Way2slow

Stratos 295 or 201, Javeline, Ranger, Champion would easily fill your requirements. I just have to warn, be sure they are checked out by a pro. It's very easy to find a whole lot of them that are not worth the time to look at them. Transome rot, floor rot, stringer rot, deck rot are all common problems with older boats. Especially if they are stored outside. Several years ago I looked at buying a Sprint bass boat from a dealer that supposedly only needed a motor. This boat was only three years old, but the company went out of business so the dealer said the man traded it for Stratos 201 and kept his motor. Well, I wasn't born yesterday so I checked the boat and transome very closely. It was junk, there was almost nothing left of the transome. I'm sure you are also aware that those old boats, also have old motors, and they use bunches of gas, it also takes bunches of gas to haul them up and down the highway. This has a tendency take a lot of the fun out of owning them with todays gas prices. It's not difficult for a day/weekend at the lake to cost $150 or more

Let me just say, I learned it the hard way. Left a 14' Fishmaster upside down in VA for about three months during the summer. When I put it back on the trailer, I noticed the center roller was a few inches from the hull and was wondering how it got moved. Then I eyeballed straight down the center of the hull, it wasn't the roller that moved. 15 years later, when I gave it to my son, it still had that deep concave in the bottom. Good thing it was only a 25 mph boat to start with.

I have flipped 20 foot bass boats over so I could blue print the hulls, that one should be a piece of cake. I always flip on the transome by raising the bow of the boat. That small of a boat, two or three people shoud be able to do the job. A tall pine tree, with a rope and pully will do it you don't have help. If you flip to the side, the sides may not be fully support and can crack the fiber glass, if it's glass, One word of caution, if it's fiber glass, DON'T leave it flipped over very long and try not having it in the sun. If you do, it won't be long before you have a concaved bottom and it probably won't flatten back out. The boat trailer not only hauls the boat, it also provides support for the hull. When off the trailer and flipped over, there is not support, and sun will heat the H*** out of the fiber glass, letting it soften and sag rather quickly. If you cover it, do it with something that light colored and has air space the cover and the hull, or you will just be putting it in an oven.

I'm sorry, but before I bought new batteries, I would make sure that's the problem. My magic wand is not working right now so just because it's dropping to 2 volts, doesn't mean crap about the batteries being bad until you check them. Dropping that much, would come closer to be a bad cable/connection. Connect your voltmeter across the lead post on each battery and see if the voltage drops there. Fully charged, they should have 12.6 - 12.8VDC. If they are holding voltage when you run the TM, batteries are not your problem. To locate the problem, first connect the voltmeter on the negative lead post of battery one (not to the cable)and the postive lead post of battery two and run the TM. If the batteries a still holding their 24+ volts, that means the cable/cables between the two batteries are good, if the voltage drops, it has a bad/dirty end on it. If the check across both batteries is good, move the negative lead off the lead post and connect it to the negative cable, try TM again, if it holds voltage, that negative cables connection/connector is good. If it drops, it's bad. Now move the move the voltmeters positive lead from the lead post to the TM's positive cable and try TM again, if you loose voltage, that positive cables connection/connector is bad.

Don't assume a higher pitch prop is going to help, usually it's just the opposite. You want a prop that will let the engine turn very close to it's max rated rpm with you normal load. With the mass majority of two strokes, it's actaully better to turn 100 rpm over max than 200 rpm below. One major exception to this rule it the old ficht's, the injectors in those are already maxed out so it's better to keep them a couple of hundred below max. I did mention using a high rake prop, but rake and pitch are two totally different terms. Pitch is the how far the prop will move through the water with one turn. Rake is how much of an angle the prop has away from the motor. Increased rake will give more bow lift, getting more hull out of the water. Less wet hull equals less drag. Less drag means more speed. Increased pitch will reduce rpm, give slower hole shot and can actually slow the boat down by droping the rpm below it's peak range. Look at an 18" pitch Renegade if the prop you're running now will give you max rpm, You should notice a big difference in hole shot.

The carburator will have to be taken off and cleaned. All the orfices will need to be cleaned.

