Boating and perseverance
 

:D OK so i put the fresh ground crank in the boat and put i all back together... I did have two bad pistons and i did replace them. I made a decision to just put the crank and 2 pistons in it and fix the dist.... this is what caused the detonation. I did not want to spend another 2k on machine work and and the best part of the boating season. So i rolled the dice. I put the used rings on the new pistons. The rings were not seized to the pistons. The pistons had a small melt spot next to the thinest part of the valve relief next to the cylinder wall on both pistons. They were both about a centimeter long. Any way i had my doubts on weather i was going to have a slug the rest of the season....... My hunch paid off. I ran the motor idling on a small chain up here for about 3 hours on Friday eve. I could tell it was down on power a bit but hey WTF i am on the water, Right? so this aft in 96 degree heat i decided to push the motor a little. in the past i had my new toy up to 94 on GPS going down steam. so maybe 92.... well i think i had it going faster than that today. The rings seated..... :evilb: :evilb: :drink: :drink: :D

I cannot believe that it had this much power on a patch job. I now have 80 PSI w 15w-40 oil at WOT and 45lbs HOT hot .... at idle. I can now run thinner oil.....The new AN lines helped, the distributor fix helped..... I was so fed up with the whole project i was ready to sell. I am now happier that pig in s#%t.... when it all comes together it is almost as good as sex......

I have a friend that is having major problems with his new DART 540 and he is getting really discouraged.... he has fried a dist, a fuel pump, the starter, and the flex plate. he is ready to sell also......... He had his motor professionally built, his shop is standing behind him but he cannot hit the water for more than about 20min.... :(

Point ........ this sport can tax the most knowledgeable individuals! But when it all comes together. it can be the best sport on the planet. I am sorry for having to post like this but it all paid off this aft.

Re: Boating and perseverance
 

You are 100% right. when things are good, they are great. When they are bad, they are horrible. Its when you live in a climate with a short boating season.

Re: Boating and perseverance
 

Yep......... WI

I wish i had the GPS on board today. i had it up to 5400 rpm and it sure felt lke it was faster than i had it going before. I need lifeline jackets to do that again. but this is the best sumer we have had up here in 6 years. can soem one page Fred at trick for me? I met a friend of his a a beach party this weekend. he was from schofield WI i need his number he has a powerplay.

[email protected]

Re: Boating and perseverance
 

i really got fried today. I Do not tan..... i need a Bimini.... NE good sources on the board?

Re: Boating and perseverance
 

My wife is a blonde-haired Polish girl, about as white as they come. She has her own boat, and spends more time in the sun than I do. Her secret is Banana Boat SPF50 Baby Formula. It's kinda like wearing a blanket over your body.

Bimini? NOT! :D

Cheers,
Brian

Re: Boating and perseverance
 

I tried the SPF 50 ... i still get red..... the best thing so far is the Bullfrog 36... a couple of times a day. I am just trying to ward off skin cancer. A buddy of mine is moving to AZ to do more boating and he almost had me talked in the Southwest but i think i would have skin cancer in a year or two. I love the sun my skin just cant take it. I get constant jokes from friends that i match the red steering wheel (the one i bought from Fred) in my boat......

I tried tanning etc almost everything under the sun and it is a lost cause... thanks for the input though... :(

Mark

Re: Boating and perseverance
 

Very light skinned myself. Best results with any sunblock is to put it on in the house about an hour and a half hour before going out in the heat. Shade 45 was the best I could find but no longer available around here.

Congratulations on having a good boating weekend. I have been there with engine/transom troubles and as you say one good weekend is all it takes.

Re: Boating and perseverance
 

Congrats on getting it done and back on the water. Just curious, what did you determine as the reason for the melted pistons?

Craig

Re: Boating and perseverance
 

On the subject of Boating and Perseverance... I bought my 10-Meter about 5 years ago as a pleasure boat. My first experiences were mainly screwing loose stuff back together, but overall the boat was pretty reliable.

Then I decided to enter P-class racing, and spent a winter updating and adding safety equipment, but not much in mechanical improvements. In my first season of racing, any event we finished, we won. We were 3 for 6, 3 wins, 3 DNF's, but we were indeed hooked on racing. The 3 DNF's were serious ones tho; 1) hole in piston, 2) broken transmission, 3) cracked head, with water in block. Enough to discourage a rookie team on a rookie budget. Over the winter, I upgraded to a nice set of heads, beefed up the fuel system, along with other improvements to increase reliability. Ended up with an additional 55hp per side, too.

The second season wasn't much better, compounded by joining the pros on the National circuit. Between testing and my first two races, broke 4 drives which took out transmissions in 3 of those cases. Not a good start to the season.

The best thing that happened to our team was hooking up with the Konrad folks and installing some bullet-proof drives. Even after that, we still had some growing pains to overcome. My trannies were tender from past beatings, and we still broke a tranny in Sarasota, and spun an engine coupler at the 2nd race in Key West. But the source of my problems - broken drives - were gone.

With the worry of fragile drives no longer there, last winter I went after some more power, and a torque band that came alive early. I replaced my little 71C trannies with some beefier 72's from Huber, and stiffened up the inner hull with 4 extra stringers in anticipation of a heavier beating.

We're now almost half way into our season of 5 races and 4 poker runs. The boat is just a joy to operate. That new torque band is just awesome from 3000 and up, and I can air it out without worrying about what will happen upon re-enrty. THAT's a comfy feeling.

God only knows how expensive this nasty habit is or ours. Unfortunately, it usually gets worse before it gets better. But as Mark points out, with some perseverance, things do get better. You just have to have a passion for what you're doing, and not throw in the towel when it gets ugly. Oh, and it helps to have a VERY understanding wife. Thanks, honey.

hpy540, glad things are back on track for you. Hope your season just keeps getting better.

Cheers,
Brian

Re: Boating and perseverance
 

Bad pickup in the dist...... i sent it out to get recurved and checked.

On the subject of fuel i bought a aeromotive fuel pump the SS one cuz the Holley i have is a blue one and i just don't trust those. i have had too many of them go bad. i also bought a aeromotive fuel pressure reg w/bypass and am considering returning it for a Mallory one. it is half the price. Has NE1 here had experience with these bypass reg's?