Official SRV 240 Weekender Thread! (1972-1980)

[BoilerXing]

I bought a 5x5 sheet of marine grade plywood and cut all new hatches. Sanded down edges so they we smooth. Then stained. Either bought new hinges or straightened out the old ones. Attach a handle or a latch. And you got new hatches. Attached a picture of before I installed the latch.

Looks great!

 

[BoilerXing]

Anyone ever replace their Weekender ignition switch?

 

[jwfoley75]

I’ve been reading the forums for a couple years but this is my first post. I have a 1978 240 Weekender. Been in the family since new.

Looks like I’ll need some advice on how to properly post a photo!

 

[BoilerXing]

LOL, looks great! Here is my attempt!

 

[Sleeves]

I had one of these with twin 165 HP engines. I like the SRV 300 better. The lack of a self bailing deck was a bummer.

 

[dmnolan]

Just got mine in water after 3 years of work.
New transom, stringers floor. Rebuilt the 351w and put in new Sei 106 outdrive.

working well but runs hot in my opinion.

Normal temps on raw water cooled versions I am told is 150 or so. Mine is 170 sitting at dock. 195 running 20-25 knots.

 

[dmnolan]

 

[dmnolan]

View attachment 90779

Do t k ow why they always go upside down!!

 

[El Capitan]

Check thermostat model

 

[dmnolan]

So boat in water still. Runs well. Still think it’s too hot. 170 at the dock at idle. Runs up another 25 at speed.
It seems to me it should be more like 150 all the time??

MerCruiser 233(351w)

so here is what I know.

-impeller pushes 5 gallons a minute at 1000rpm, I understand that to be correct
- water pump needs
-thermostat 140 degree, new, and still runs hot if I take it out.
-risers need
- manifolds not new but in good shape and they were acid cleaned and rodded before putting back on.
- exhaust flappers are new.
- sending unit and guage are new. But I am getting a new sender just to be sure. Have to say though that IR thermometer seems to confirm higher temp.


what am I missing? It’s driving me crazy.

 

[El Capitan]

Take temp readings w IR gun at different sections of engine. Risers, manifolds, block, thermostat housing, etc. see if any variances to find where heating is occurring. This may provide clues.

So you’re saying you’re getting good water flow (you confirmed this?) but still hot?

 

[DaveKamp]

So boat in water still. Runs well. Still think it’s too hot. 170 at the dock at idle. Runs up another 25 at speed.
It seems to me it should be more like 150 all the time??

MerCruiser 233(351w)

so here is what I know.

-impeller pushes 5 gallons a minute at 1000rpm, I understand that to be correct
- water pump needs
-thermostat 140 degree, new, and still runs hot if I take it out.
-risers need
- manifolds not new but in good shape and they were acid cleaned and rodded before putting back on.
- exhaust flappers are new.
- sending unit and guage are new. But I am getting a new sender just to be sure. Have to say though that IR thermometer seems to confirm higher temp.


what am I missing? It’s driving me crazy.

With boat out of water, raise the drive, turn wheel hard to port, and look INTO the gimbal. You'll see, from the back of the 'helmet', is a 5/8" rubber hose that connects from the drive side, over, and down to the very bottom of the transom bracket. On the inside of the transom bracket (under the flywheel housing, is the other side, which goes up to the thermostat housing (and may pass through a power steering cooler on the way).

The line in the gimbal, and the line inside, are both very susceptible to internal collapse, particularly on the FORD-V8 powered MerCruisers. The lines of that era tended to delaminate internally... the inside lining gets old, and then gets 'sucked in', restricting intake flow, but only at higher speeds, as the drive impeller will exceed the thermostat and engine circulatory pump demand until you get to about 2100rpm, then the thermostat opens up, and engine circulatory pump ejects faster than the hose can tolerate.