Ok, let me try to explain. First, the Power Pack is not part of the VRO. VRO and power pack have nothing to do with each other. The VRO only mixes oil in the gas as it passes through the fuel pump. VRO quit, motor quits getting oil, usually locks up and causes all kinds of high dollar damage. Power Pack never even knows any of this happens, it is strickly part of the ignition system. OMC ignition overview. The flywheel has a couple of different magnets in it. One on the inner ring that the crankshaft goes through and six on the outer ring. There are a three coils under the flywheel and the stator for the charging system. Two of those coils are generating the initial ignition voltage. The third is controlling the cold start, idle up function. The two coils that are generating the initial firing voltage is sending that voltage to the power pack to be amplified. The magnet on the inner part of the flywheel is spinning inside of a six coil/diodes module on one doughnut looking ring. This is called the timer base and tells the power pack when to fire each cylinder. It is hooked by a mechanical linkage that moves when you move the throttle and is what advances and retards the timing as you give it gas and back off the gas. Now, you have the initial firing voltage going into the power pack, and you have the timer base telling the power when to fire each cylinder. The power pack is taking that intial voltage and amplifying it to approximately 275 peak volts and sending it to the proper coil when the timer base tells it to. The coils are then stepping that voltage up to approx 13,000 to fire the plugs. The way the OMC/BRP ignition system works for carburated motors, they don't need a battery to run. The only thing that will stop it once it's started it cutting the fuel off to it, choking the air off to it, or ground out the ignition voltage, which is what you do when you turn the key off or pull the kill switch. So no power pack, no running motor Oh, by the way, I don't use CDI power packs. Shops use them because they are cheap and they can make a whole lot more profit on them, and still save you a few bucks over what the OEM packs cost. I believe in the old expression, buy cheap ****, get cheap ****. Holly crap, I just read your cost. CDI pack cost me $165. Takes about an hour to replace. That's some high price labor, glad I fix all my own junk.

Files leave small deposits of metal from their teeth imbedded in the metal that can cause the guy tig welding it a lot of extra work. Aluminum props that you are not going to have repaired, files are no problem. I agree, I would never spend the money to have an aluminum prop repaired, of course I would never waste the money to buy one to start with. I know the sticker shock for a good stainless is a bit rough, but once you ever run a good stainless, you will wonder why you ever messed with aluminum props. Now, I'm talking one thst matches you boat. There are tons of different props, for all kinds of different hull designs. Most bass boads do better with a high rake prop, one that will give good bow lift. That's why I always say try before you buy.

Depends on the performance of the boat. A high performance boat can loose a lot with just a few small dings. Now, I'm talking 70 and above boats. A 45 - 50 mph boat will hardley notice unless you've bent it. A prop with a rolled leading edge can make any motor loose power and speed. Aluminum props have such poor performance, I've seen those beat to pieces and still not see much difference. You can knock the burrs from small dings off with a stone (never use a file, prop shops will hate you) and get a good clean edge. Power loading is one of the main culprits for causing small dings.

I've got one of those Maxximizers I bought new many years ago. Acutally they work very well but there is a small problem. They are only 12 volt and they are limited to motors that only have about 35 lbs of thrust

It's easy enough to make a quick check on your own. Buy you one of those cheap $10 comression guages and make a quick check. I think that motor should have approx 115 pounds but that's not totally important right now, just so it's above 100. All you are really wanting to do right now is to see if they are all within about five and not more than 10 pounds of each other. If the bottom two are about the same but a little lower, that's also normal. If you do the compression check, pull the kill switch so it won't fire, open the throttle and only take one plug out at the time. It will kick the bendix out every time it hits on the tester if you take all six out. If the one on the top right (looking from the back of the motor) is way low, then you can start crying. Here's a link to a problem those motors have http://www.mar-fab.com/MarFab_Tech_Bulletins_D9579.pdf You need to read the lower TB. If water starts getting into the cylinder, it can lean it out enough that it melts the piston. I guess first I should ask, why do you think there's a problem. A bad battery is not going to damage the powerhead. The motor does not even use the battery once it's started. You could throw the battery in the trash once it's running and performance wise, it would never know the difference. What a bad battery can do is cause the Rectifier/Regulator to go bad or the Stator or even both. Neither of these are parts you want to be replacing, they will take a big bite out of your fishing budget and even some out of your grocery budget. That's why I say don't screw around with a questionable battery. You can buy a whole bunch of new batteries for what it will cost the fix the damage one questionable battery can cause. Also, never jump one off or let the charging system charge a dead battery.

