Question on 30 year old boat

[upstateny24]

Got a 30 year old Wellcraft Excel 18 SX this spring. Had it out a couple times and like it a lot overall. Had a couple questions, if anyone could be so kind as to provide a little guidance. Finding manuals for 30 year old boats is just not gonna happen.

• On the dash, there's two buttons I just don't know what they are or what they do. Does anybody have any ideas? Came up empty on google.
  • Tilt - Up/Down (power trim is on the throttle)
  • Access - On/Off
• When taking your hand off the wheel, even for a second while underway, the steering immediately goes full to port on its own. I haven't seen this in any boat I've been in before. Can't be normal.

Thanks for this valuable service. Lot of great information here.

 

[GA_Boater]

Howdy.

Look at the Tilt Up/Down as a trailer switch to raise the outdrive after the trim limit switch interrupts power to the TnT pump.

Access On/Off is an accessory power switch for whatever an owner powers through that circuit. Could be a fish finder or some other added electrical device.

I'll let others advise about the steering.

 

[poconojoe]

The switches are labeled, what's the mystery?

Blower To vent the engine compartment of flammable gasses that may have accumulated. It is required to run this blower for at least 4 minutes before starting the engine and when cruising at idle.

Access: (Accessories) Can be used for just about any accessory. Some manufacturers leave this as a spare for you to control any added accessories.

Tilt: That is your engine trim.

Horn: This is obvious.

It would also help if you indicated what engine and drive you have when asking further questions.

 

[poconojoe]

Pulling to port...
There may be a tab on the drive somewhere that compensates for torque of the prop that needs adjusting.
It might be incorporated with one of the anodes. Kind of a little fin that can be rotated for adjustment.
Hopefully, someone with better knowledge will chime in to confirm.

 

[roscoe]

Welcome to iboats.

Could be missing a torque tab, or needs adjusting, or a severely twisted and bent skeg.

If you post a couple more times, the software will let you upload photos.

Please post a photo of the outdrive - side view, and one from the rear.
Try to show the bottom 2 feet of the drive in both photos.

 

[upstateny24]

Welcome to iboats.

Could be missing a torque tab, or needs adjusting, or a severely twisted and bent skeg.

If you post a couple more times, the software will let you upload photos.

Please post a photo of the outdrive - side view, and one from the rear.
Try to show the bottom 2 feet of the drive in both photos.

Thanks for the quick replies. It's a volvo penta 230 I/O. It's in the water now, but here's a couple before it went in the water.




Am I correct in assuming that's the torque tab directly above the propeller? If my research is correct, it seems a fairly simple process to adjust that to the left to correct the steering torqueing to the port?

 

[southkogs]

Are you having to fight the helm when underway? I understand it hauls over on it's own, but while you've got it are you fighting the wheel?

That is the correct tab in your photo.

 

[upstateny24]

Are you having to fight the helm when underway? I understand it hauls over on it's own, but while you've got it are you fighting the wheel?

That is the correct tab in your photo.

No, the wheel doesn't fight me at all. There's a LOT more give in it than I'm used to, but it's not difficult to steer. It's just when I take my hands off the wheel, it immediately cranks full port by itself.

 

[southkogs]

That doesn't sound like the tab then. If the boat is out of the water, on the trailer, does the drive flop over that way ... or does it stay where you have the wheel pointed?

 

[upstateny24]

That doesn't sound like the tab then. If the boat is out of the water, on the trailer, does the drive flop over that way ... or does it stay where you have the wheel pointed?

I'm taking it out of the water this weekend and I'll check that out. Hopefully it's the tab as it seems an easy (ish) fix. The above picture was taken on the trailer and it's turned hard to port. Maybe a coincidence, maybe not. If it's not the tab, I'll have to take it in because that's not normal. Thanks.

 

[Alumarine]

Does it do it at all trim angles?

 

[Jimwhall]

Pulling to port...
There may be a tab on the drive somewhere that compensates for torque of the prop that needs adjusting.
It might be incorporated with one of the anodes. Kind of a little fin that can be rotated for adjustment.
Hopefully, someone with better knowledge will chime in to confirm.

I adjusted this on my 112 Johnson SPL and it made a world of difference.

 

[Dandydan]

Thanks for the quick replies. It's a volvo penta 230 I/O. It's in the water now, but here's a couple before it went in the water.
View attachment 343681

View attachment 343682

Am I correct in assuming that's the torque tab directly above the propeller? If my research is correct, it seems a fairly simple process to adjust that to the left to correct the steering torqueing to the port?

I had a Volvo Penta and it did not pull hard one way or the other. Your photos show that the little adjustable rudder above the prop is lined straight back. Loosen the bolt and turn a few degrees to starboard. Should solve your problem. It is easy to do, so if that does not do the trick, keep fiddling with it until you notice a difference. Also check power steering fluid levels and check to see if the hydraulic actuator is leaking fluid. The fluid that operates the actuator is separate from the power steering assist unit. Has its own fluid.

 

[Texasmark]

You were right on the tab above the prop. Turn the rear of it into the problem area...if it goes left, looking from the rear, turn the rear of the tab to the left....from what you are saying, you may need to go full left which is probably about 30 degrees from where it is.

The trim tab has a different effect at different trim angles....higher the trim the less of an effect it has.

If you don't find a solution Teleflex is one manufacturer of "No Feedback" steering....for non power/hydraulic steering setups...usually on large boats with 150 or so HP engines....that means that what you are experiencing can't happen......basically rather than direct (gear) drive between the wheel and the drive gear, they put the wheel on a smaller gear that turns a larger wheel that turns the drive gear. Harder to turn but works. You can also get a tilt wheel if the wheel hits you in the knees or you don't like the tilt of it.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Generally, there are no manuals for boats. Only about 12-15 boat manufacturers out of about 250,000 ever provided manuals

Which drive do you have, the 280 or 290?

Looks like a SP290.

Is your hydraulic actuator servo valve sticking?

The motor is an AQ 230 which is a GM 305 with a holley carb

How is your transom and stringers?