Homemade test tank

[natemoore]

It was a funny sight. We're tied up to the dock this past Sunday after trying to brave the choppy waters of Santa Rosa Sound in our 17' boat. I wanted the wife to cycle the stick from neutral to reverse and back to neutral so I could try to troubleshoot my finnicky shift interrupter. My instructions of, "Honey, just hold you mouth this way, apply about yea amount of pressure to the stick while you jiggle it just forward of neutral to get it out of reverse...." only scared her. When we started losing cleats (old corroded zinc) during the procedure, I decided to abandon the procedure. Waves were killing us anyway.

So, before I take a saw to one of those plastic 55 gallon drums I picked up 8 or 9 years ago because I thought they'd be useful for something day, would I have any success in trying to make a test tank for my Alpha One outdrive? Could I cut it in half height-wise, lower my unit into it, fill it with water and get enough resistance to troubleshoot the shift interrupter? I could probably make a lid for it to keep the water from splashing out immediately.

Anyone ever try this?

Oh, and I have followed the adjustment procedures over and over trying to get it working correctly. I think I just need to watch it and wing it.

 

[johnboat14]

Re: Homemade test tank

i have <ran>many a n engine in a test tank but nothing that big, not sure if it will work.: i can tell you that some engines will sorta try to tip the tank over also even with the lid u will lose water . i have even used the proper fitted muffs inside the tank with them tied in place so as not to let the swirling water throw them off , on larger out drives i have even used the trailer as a rack and try to "push" the truck up the launch ramp of course you have to be smart about wich one you use and be certain the boat is a little more than properly secured to the trailer it is way safer than using the dock .

 

[RandyJ]

Re: Homemade test tank

I don't know if it would work or not... probably not.. if you just pulled the prop off. I'm thinking some outdrives need the prop on to keep the prop shaft in position... maybe you can get an old prop and cut off the blades to make a test prop.

 

[JoLin]

Re: Homemade test tank

Google a rubbermaid 100 gallon 'livestock watering trough'. I have one and it's deep enough to bury the water intake on the 175 hp Johnson motor I owned. Handy for tune-ups as it introduced some exhaust back pressure when the motor's running. Long enough at 36(?) inches that I could put the motor in gear momentarily when needed.

If you weren't so far away I'd sell you mine cheap

My .02

 

[paultjohnson]

Re: Homemade test tank

Thx Jeff Foxworthy.... If the last thing you said before you died was.....Hey Everybody! Watch This !!! or Will you hold my beer a second... Y M B A R N:facepalm:

 

[DuckHunterJon]

Re: Homemade test tank

My guess is you will empty the tank quickly if it isn't completely sealed at the top. I put my 3.9 and 6 hp's in a 55 gal trash can and can fling the water out of it at a little more than idle. I'd think a bigger prop would empty it in a second. Just be sure to have a camera near by.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Homemade test tank

as far as the motor is concerned, you can shift in and out of gear at idle, in a tank or on muffs; you just can't (shouldn't) run the rpm's up more than say 1500. Put a cover over the tank.

 

[blifsey]

Re: Homemade test tank

Out of the box thought...could you remove prop before using in test tank? Would the lack of weight on prop shaft cause issues?

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Homemade test tank

I can't see why it would cause any problems (again, at idle speed) but since OP wants to check his shifting, you'd need the prop for visual, and also to test how firmly it shifts. With no resistance the shaft will spin in neutral from the vibrations.

 

[blifsey]

Re: Homemade test tank

Good point!

 

[natemoore]

Re: Homemade test tank

Yeah, I just need to engage reverse with the load of the water on the prop blades; no need to run up the rpm at all.

 

[natemoore]

Re: Homemade test tank

Thx Jeff Foxworthy.... If the last thing you said before you died was.....Hey Everybody! Watch This !!! or Will you hold my beer a second... Y M B A R N:facepalm:

That's funny. I heard it as "What are the most common redneck last words? 'Hey, everybody. Watch this!' "

But I only need idle speed in the test tank.

You might not be a redneck if you don't know how a shift interrupter works. ;-)

 

[RandyJ]

Re: Homemade test tank

Yeah, I just need to engage reverse with the load of the water on the prop blades; no need to run up the rpm at all.

Never used one before... but as I understand it, that's what a test prop is all about... Somewhere on here I recently read a post on how to make a test prop for a small outboard out of an old prop...thus, my idea of whacking off the blades.

 

[natemoore]

Re: Homemade test tank

Never used one before... but as I understand it, that's what a test prop is all about... Somewhere on here I recently read a post on how to make a test prop for a small outboard out of an old prop...thus, my idea of whacking off the blades.

Whacking off the blades would remove the load on the gears, so you wouldn't be able to test the shift interrupter. Read the sticky on the topic.

 

[RandyJ]

Re: Homemade test tank

well uh.. if I were gonna make a quick test tank I'd go for the 100 gal livestock tank. I just so happen to have one... and I'd put some kind of top or cover on it to hold in a bunch of the water. A shop down the lake from me has a test tank that is metal but has a similar set up kinda like a loop at the end of the tank that shoots the water back into the tank... just curves up back toward the other end like the old baby stroller tops.