Just putting silicone on a screw, I've seen it lift/turn loose too many times, but then it's not my boat. I've been using 5200 for years and will continue to do so. Yes, it's an adhesive so it's much less likely to turn loose and let water get into the screw/bolt holes. Only on one occasion have I had to cause me any kind of a problem. Removing a jack plate that had 5200 on and in the mounting holes, it pulled a spot of the clear coat off under the plate about the size of a quarter. This was on a boat that had been re-clear coated so it was not that strong of a bond to the original coat to start with, and was easily covered by the motor/jackplate when installed anyway. Yes, it makes things a little more work to take back apart, but I can handle that little bit of extra work over what's involved in replacing a rotted transome. Even with silicone, I still fell it should go on first and not last. Putting it on after mounting leaves too many chances for voids that could let the water get in. Again, though, that's why the make chocolate and vanilla ice cream, everybody likes things a little different.

First, it's best to use 3M 5200, it's made to be used under water. It's always best to drill your hole, put a glob of sealant on the hole and push a little in the hole, then mount the bracket on top of the sealant and and add a little more to cover the screw when done. Just putting it on the head of the screw after the fact may let water still seep in, especially if there is something under the screw like a mounting bracket.

I usually stick with the OEM plugs, which is Champions in OMC's. Just like I don't run Autolites in GM's and don't run AC Delco's in Fords. There are slight differences in plugs from different manufactor's and those differences can sometimes cause you problems. Not saying the NGK's won't work fine but if you start running into performance problems or fouling, those would be the first thing to go. I personnaly don't like NGK's and don't run them in anything. If going with another brand, I usually go with Bosch or Denso's. Even then you might have to play around with heat ranges just a little to get the right burn.

Only two things cause the voltage drop you're getting. The battery is weak or you have one or more bad connections somewhere between the battery and the Sonar. The sonar only pulls 1.5 amps, that's not going to cause any significant drain. With all live well pumps running at once and all the electronics on, you are still pulling less than 20 amps, not enough to cause a notciable voltage drop on a good battery and good, clean connections. When you hit the tilt, yes you will get a little drop, but not what you say you're getting. Start at the battery, diconnecting and cleaning every connection until it's bright metal. If you have crimp on wire connections, cut them off, clean the wire and install new ones. Many times the wire corrodes inside the terminal crimp. Also make sure someone didn't use the accessory wire off the key switch. This is not good enough to run more than a couple of amps. You should have at least a #12 wire and prefer and #10 going directly from the battery to the Power Switch on the console and a 15 - 20 amp fuse or circuit breaker at the battery. If you know how to use a DVM, follow the voltage and fix connection that giving a drop when under a load. Be sure it's under a full load or you want get any drop.

You miss understood. On the motor the lower unit goes on, the shifter works normal, forward on the handle is forward, back on the handle is reverse. The problem comes in when you try to install a different year model lower unit. The particular lower unit I'm talking about only works on that year model. If you put it on any other year model motor, or if you put any other year models Lower unit on that motor is where the problem comes in. In either case, they will shift backwards. I'm fairly certain it was the 1977 models they did that with, but not sure enough that I would bet the ranch on it. As for putting it together backwards, it might work for a while but take it easy in forward. I think you noticed the forward has more notches, or bigger notches and is much much stronger than the reverse gears. That's why when the motor is in reverse, you will feel a lot of play when you hand turn the prop back and fourth, but in forward, there is almost no play. Now yours will be opposite that. Merc guys, your's have a ratchet assy so all it's going to do is turn and click when you turn it backwards.

Well, your transmission is called the Lower Unit. I think you might have a hard time finding one for that motor. It was about 77 or 78 they used a different unit that had a shif assist unit that didn't work out but if yours is one of those, you have a major problem. They shifted backwards than all others so if you installed any other model, push you handle forward and it puts the motor in reverse and pulling it back puts the motor in forward. The parts to correct this problem will be very expensive. I have built parts and modified one motor. Most people stuck with that setup just install a hot foot and only use the handle to shift. Just don't let a stranger drive the boat.

