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  1. tpenfield

    Quit My Job . . .

    The upholstery business is gaining some traction . . . I finished the BW bow seats and have booked a Chris-Craft 28 full cockpit job. Also may book a Cruisers 328 full cockpit job soon. . In addition to my IT Consulting gig and working on fixing up the house, the Admiral now thinks I am...
  2. tpenfield

    convert a cuddy from sterndrive to outboard?

    Sure . . . it's possible. :unsure: Got any pictures to share?
  3. tpenfield

    Is this a reasonable quote?

    Based on the pictures . . . $4K is a good deal.
  4. tpenfield

    350 mag mpi manifold/elbow temp

    Sounds like you have CAT's with raw water cooling. The exhaust manifolds will be the one of the last stops of the raw water on its way through the engine. Therefore it should be the hottest of the major parts of the engine. Raw water does directly flow to the riser portion of the exhaust, so...
  5. tpenfield

    Ideas for refinishing boat bottom

    As you get older, you tend to care less about what your bottom looks like :ROFLMAO: . . . but I digress. As for the boat . . . sand and gelcoat would be my choice. Probably should have been done earlier in the restoration process, but with enough ingenuity, you can get the boat safely in the...
  6. tpenfield

    Two questions: Fuel sending unit & Thru hull sonar

    The fuel tank sender area should be accessible by opening one of the deck plates. Either towards the stern or in the ski locker.
  7. tpenfield

    Is this a reasonable quote?

    Typically, a repair shop is going to replace parts that are suspect and not roll the dice or rework a part that a DIY'er might do. I do all my own work, so the quote seems pricey, but not sure what your alternatives are.
  8. tpenfield

    2001 wellcraft 270 costal powered by a mercruiser 7.4 mpi with a bravo 3. Doesn’t accelerate.

    The clutch can be glazed, but it may not look all that bad. Post some pictures when you have it out. It should look something like this . . . .
  9. tpenfield

    Glastron SX 175 Gas Smell

    Nothing normal about a gasoline leak :rolleyes: You will need to find the source and remedy it. If the gas fume detector can sense the fumes, then you have a problem. There should be an access hatch to look at the top of the tank where the fuel sender and hose fittings are located. There...
  10. tpenfield

    5.7 Merc coolant check?

    Yes, sounds like an open cooling, aka raw water cooling, aka sea water cooling. No 'coolant' involved. You can post a picture of the engine for verification . . . the heat exchanger (if there was one) and the associated hoses are hard to miss. Are you in a region that gets cold (freezing...
  11. tpenfield

    2001 wellcraft 270 costal powered by a mercruiser 7.4 mpi with a bravo 3. Doesn’t accelerate.

    It's a Bravo 3 . . . no such thing as slipping.
  12. tpenfield

    VP 4.3 winterization simplification .... sorta

    @harringtondav . . . Just be careful about the annual disconnecting and reconnecting, as you may encounter a fuel leak at the fittings, which could end badly. Is there a spare fuel fitting on the fuel tank? If so, you could hook up an anti-siphon valve and a shut-off valve, and use it to...
  13. tpenfield

    Transom replacement on 1973 seabird 24 ft

    "Balsa Wood" . . . Most production boats have plywood structures . . . Balsa wood is typically used as coring in decks or hulls. The nice thing about restoring a boat is that you get to decide what materials to use in the rebuild. Most folks use plywood (exterior grade or marine . . . either...
  14. tpenfield

    Fuel treatment question.....

    My new tech engines are not supposed to be run dry (i.e. run out of fuel). Big warning messages in the owner's manual about it.
  15. tpenfield

    Engine access is never easy ....but...

    The canister type filters usually prescribe 3/4 turn after the gasket makes contact. So, make sure they are not too loose. The factory probably does 1+ turns . . .
  16. tpenfield

    Engine access is never easy ....but...

    One advantage of a bigger boat is that there usually is decent engine room space . . . . . Access on the port side of the port engine is a little 'iffy' though. I might have to borrow @harringtondav 's Sawzall These engines are actually a breeze to work on compared to the 7.4's on my Formula.
  17. tpenfield

    Engine access is never easy ....but...

    @Lou C The 4.5 and 6.2 SeaCore versions have full closed cooling. So you would only be replacing the riser portion of the exhaust. . . maybe every 7-9 years.
  18. tpenfield

    2002 Cobalt 240 OEM swim deck

    Welcome to iBoats . . . Start with contacting Cobalt. However, your best approach may be to get one of the aftermarket platforms. There are several companies that make decent platforms designed to fit particular boats. Google search will bring them up. Plan on about $3K for a decent...
  19. tpenfield

    Engine access is never easy ....but...

    OMG o_O That's a factory cutout? They didn't even gelcoat the cut edges. :rolleyes: As a fellow I/O boater, here are my time (and back bone) saving tips . . . 1) Fuel Filter: How often do you change the fuel filter in your car(s)? 2) Engine fogging: Empty the fuel tank and then put about...
  20. tpenfield

    Does anyone know the name of this boat?

    I'm thinking the outboard and the trailer may have some value.
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