Recent content by Hoosier John

Thanks Redhook98 and fc3, After the break-in, I will probably go with a modern synthetic like Merc 20w40 or Mobil 1, then add some zinc/ZDDP like Rislone that Redhook98 uses. I suppose there are treatment concentrations given on the can. But if you don't know how much zinc is in the oil to...

While gas engine improvements have undoubtedly taken place, I believe that one of these "improvements" (catalytic converters) has a detrimental effect, at least on older engines. We just replaced the stbd engine on a 1995 EC with a reman. 7.4L Generation V (flat tappet?) longblock, due to a...

I guess I'm lucky that both my wife and I are engineers, so spreadsheets are not foreign to her. Still I tend to think more analytically and practically. But she recognizes a good value for the money as well as social areas (cockpit and dining room) and design functionality. We have been very...

Air O'Naughtical, I am 99% sure the engine uses only raw water to cool the entire engine (or, as Ron put it, no coolant reservoir). A heat exchanger exists only on the stbd engine to heat the hot water tank. I imagine you would see the closed fresh water cooling systems on most boats intended...

Good point Ron. The boat is raw water cooled not fresh water cooled. Sorry for the confusion. Based on its current location in Lake Michigan, a long way from salt water, I'd say odds are in favor of it remaining a fresh (or non-salt) water boat even for the next owner(s). However, this boat was...

Thanks for all the help guys. Here is what my current thoughts are. At this point, I have serious doubts about the history of this engine. Only having one piston replaced previously, means they did only what was absolutely necessary to get by, and probably sold the boat at that point. I can...

JohnGus: I can only base the reputation of the shop where the engine is now on Tower Marine's recommendation. They were using two machine shops and quit using the other in favor of CD Engine Service. Giving them the benefit of the doubt, I have some reservations about my engine's history...

Hi Everyone, This is my first post, but have been enjoying other's threads since we purchased this boat earlier this spring. A 1995 SR 400 EC which we have thouroughly enjoyed all season around Saugatuck, MI. We just had the stbd engine pulled and looked at. The camshaft has one exhaust lobe...