Official 280 Sundancer Thread

[saopm]

Make sue the seacock is open first. Then you can either go for a fast ride to prime the system or stick the garden hose over the A/C discharge to back feed and prime the system. The discharged is just below your port light in your sig picture.

[Danny Troy]

I only saw two seacocks in my bilge. One for the macerator, and one for the generator. I'll have to take another look. I'm replacing both batteries Friday, so I'll be spending some time down there. I like the idea of back flushing to prime though.

[JimT]

Whenever I go back in the water after a haulout I wait to start the AC until I am underway. I have never lost the AC system prime when doing.this.

[Tonka Boater]

I only saw two seacocks in my bilge. One for the macerator, and one for the generator. I'll have to take another look.

On mine, the seacock on the port side was for the gen and the one on starboard side was for the AC and I had to clean both strainers regularly.

[Danny Troy]

OK, got the AC working today. I didn't do much to get it going, other than releasing the strainer lid to see if water would flow out of it, and taking the boat for a short ride. I was happy to see both the AC and generator were pumping water.

I have a question for owners with a single 496 engine. There is an air fitting, similar to a car tire valve, on the top/forward part of the engine. I also see the prior owner left a small hand pump in the ER. What is this fitting for? I really need to get a manual covering the 496 engine.

So far I very satisfied with the entire boat, with the exception of the steering. I have some play in the steering wheel, which is not excessive, but a lot more than I had in my 220. The steering is also a lot stiffer than in my 220. In normal cruising it's not a problem, but when docking I'd like to have quicker response in my steering. I plan on investigating to see if there really is a problem, and will have a mechanic from my marina take a look at it. Whatever it is, I hope it's something I can tackle myself, and something that won't require hauling the boat out.

[kaz911]

I have a question for owners with a single 496 engine. There is an air fitting, similar to a car tire valve, on the top/forward part of the engine. I also see the prior owner left a small hand pump in the ER. What is this fitting for? I really need to get a manual covering the 496 engine.

it is for pumping the water out of your cooling system.

Manuals: http://www.boatinghowto.com/download...s/mercmanuals/

I think the 496 is manual 30.

[kkalsch]

OK, got the AC working today. I didn't do much to get it going, other than releasing the strainer lid to see if water would flow out of it, and taking the boat for a short ride. I was happy to see both the AC and generator were pumping water.

I have a question for owners with a single 496 engine. There is an air fitting, similar to a car tire valve, on the top/forward part of the engine. I also see the prior owner left a small hand pump in the ER. What is this fitting for? I really need to get a manual covering the 496 engine.

So far I very satisfied with the entire boat, with the exception of the steering. I have some play in the steering wheel, which is not excessive, but a lot more than I had in my 220. The steering is also a lot stiffer than in my 220. In normal cruising it's not a problem, but when docking I'd like to have quicker response in my steering. I plan on investigating to see if there really is a problem, and will have a mechanic from my marina take a look at it. Whatever it is, I hope it's something I can tackle myself, and something that won't require hauling the boat out.

Jf you have A BRAVO III out drive you need to check the gimble ring.They are known to either be loose or bad which will give you play in the steering -This can be dangerous if not fixed! On my 240 I had to replace the gimble ring and steering shaft -there is a nice write up by Quint 4 here- which I used as my guide. Hopefully just needs to be retorque

KK

[Henry Boyd]

Ditto on the top pin of the gimbal ring. You can test this when the boat is out of the water. The top pin is has a large square head. the square head sits in a recess in the top of the gimbal ring and is held in place by a u-bolt that goes through the gimbal ring and clamps the recess. While gently rocking he drive from side to side watch the pin and gimbal ring. If the ring move around the pin, either the u-bolt is loose, or the gimbal ring socket is shot. Unless you get to it quickly, its usually the latter as the ring is alu and the pin steel.

There is one other possibility. There is no play/adjustment in the steering cable. However, the cap nut that holds the steering cable casing hard against the power steering ram can back off (it did on mine). That will create play in the steering. To tighten you need two large wrenches, one on the ram and the other on the cap nut.

Henry

[Danny Troy]

Thanks guys. I just realized in the maze of literature I got with the boat is the Merc manual on the engine. Sure enough I see the air purge valve explained. It sounds too good to be true. Is it just a matter of pressurizing the system, and that is all that is needed to winterize the engine? No more antifreeze needed to flood the passages? I guess the closed cooling system would allow this easy procedure?

As for the steering, I was told that the prior owner had the gimbal ring done at the end of last season. I can't verify this, since I don't have the maintenance records. I'm waiting for the phone number of the PO from the broker, so I can ask him about the past maintenance. I did read Quints repair procedure already, and at this stage in my life I wouldn't tackle that job myself. Hopefully the info I got on past maintenance was accurate, since that will set me back quite a few $$$ with my marina doing the repair. I have a feeling the steering cable is original and needs replacement, but I need to have this checked. I might tackle that myself, since it looks a lot easier than the gimbal ring, and it's something that can be done while the boat is in the water. I always enjoy doing work on the boat a lot more while it's in the water!

Two more questions..... Is there any way to tell the level of on-board freshwater? The manual mentions a gauge on the main panel, but I don't have any such gauge on my panel. Also, any way of telling how full the holding tank is? I have a gauge next to the macerator key in the head, but it appears not to be working.

[Henry Boyd]

Tank levels, drinking water is sensor less. I know some of the larger Srs have tank gauges, but I don't think the 280 got them in 2002/2003.

Holding tank does have a level sensor. Now for the gauge in the head. Is the display dead? Is the key turned on on the display in the head? Is the head turned on at the main electrical panel? If these aren't the source of the problem, then you really do have a problem. The holding tank sensor is basically a cluster of three rods of different length with a float switch on each end. As the volume rises it trips each succeeding switch. The sensor is located on the top of the holding tank. I think the floor of the compartment under the wet bar can be pulled up to provide the vertical height needed to R&R the tank sensor. Otherwise you may have to pull the whole tank.

Henry