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Aq125a question recommend steps to make an old 1983 boat reliable

D

discobayken

Regular Contributor
"1983 19 ft glassply hardtop.

"1983 19 ft glassply hardtop. She has a low hr aq125a / 270 outdrive.
I have recently done (or am doing) the following:
1. replace timing belt and tensioner
2. install pertronix, flame thrower, new cap, rotor, wires, plugs
3. flush heat exchanger, new antifreeze, replace cap, install new impeller
4. install new starter (old one was rusty and dragging and clicking).
5. service outdrive.
6. run some seafoam through carb & clean arrestor/ replace fuel filter
7. Inspect / clean and replace electrical terminals as necessary
8. oil & filter change
9. Replace exhaust manifold.

What am I missing here? I'd like to make this boat as dependable as possible w/o replacing EVERYTHING at random.

Should I install a new fuel pump for the hell of it? Alternator works fine but looks like its original. Leave it? replace it? rebuild it?

morse shifter a little stiff going into rev. into fwd is fine.... is it possible to lube it? adjust it? or does it need replacing?

Any and all other advice is appreciated. What else should I do to her? Thanks!"
 
"Ken:

You did not mention i

"Ken:

You did not mention if this boat is new to you. If it is and you don;t know the history, I would drain and clean out the fuel tank. Nothing clogs a new filter like water and sludge from the bottom of the tank.

If the fuel pump is pumping and the alternator is charging, I would leave 'em."
 
"Bruce: Good point. I've h

"Bruce: Good point. I've had her for 5 years but only used her lightly. Never any major problems. I'd have to guess by now that the tank is OK since I've run several tanks through w/o a problem.... I plan on using her more often and for longer trips, possibly fishing in the San Francisco Bay.

I bought her from a guy that Half-ass restored it after he bought it from the original owner. (it had been stored for years he said). Last guy did impeller, seals, etc. It has always run pretty well for me. I just want her to be as tip-top as possible. Thanks for the help!"
 
Anyone else care to chime in o

Anyone else care to chime in on this? Anything else I should do to her to make her more reliable? Thanks!
 
"Ken,

You have done more th

"Ken,

You have done more than 98% of the average boat owners, IMO - good job!
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When you service the outdrive make sure you check for metal / water in the old oil before refilling with new.

If you do not already have one, I might suggest adding a Racor fuel / water filter. They are very handy, especilly with ethanol fuel.

As with any engine, the key is PM. Sounds like you are on the right track!"
 
"Ken, 6-7 years ago I went thr

"Ken, 6-7 years ago I went through a similar process as you are going through with my 1972 boat however I had to have the boat's original engine replaced. Since then, it has been a constant learning process whenever something comes up that I have needed to deal with, or in some cases, I have been proactive about. Like Mike said, PM is key and you are on the right track. How's the battery? Bilge pump(s)?"
 
"New battery installed last ss

"New battery installed last sseason, Bilge pump works great. I have had an ongoing battle with almost all the lights and switches. Just about anything with an electrical connection has needed a new terminal or needed a wire brush to it to make a good connection. Thats been my biggest pain so far... Should I be coating the connections with some grease or something to help with this problem in the future? anyone have a tip for this? thx!"
 
"On my Aq125b I've had gre

"On my Aq125b I've had great luck, I'd replace the bellows both tansmission and exhaust, if they have not ben changed in 2-3 years. also all hoses and hose clamps and fuel line hoses. Clean the oil vent and air filter. change the water pump impeller and thermistat. Also inspect the raw water intake flange or corrosion or blockage. My boat was overheating on a plane because it was sucking air through a corroded flange. PM is better than tow in."
 
"I have an AQ125 not sure if i

"I have an AQ125 not sure if it is a 125A or B not sure how to tell the difference. Runs graet in the driveway I can turn off and just bump the starter and she starts right up, but after running on the water for a little while if I turn off does not want to restart, engine just cranks over and over. any ideas wait might cause this"
 
"Chances are the intake manifo

"Chances are the intake manifold is flooded and the air/fuel mixture inside the cylinders is too rich to start. When that happens again, try putting the lever at 3/4 to full throttle, then crank for a few seconds until the engine starts. But be prepared to thottle it back to idle quickly once the engine has started!!!"
 
"Hey Ken, I don't know wha

"Hey Ken, I don't know what you have done about corrosion, but my sad experience may set you on the road to preventative measures. I've recently found that every screw/bolt on my engine that is remotely difficult to get at is corroded. sac-ray-blu and colin-da bin!! My strong advice is to loosen every screw while you still can and apply the appropriate anit-seize compound or at least a spray on similar. My distributer cap has screws holding it down and we won't even go into that
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Cheers, Tom"
 
Rick:

I have to ask... Hav

Rick:

I have to ask... Have you replaced the points with an electronic ignition breakerless set? I had all kinds of hard starting issues with mine until I changed it out. it was an inexpensive and easy to do it yourself fix that has made a world of difference. if you search "pertronix ignition" within this forum you will get tons of info about it. Good luck. Ken
 
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