job again for $50...

The impeller job isn't very tough at all, just the impeller is around $15, complete water pump kit around $40, couple quarts of drive lube, quad ring seal, drive mount gasket set if you pull the complete drive. It's easier to pull the whole drive off, but it's possible to just drop the lower unit and service the water pump. You'll need a SAE wrench and socket set and some basic hand tools. I'd also get an engine alignment tool ($50 Ebay) if pulling the whole drive as engine alignment should be checked everytime the drive is off, or yearly.