Logo

Several problems have arisen since repair

mrkent

New member
"Hello,
I have a 17&#39


"Hello,
I have a 17' Renken (1992) with a 3.0 Mercrusier/Alpha 1 Generation 2 outdrive. The first problem I had this season, was a distinct smell of gas when the engine was run for awhile, than shut down. My mechanic tightened all hoses and fittings and this seemed to help. Now my idle is 1100 rpms when at idle.
My second problem arose during a tubing session with friends. I seems I blew the gears in the top end of my Alpha 1. Ok....poop happens, so I had him completely disassemble the unit and change the gears in the top half, as well as, inspect the impellar,check the shaft, and reseal the lower end. So invariably the unit has been rebuilt and resealed, and that was not inexpensive!! So, now it seems to be shifting rather loud now, is the loud shifting caused by the increased idle speed??"
 
"Post Script:
I&#


"Post Script:
I've looked at the idle interrupter while shifting from neutral to both forward and reverse, and it doesn't seem to move at all and my tachometer doesn't move either when shifting gears, shouldn't the tach go down as well as the idle when I shift gears?????"
 
I will not shift well at 1100

I will not shift well at 1100 RPMs. Time to get that idle fixed. Not good for the drive to shift in and out at that RPM. Check for air leaks on the manifold and base of the carb. Make sure your mechanic didn't adjust the idle up for some reason. Should be 600-750 RPMs at idle if i recall correctly.
 
on the gas thing: look in the

on the gas thing: look in the clear tube that runs from the fuel pump to the carb. Any liquid in there means the fuel pump has failed and is dumping fuel up that hose. That would explain elevated idle and vapours.

didja know you can buy a whole brand new Gen II drive for about $1400
 
Deteriorating fuel fill/vent l

Deteriorating fuel fill/vent lines will cause the fuel odor; mine were literally seeping fuel thru the hose jacket into the floatation foam.
 
there is a switch on the sift

there is a switch on the sift assembly near the carb that cuts the engine as you shift gears. Make sure that your mech didn't mess it by accident when tightening everything.
 
The shift interrupt switch doe

The shift interrupt switch does not actuate when shifting INTO either gear. Only when shifting OUT of gear.
Fast idle will cause very loud and rough shifting; and will beat up your drive dog clutches. Yous shud defintely get the fast idle poblem cured.

Rod
 
"Thanks to all of you for your

"Thanks to all of you for your assistance in resolving my earlier questions. The boat is running fine since readjusting the idle down to specs. I really appriciate all the input from you guys to inable me to not bring the boat back to the mechanic. I have another question about cleaning the hull, I've had the boat in the water for about six hours now, breaking in the new gears in the leg. I've notice a yellowing of the transom area that concerns me. It is a waterline scum from the lake I visit often (We call it the Wickabaug scum,)It is probubly caused by the breakdown of plant matter they sprayed for a couple of weeks ago. Usually I clean the boat down every time I remove it from the lake, but given the breakin time I thought I would wait. Well I could not wait so I started to clean it and it will not come off the hull. Do you suggest a very strong cleaner for the staining? Also do you recommend a good wax or such that would help?"
 
"Most boat hull cleaners that

"Most boat hull cleaners that you can get at a marine store work fine for this. They are basically muratic (hydrochloric) acid that you wipe on the hull dry, then rinse with water."
 
">>>For really tou

">>>For really tough boat hull cleaning you will need to break out the acid. Muratic acid is the best for this. You'll want to have a 50/50 mix of muratic acid of 6-8% concentrated (12% is the highest concentration you can legally buy over the counter), water and a good strong sprayer. You can purchase muratic acid at Wal*Mart, K-Mart, Pool Supply Stores, Home Depot, Lowe’s, Van Waters and Rogers Chemicals. Sears Craftsman makes a nice strong sprayer or try a local store for another brand of commercial pump-up sprayer.<<<

Got that off the internet. I would be very very careful with Muratic Acid.. Very bad stuff!!



Most cleaners sold at marina's are oxalic acid.
Read the labels to be sure.


We used to buy the oxalic acid by the 30 lb barrels and mix it with scolding hot water....Works perfect every time."
 
If you use Muratic acid make s

If you use Muratic acid make sure you don't use it over concrete or any cement. It will eat it fast and create harmful vapours. Use lots of water later for clean up. I used to work with this stuff for years. Works great just need caution and common sense.

Norm
 
"Many of the lakes I have been

"Many of the lakes I have been on in KY, TN, OH & IN have a film of outboard motor oil floating on the surface which can be seen in sloughs and backwater areas. This slick combines w/the frothy lake scum and deposits itself on the hulls of every boat in the water. Upon pulling your boat out at the ramp you can wipe the hull w/a paper towel and see the crap on the towel. What is left behind after the towel wipe is the stain being talked about in this thread.

If I get on it right away using a strong concentrated degreaser it will usually come off; my hull is cleaned and waxed annually which I think helps. One of my friends who leaves their boat in the Ohio River for the season cleans the hull at a car wash using cheap unscented toilet bowl cleaner that consists of 28% acid. This bowl cleaner is basically the same as Kghost has discussed above. It is easy to use since it comes in a squeeze bottle. He also uses a flat rectangular paint brush w/1" bristles (used to paint rough surfaces) and a threaded pole to disperse the solution and scrub as needed under the boat. A final cleaning w/a pressure wand and a rinse and the hull is clean.

Note: If your hull is no longer glossy it is time to rub it out using a cleaner wax like MacGuiars which contains a mild abrasive. First of all, put a case of your friends' favorite beer on ice and invite them over for a beer while you work. After they have had a few beers tell them to have another and ask them if they want to try it (what you are doing). My bet is they will say "sure" since their resistance to say no is tamed by the cold beer.

If your hull feels like sand paper then it is time for a labor intensive "wet sanding" starting w/a 200 or 400 grit paper, plenty of water and a gentle sanding. Once you have completed all the rough areas of the hull start over using a 600 grit paper using the same procedure. When finished, start again w/an 800 grit paper and finish w/a 1,000 or 1,200 grit paper. Now use a FINE CUT polishing compound following the directions and available at an auto refinishing center. One last time; use a glazing wax to put a good seal on your hard work then if you are still energetic, finish with a quality soft paste carnauba wax. Now your beautiful boat will be the envy of your boater friends."
 
"When we used to botom clean h

"When we used to botom clean hundreds and hundreds of boats each year that came from the lake we were on and believe me some had 6-8 inches of grass growing on the bottoms, The oxalic acid did a great job at the bottoms but for the "oil" ring we used a heavy duty dtergent cleaner and scrubbed and scrubbed..... Boy did that SUCK!!

Slimy Grimey is one name that comes to mind as a bottom cleaner and it has oxalic acid as its base cleaner. Will corrode the crap out of galvinized metal if let on there long enough..........Ask me and my trailer how I know this....."
 
Back
Top