The well traveled 1979 Starcraft 18' V5 SS

[crankbait cowboy]

Actually on the last page also has a good photo of fill nipple and tank in general. I just went and measured it and it is 60x22x6 belly tank and with fitting it is 9 inches high

 

[GA_Boater]

Rob - Take a look at this CL ad for a tank fabricator in Miami - http://tallahassee.craigslist.org/bpo/5711549072.html

Might be an alternative to the Moeller fab. No idea about shipping cost.

 

[Watermann]

Actually on the last page also has a good photo of fill nipple and tank in general. I just went and measured it and it is 60x22x6 belly tank and with fitting it is 9 inches high

Yeah that would fit I bet, just my luck though as I paid in full yesterday for a new duplicate tank to be made.

I worked a couple overtime shifts last month to get some extra dough for a new tank as I knew it was coming to that. The shifts were out on our work boat though so it wasn't terribly bad. :lol: One was at night and I got to have fun using the Ray Marine radar and GPS navigation as you have to know to turn around at 49 degrees north.

 

[GA_Boater]

I was too late with the Miami fabber. You know a good tank is under the deck.

Did you have an eye peeled for the Water Mounties? LOL

 

[Watermann]

I was too late with the Miami fabber. You know a good tank is under the deck.

Did you have an eye peeled for the Water Mounties? LOL

Thanks for the effort though I appreciate it. I did check out that ad for the guys in FL and they look pretty good although their ad says to call them and then they don't list a ph# even in the reply button. :lol:

I wish we could've hung out with some Mounties that night it was long and boring, I'm too old now to be awake at 0400.

Moeller people were fantastic to work with and the women on the phone had a southern bell accent. They made up a perfect replica of the existing 25 gallon tank minus the 40 pin holes that is :lol: They say it will be coal tar epoxy coated too so it should last if I keep the inside clean that is. Check out the work they did for me before they would start or take payment.

The only change I had them make was putting the sender on the end with the outlet so I could take the wiring out into the harness at the back rather than run wire from the front and it should also be more accurate. This tank is .125 thickness too and the old one was .090.

 

[GA_Boater]

I hit the contact link in the ad and 786-525-6400 Steve shows. Well, ya got one coming. How long before it's shipped?

The 40 pin holes would be optional add-on cost if you want them back.

 

[Watermann]

I didn't see that little link until I switched to my computer to post those pics. Speaking of pics is anyone else having issues with PB and it's insane ads? I can't hardly stand it now, takes forever to do anything.

Moeller said said it should be around 2 weeks or less for the tank build so I should get some fuel lines ordered. Decided to go with the Shark Nautolex deck covering again and have it coming. I've really been liking it in the Chief.

Man I better get cracking on that Merc too, have a water pump kit for it just sitting there. Will run a compression check before doing anything else with it like installing on the boat.The entire transom is clean of holes not even any for the motor yet and I have an idea for a speedo and transducer mount set up.

 

[GA_Boater]

PB has been working OK for me and never notice many ads because I use Adblock Plus and it kills most ads on most sites. I get plenty of nasty messages about using an ad blocker.

This tank thing has been holding you back. You could be on the water by now, or just about anyway.

 

[Patfromny]

The 40 pin holes would be optional add-on cost if you want them back.

It wold add about 40 yrs to the delivery time as well I understand.


Sorry to here about the extra cost. At least you are done with this chapter of the build. I noticed in the first drawing it says the pick up will have no screen?

 

[Watermann]

It wold add about 40 yrs to the delivery time as well I understand.


Sorry to here about the extra cost. At least you are done with this chapter of the build. I noticed in the first drawing it says the pick up will have no screen?

Think I would rather have it that way, imagine the screen getting plugged rather than the spin on filter but it probably has more to do with how thin the tank is at 4".

 

[Dignified09@gmail.com]

Good to hear you forked out the cash for peace of mind, luckily my current build doesn't involve a metal tank at all. On the other hand, you'll be happy with the decision made.

If you dont mind me asking, where did you pickup the Nautolex deck covering? Ive been looking in to that as another option aside from the carpet.

 

[GA_Boater]

iboats does not sell Nautolex, so Google is your friend - http://lmgtfy.com/?q=+nautolex+where+to+buy

Caution - Some vendors sell by the foot and some sell by the yard. Often the foot price is much more than the yard price.

 

[Watermann]

Started in on the old Merc TOP this morning. Figured I would get the sometimes scary part out of the way first by puling the prop and draining the LU oil.

Sure enough the prop shaft had a couple hundred yards of fishing line wound around it and behind the thrust washer up next to the shaft seal. Man I was hoping not to see that. I pulled the LU drain and was happy to see coal black thick gear oil slowly start oozing out. Man that stuff stunk to high heaven, I know it wasn't the original oil because someone goofed the vent plug up pretty bad with a screw driver that should've been thrown away long ago. The magnet had only some peach fuzz on it so maybe the seal wasn't messed up by the fishing line. Time to move on to LU removal.

 

[GA_Boater]

You lucked out with that much mono wrapped around the shaft. Hope your lucks holds.

It doesn't look like the PO used any grease on the splines.

 

[dozerII]

You lucked out with that much mono wrapped around the shaft. Hope your lucks holds.

It doesn't look like the PO used any grease on the splines.

Come on GA, this motor was owned by a farmer up here, what's the chances he would have grease, let alone put it on something

Glad to see the line never got to the seal Rob.

 

[Watermann]

You lucked out with that much mono wrapped around the shaft. Hope your lucks holds.

It doesn't look like the PO used any grease on the splines.

Yeah I was hoping that the prop wasn't froze on there but it came right off. Original 17p prop from the 70's with no cupping and very little damage, it might make a good spare. I'm thinking that a light AL boat will need a little more pitch than 17 with a 140 HP.

Come on GA, this motor was owned by a farmer up here, what's the chances he would have grease, let alone put it on something

Glad to see the line never got to the seal Rob.

Yeah I've been there and done that with my Johnny and know all about the fishing line follies. I think what saved it was it's like 6Lb test and may have been prety rotten when it was picked up.

LU off, what a piece of cake that was, text book and nothing fought me.Super clean inside there too and the next thing to be happy about, the impeller is in one piece! :happy: It wouldn't have been if ran like it was for long, some pretty good sized cracks in the vanes.

So the 1/4" pitot tube looking stuff that goes form the LU up and out and attaches? Somewhere up there by the powerhead but I can't see where?. I will just replace that rock hard tube with new left over pitot tubing I have on hand as it looks like that's all it is. Just need to figure out where it goes on the upper side, everything is black and greasy, that farmer owned a grease gun. :facepalm:

 

[Watermann]

Yeah the tube thing is a pitot for a speedo. I'm going to plug that up, I don;t like how it winds around through everything and gets pinched.

 

[GA_Boater]

Seems one more thing to try to line up when the driveshaft, water tube and shift rod can be a handful sometimes. And they aren't floppy!

 

[Watermann]

I got the old Merc 140 some fuel and fire today after the water pump rebuild.

Then I pulled the plugs and ran a compression check afterwards. I don't know what numbers these motors should run but these are the numbers I got.
Pretty consistent I would have to say.

1- 125
2- 125
3- 124
4- 125
5- 126
6- 124

 

[dozerII]

Those numbers should come up for you after a decarb, but it ran real good for me as well. It should make that V5 fly.