Some data needed about 2002 Formula 271 Fastech?
 

Hello from Finland.

I have just bought my first Formula and need some information for Finnish inspection.

Only two things I could not find from internet: fresh watertank capacity and wastetank capacity?

I haven't had mine on a scale so have been wondering boats weight because there are so many different informations. Mine is with 496 mag HO - how much it should weight?

THX

You can go to the Formula web site and find their old brochures, which should have the specifications you are looking for . .

http://www.formulaboats.com/content/vintage.aspx?type=0

That was quick - found everything I needed.

Thank you!

BTW has someone calculated which RPM / speed is the most efficient when thinking about fuel consumption? In Finland gas costs at the moment 2,4 dollars for a litre so it's about 9 dollars for a gallon so I have to think a little bit of consumption also. What kind of consumptions you have had with your boats with different speed / rpm?

IIRC most big blocks (If it's a big block boat) get the best range at 2800-3000 rpm's.

Congrats on your purchase, how ever at $9 a gallon its going to be very expensive :boat:.

Maybe you will make the first diesel powered 271...... What dose Diesel cost over there?

Here in the States (minnesota) we are $3.55 a gallon for regular & $3.87 for premium gas, then $3.94 a gallon for Diesel

So low rpm's?!? I've been driving now 4000 rpm's and the speed is for about 40 knots then (I've managed to go 51,4 knots GPS) at full throttle. Don't know does it even plane with so low rpm's? :-) engine is 425hp 496 mag ho (single engine).

Dieselengines are for tractors, :cool-smiley-011:

And anyways I would have to pay around 21000 for a dieselengine so too expensive. Diesel costs about 7,6 dollars for a gallon.

With a number of big block engines I've had over the years they seem to run best from 3,100-to 3,500. The carb'ed motors tend to do better at the lower end of that range. Yours is fuel injected so it could be best closer to 3,500. Only way to tell is fill it up and run at least 1/2 a tank at a low rpm, then refill and check mileage from a GPS. RE-fill and run it at a higher rpm for 1/2 a tank and re-fill/measure mileage again. Unless you have fuel-flow meters this will give you the best results.

Have to do so yes, 3500 should be doable. (no fuel-flow meter). Has someone installed them afterwards? Well tomorrow trip will be with workmates who will share the gasbill with me so I think we will cruise close to maximum speed, :-)

Btw what brand of high performance gear lube you have been using in driveystem?

Pave, silly question. How do you run the boat? Do you use your trim tabs and trim the drive up a bit while on plane. Your numbers seem a bit low to me after I re-read them and did the conversions lol.

You are saying you are at 46MPH (40kts) @ 4000 RPM and 58MPH(51kts) @ WOT which is what RPM are you seeing?

I have trim tabs and drive down when gettin to plane. After that I trim the drive a liitle bit up and take the trim tabs
Up. The 51,4 knots was at 5100 rpm where my boat seems to have limiter ( alarm sounds).

I think I have stock propeller but after I have read that people has been having problems getting the boat to plane but mine does that rather well maybe mine has been changed?

If someone went a lower pitch it would come up on plane better and you will hit the high end of your rpm range but at a lower speed kind of like what you are explaining.

I am second owner in Finland and the prop has been the same while it has been here but it was brought from US on 2009 so it might have been changed there.

Just had snow here at Tampere Finland....nice Summer, :-)

Pave, I'm most likely the guy, who sold the boat to Finland if we're talking about the same boat. A very clean 2002 with a speedometer that was replaced with a GPS? If you need help with it, let me know and I'm happy to help. I think that boat came from NJ and we sea trialed it here in FL prior to shipping. As far as I know, the prop is the stock one from the factory, but I can easily verify that. Did the boat come from Turku area?

Yes I bought it from Turku as previous owner changed to bigger Fountain so it has to be same boat, :-) The name was Soapy II but because I'm Volkswagen salesman the name is now Think Blue. It is still very clean and I will keep it the same. It was driven 440 hours when I bought it and now 460 hours with no problems - love the sounds!