Most of the time, the INSIDE hose is a large diameter, with a big 'rubber biscuit' adapter. Inside that hose us USUALLY a stainless steel wire coil, whose function is to prevent hose collapse under suction. SOMETIMES... if an uneducated individual does an engine swap, the stainless wire coil will get left out, but most of the time, especially on 70-76 era 302/351's, it's just that hose in the gimbal. They always look fine from the outside, but the inside collapses in, resulting in a hydraulic version of 'asthma'.

 

[El Capitan]

I just learned something ^^^ thank you!

 

[DaveKamp]

I just learned something ^^^ thank you!

wished i'd learned it as easy as you! I pulled the same 233 out of a srv240 hardtop THREE TIMES before i finally figured it out.

It had the bellows replaced at least three times over a 30 year span, and nobody felt need to replace that hose...

My note to self... any bellows job includes updated gimbal ring and tiller arm mod(if not already done) shift cable update (if not already done) and a full set of bellows.

Any MerCruiser from 60's to 90ish gets engine lift out, new coupler at 15yr intervals... bilge pump and blower...

And if someone is considering a project boat, i recommend budgeting all of the above from the git go, as well as a complete teardown, inspection, reseal of the drive, new water pump and gimbal bearing.

All learned the hard way, but learned well, right?

Mebbie I should just start a tech reference thread on this stuff somewhere...

 

[El Capitan]

Dang it! I’m scheduling a survey on a 240 and you just broke my budget. Now I have to start all over $$. It is good advice.

 

[DaveKamp]

Is it within a cash budget to acquire?? If so, take a close lpok for yourself. I'll start a new thread and add pix n stuff to go by.

 

[El Capitan]

Boat sold from under me.

Still looking for SRV240 cuddy cabin w trailer.

Cash in hand. Send pics.

 

[KRB64]

Been away from the board for a while, recession took all the fun (and money) away from boating...

The SRV 240 is one of Sea Ray's best looking boats in my mind. They got all the lines and proportions right. We got ours from the original owners but they had "freshened" it up with an Imron hull paint when they redid the transom which is a detraction for me.

Not been wet for many years now but still has the better lines compared to the SRV 260 Sundancer. Upgraded to the 260 only because it fit the families better for long weekends/weeks.

 

[El Capitan]

Been away from the board for a while, recession took all the fun (and money) away from boating...

The SRV 240 is one of Sea Ray's best looking boats in my mind. They got all the lines and proportions right. We got ours from the original owners but they had "freshened" it up with an Imron hull paint when they redid the transom which is a detraction for me.

Not been wet for many years now but still has the better lines compared to the SRV 260 Sundancer. Upgraded to the 260 only because it fit the families better for long weekends/weeks.

I want one.

 

[Kristy Bader]

****1976 Sea Ray SRV 240****Hello- I just joined this page today. My name is Kristy, and I just inherited my dads boat. I think I have the name /model right, but it looks just like yours and its yellow. I have some experience pontooning on inland lakes but this boat is docked in Lake Huron. We live in Oscoda, MI. We had a boat mechanic from the marina take us on a spin, and we took it out ourselves once so far. My dad owned this boat for about 15 yrs before he died in 2017. I have been a passenger on this boat hundreds of times but never driven it. He did a lot of work on it and had the engine rebuilt etc. But it sat for about 6 years, as he was too sick for about 2 years before he died to put it in the water. His wife just signed the boat over to me last week. So--- We had the marina "summer-ize" it, 2 new batteries, oil change, new impeller. . I wondered if I should keep the boat or sell it or? For sentimental reasons, I wanted to get it it the water REALLY bad. The mechanic says I should keep it and enjoy the hell out of it, because it runs great. The inside and outside need some love. I only have about one month of summer left here, so we are mostly just cleaning it for now. Next Spring we will do more. I have to buy a new passenger seat, not the back one, but the one next to the drivers seat on the other side of the door. I went to go fold the seat down yesterday the whole seat basically crumbled. We will need to have a new cover made also. Any advise about ANYTHING with this boat would be helpful!! Going to take my boaters safety course this week. Thank you!!