Proper maintenance? Good products for maximum performance?

[Chadbud]

Hey there fellow boaters!

I have an 1989 Celebrity 208 SE that with a 5.7L V8 that I purchased in April of 2020 (My pandemic escape toy).

In the late fall I stored the boat in an underground mine facility. It's climate controlled so no need to winterize.

It's 2021 and I'm starting to think about ways I can maximize the vitality of the engine (it of course being over 30 years old) and also maintaining great performance.

Any suggestions? I plan on doing routine maintenance on it when I bring it out from storage. Might change the prop from its 21 pitch stainless steel to my 17 pitch stainless. (I feel like I really should have a 19 pitch on there).

Besides that.. any products or maintenance checkups you guys recommend? I just really want to take great care of this boat since it is still in such great condition being such an old boat! I was hitting 45 mph (GPS) with just me and a full tank of gas in the boat last year and it felt great! I'd like to maintain the glory that the engine puts out!

 

[lrdchaos]

Following this thread.

question though, why are you wanting to swap from a 21p to a 17p prop, we’re you not making the proper wot rpm? That’s going to be a huge rpm jump.

In my uneducated opinion, just running mercruiser products would be best. That seems to have worked so far.

 

[Scott06]

i would pull the drive to inspect the gimbal, bellows, shift linkage, look for rust / leaking gear oil around the input seal to drive , split the drive and do a water pump impeller. Change your fluids oil and gear lube. Go through ignition system plugs wires cap and rotor. If its still points change them and set dwell.

 

[alldodge]

Agree with Irdchaos, don'y change the prop unless your not reaching WOT rpm. Using 2.0 ratio drive, 4800 rpm WOT and your current prop, your slip would be 5.7% and that would be great. If this is the case don't change a thing

Now if you normally have 6 adults aboard, cooler and other gear and can only reach 4000 to 4400, then can think about prop changes after more is known