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Working out of a manual !

chiefalen

chiefalen

Banned
Is it just me, but when i first got my boat the first thing i did was buy a manual.

Nowadays a person can just D/L one for free. Or if you ask nicely there are ways to get one emailed to them.

But being the old fart that i am i just went into the store and bought a paper one.

Did i say that was the first thing i did, i was wrong i started the boat first, and checked all the oils, little dirty but there was oil in every part that was supposed to have it.

Why is the Chief posting this ? Has the Chief finally lost it altogether ?

Maybe but if you want a manual or need to ask what to buy is one thing.

But to start working on a new to you motor or drive, without one, then thats plain crazy.
 
Chief, if you want to do anything yourself you should have a manual for it before even starting. Be it your car, wash machine, dryer or anything else. My old saying is, "If you don't UNDERSTAND how it works, don't try to fix it". Cause you'll dig the hole deeper. But what do us old farts know ? Huh ?
 
:D Good for you Chief!!!!

Have thought about saying the same thing many times, people will spend $$$$ thousands buying a boat but won't spend $40 - $60 on a manual (can even find good deals on ebay) however I usually hold back because they have come to the forum to ask for help and probably the last thing they need is someone to put the manual thing in their face (even though it's required!!!) (just my 2 cents worth) :D
 
I actually would prefer to have the actual printed manual over a digital copy. Having it right at your fingertips is indispensable. While I normally don't approve of downloading poached copies from the web, it seems less naughty when the product in question has been out of production for many years.
 
Interesting timing on this, Chief!

I've recently responded to several threads (here and another forum) whereby the OP is asking for information that just simply should NOT be provided by forum members.

My pet peeve is someone asking for a spark plug recommendation, or torque specs, or Ignition timing specs!
My canned response is usually; "one small boo boo....., one tiny misinterpretation....., one model number OFF...., one misinterpreted p/n......, and we run the risk of some sort of damage! It's not worth it! "

So I couldn't agree more with you re; the importance of having the correct OEM manual..... especially for the non-mechanic types.

And for God's sake..... keep a log book, and keep this info in there! :mad:

Good thread!
 
OMC powered boats do attract people too cheap to spend money in a wise fashion...
:)

boat: $25
manual: $50! no way I'm spending 2X the price of the boat on a book!
watching them mutilate the poor boat, then push it onto the front lawn again with a "free" sign on it: priceless
 
p.s., I don't link anyone to that Seloc manual anymore.

it is stolen from the publisher in my opinion. That book is still in print and most public libraries have it. Seloc sells a digital copy.

Mercruiser recently shut down all the publication sharing. I don't know where Seloc is on this, but producing and selling those books is their business.
 
dislexia and add ,adhd are a nationwide problem with younger generation . including myself see hystat ? i did it backwards $100 omc engine /$25 seloc manual .so it was worth it to me . now if i could just learn to comprehend what i read i would stop bugging you guys lol.. good thread chief
 
Ok i won't link it to them. I bought mine. I couldn't find a oem.

But it's interesting say a guy is asking for torque values on a head, wouldn't he have the manual if he rebuilt the motor ? I mean he would almost have to.

Thank you Ric and Hy it means alot that i get a little validation, i don't want to seem mean, but the guy who taught me would curse and scream, and he was right. He knew every torque value just knew it, but if i had a question he would say what you can't look it up, the books over there.

People ask what way is the impeller tips supposed to point, well when i removed mine for the first time i made a diagram cause i knew that i would have to know what way it went back in, just a note and diagram in the notes section of the manual.

Also in the notes i keep the numbers of filters, plugs, belts, how much oil in all three drives, and motor oil, Plug gap. I don't want to keep looking it up. but writing it down helps me remember and most times i just know it.
 
I'm not trying to get on a soapbox about the manuals - do what you want.

I d/l'd it..handy

but then I own a paper copy as well... still stolen though and I'm not hurrying to delete it :)
 
Chief, we're on the same page! Well, not literally..... but metaphorically! :D

There is a gentleman who is both a member here, at ME..com, and another forum that I frequent.
I swear that he insists on NOT opening up a manual.... and who knows, he may not even own one! :rolleyes:
It would appear that all of his answers/suggestions come from one or both of the two forums.


.
 
as an apprentice, I heard the acronym "RTFB" or "RTFM" about 10 times a day
There was only ONE right solution, and it was in the manual.... beyond that, you could maybe figure out some tips and tricks if you had experience

I think a lot of the problem these days is twofold:

1. Internet generation - why buy a book when I can get free info on my specific problem... no table of contents to wade through

2. children of the "Fruity Baby Boomers" (George Carlin quote) who were raised with themselves at the center of the universe. They want 10 opinions on every problem, then they want all the possibilities laid out in front of them so they can decide which one suits their personality and "personal goals"
 
Guilty as charged. I must say that I really appreciate all of the help that you have given me.

Funny thing is I curse my employer on a weekly basis because as the foreman I get all of the complicated jobs. He will send me out to work on something I have never even laid eyes on before and when I ask for the book he says "There just isn't enough money in the job to pay for it" Now granted we are talking about service manuals that may run 6-700 dollars but if I can do the job in half the time seems like we would make more.

Anyway thanks again
 
that same guy is looking for free chain link fence for around his pool.

Kijiji is full of those amongst the "free Boat and motor wanted- I'm on welfare and need to take my kids fishing" ads...

that's right... social programs only afford for shore fishing. damn government

and for some reason those same people always have ads wanting free dogs...but not mutts, always some specific pure bred dog... some trailer park status symbol I suppose
 
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Hey guys I appriecaite this thread. I am the one that asked for the torque specs on the head last weekend. I looked at my local boat shop and they were out of the printed manuals for this engine last week.
I own printed manuals for all my cars and trucks and they always come in handy, thats why I knew someone on here would have one that they could maybe scan the 2 or 3 pages that I needed.
I didn't expect to get a link to the entire manual but I am sure glad I did.

This old boat is new to me and I didn't need the manual to tear it down, I knew I needed it before I started putting it back together though.
 
I gotta say the first thing I did after buying our barge was to biy the Seloc manual. I have downloaded the pages to adjust my Cobra shift cables. Still can't get the damn thing right. I'm more of a hands on learner not a book learner. Anyone got the audio version for the OMC :D.
 
Chief,Yeah I read stuart. I guess I should go back and reread it a few times. I installed a new housing and cable and I think I'm just measuring wrong or from the wrong reference point. I'll get it or die trying.
 
I guess is just our common things about people that like to do for ourself. I also just bought a use envinrude motor. It didn't come with a manual. I have no idea what year and how many hp it has. I look in every where in/out side of the motor but no thing except serial# 10012-06198. I want to get it turn up...and take it out to the lake. but first I want to by a manual for it. I wounder if some can help me. Thanks!
 
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