No, I don't have to "Get Used To It", all I have to do is not visit as much. I know I can rub some the wrong way with my no BS attitude, but with my experience, I feel I have offered a lot good info to this site over the years. It's only the site that suffers when the experienced guys quit posting.

No carb motor is going to do well with extended idling. DFI motors do a little better but carbed motors hate it. Four Strokes will do better but all two stroke motors a going to blacken the the plugs at idle. The motor needs a few minutes of WOT runs to help clean them. The only way you can check to see if you are really too rich is by doing a plug check. With the motor running at WOT for about five minutes, while holding it at full throttle, cut the switch off. Pull the cover off, trim it all the way up and take each plug out and check it. They should be a light to medium brown color, about the color of a paper bag. If the are Coke colored, that's not too bad but if they are still black, somethings wrong, it's too rich. One word of caution, some boats that get up fully on the pad don't like this. They will show you what the term "Bat Turn" is all about. You will be too busy getting the brown out of you shorts rather than worrying about the color brown you plugs are. You can back of the gas and let the boat settle and then cut it off, just do this quickly. It's only take a few seconds of idle to start turning the plugs black. Nope, I don't get on here very often now, don't care for the the new format. It feels like the forums have become a minor part of the page, the adds are primary. As I mentioned before, I know the bills have to be paid, but the site's focus seems to have changed.

OK, I've given it a few days and hate it more each time I log in. I know they've gotta pay the bills but there is so much advertising on it now, it makes it hard to actually use the sight. Sorry, but I think I will become more of a stranger to the site, which will probably make some happier anyway.

I was the factory tech rep for almost all major brands of stereo equipment sold in northern Italy to military and civilians markets for four years. I would not have a clue at how many hundreds of pieces of equipment I repaired that the only fix was to replace the fuse. I deal with electric, industrial material handling equipment on a daily bases. A lot of it running 500 amp fuses and again, it's very common for it to blow the fuse before it damages anything else. The ones that get expensive is the idiot that installed a 500 amp fuse in a 400 amp circuit, he usually buys a very expensive motor. I've seen outboard motor, voltage regulators go bad and cause large spikes that blew electronics fuses. When properly fused, I just replaced the fuse and they were back in service. How would you like to send your HDS-10 in for repair and send you a major size bill because it was over fused? All I can say is, I will never over fuse anything of mine, using your idea of "it's not going to protect it". I have waaayyyyyy too much experience to the contrary.

Yes, you are 100% right, the protection circuit is should not be larger than what's specified for a given wire guage. However, as I said, the LOAD determines what guage wire and circuit breaker must be used. Ann-Marie, That's the second time I've seen you post that the load was not relying on the circuit breaker or fuse for protection and yet to figure out where you get that idea from. Over the years I've seen hundreds of motors and pieces of equipment save by a fuse/circuit breaker. Motors and most equipment have a certain amount of over current protection designed in so that if you stall or overload it, when properly fused or the proper size breaker is installed, they blow/trip before it damages the motor. You run a large enough wire to handle the load, and you run the proper size protection circuit to protect the load. In a dedicated circuit like for a trolling motor, the wire size is usually much larger than the actual breaker size because you have to allow for internal resistance of the wire that will cause a reduction in performance. I you used your logic, and used the size breaker specified for the larger wire and you stalled the motor, you would smoke your motor instead of tripping the breaker. Yes, in a branch circuit you fuse to the wire size on the main line, but still, the main wire has to be large enough to handle the total load Then you fuse to each individual load requirement off that. Just because you are running your depth finder off a 14 guage wire coming off a 10 guage main line, doesn't mean you should use a 15 amp fuse as you would suggest. After all, if the fuse is not to protect the load, you wouldn't have to worry about all those individaul fuses for each piece of equipment as long as you had the proper size fuse for the branch line feeding them.

I bought my first in 1960. It's a 17' aluminum Grumman canoe and I bought it used and paid $40. I said it's, because I still have it.

"Old Crank" Are ya'll talking about me? If it will not spin over, it won't crank. If it spins over, it won't start If it starts but cuts back off, it won't run.

The load determines the size of the breaker and the wire. If your running a 50 amp load on 30 amp breaker, it going to trip. If you're running a 50 amp load on a 60 amp breaker and the wire is too small, it's going to over heat, to the point it can catch on fire.