Did you ever have any technical problems? Were you the first owner?

I never owned the boat, we just brokered it to the guy, who imported it. I'm Finnish as well and we've sold quite a lot of boats to Finland, the Formula being one of them. As far as I know, the boat never had any issues at all. If I remember correctly, we replaced the exhaust manifolds here and did a bunch of routine maintenance. It was located in the former owner's garage in New Jersey, when I went to inspect it. The boat was exceptionally clean.

Ahh ok.

Yes the exhaust manifolds have been replaced and looks good.

What is the "pump" or something that makes rather loud nouce when you have been driving and shut down the engine. It goes away when you put electrics off? You can hear it in the cabin also but I think it comes from the engine room.

I was able to get the chart from Formula directly with the speed/rpm/mpg data. I have 496mags (non-HO) that are the most fuel efficient at 3,000 rpm. BUT you have a completely different hull, and so that data is worthless for you. You can try and contact Formula. They have been very helpful on the phone for me.

Thanks..have to contact them. I think mine hardly stays on plane if I drive 3000rpm.

Sounds like either the fuel pump or the fresh water system pump.

HAHA I concur. About 4k seems to be the sweet spot for cruising in mine (502)

Is ot normal that it stays on after stopping engine?

I think that 4000rpm could be pretty close with mine also. What kind on fuel consumptin you have then?

The fresh water pump yes, the fuel pump no. The breaker for the fresh water pump is under the rear seat. I run around with mine off most of the time unless I'm using it. The fresh water pump runs until a certain pressure is reached then shuts off. If it doesn't reach pressure it will run continously.

No idea, but it consumes it.....a lot lol.

If you put some water into the fresh water tank the noise will stop, as mentioned, it needs to built pressure. Remember to run the water, sink or transom shower, every now and then so it doesn't start to smell funky. Good luck. You will love the boat.

Ok interesting. The pump has "never" been used since the boat has left US. The tank is full of some red stuff that I think is glykol. The shower has been deleted and there is 230v electric socket nowdays.

I asked the charts from Formula yesterday and got test drove charts today.

2500rpm 1,76 mpg
2500rpm 1,36 mpg
3000rpm 0,91 mpg
3500rpm 2,72 mpg
4000rpm 2,48 mpg
4500rpm 2,19 mpg
5030rpm 1,86 mpg


So around 3800-4000 rpm should be best.

Cool info man! Thanks for sharing!

Sounds like the system is still winterized with RV antifreeze. I'd start by tripping the breaker under the rear seat and seeing if that makes your noise go away before filling the tank.

And one more question. If my boat stays at lake (not driven) for 2 days there is about 0,5 feet water under the engine and the alarm starts to yell. I think the water has to come from the drive to the motorspace?

Proabably a leak from the drive bellows/shifter cables. Be careful, if they rip or tear more, they can turn into a big leak and your boat could end up on the bottom.

Boat is now up and the lak is pretty disturbing. I dorve it yesterday from cottage to harbour for abot 15 minutes and there was pretty much water after that. The boat is on a trailer now and mechanic will come today to check it,

drive bellows and shifter cables are ok. The boat was left a week ago under a thunder storm without top. It wad emptief after that but is it possible that there is water "hiding" somewhere and coming out with time.

The pump noice was the water pump. I took it off under the seat.

Tomorrow we put the boat to lake with mechanic and double check the leak.

The leak comes from steering axel at it is getting worse. Have to take boat up everytime after running so I'm glad I have a trailer for it. So the engine has to come off and change everything from the drive bellows to shifter cables when it's open anyways.

Welcome to boats! My 271 is always needing something.

Well nexr step after repairing this will be new speakers, subwoofer and amhplifier. :-)

Where you planning on putting it? I added 2 6x9's under the rear seat, not sure I could fit a sub there.

On my 271 I removed front cushion and mounted a JL cls110rgw7 with the driver facing front of boat,JL 500/1 powering sub.You wouldn't believe the sound from a single 10" sub encloser is everything.