1972 Sea Ray SRV 190 Rebuild; Finally got started!--Part Two

[pchansen]

Wow! looks like you've been busy! Keep the pics coming! I want to see a picture if you on a high speed pass! I love seeing these old boats being brought back from the dead. Keep up the god work.

Paul

[Ike]

Sorry about the long delay. Due to other financial issues and internet problems I have done very little. I did order the new thermostat housing (upper and lower) and yesterday ordered a new exhaust manifold and all the other stuff that goes with it.


Meanwhile I pulled the lower unit of the stern drive and replaced the impeller, gaskets, housing, etc. But try as I might, that sucker would not go back on. It would stop with about a half inch gap. I tried everything, rechecked everything, drove me crazy. So I took it to Commencement Bay Marine and in about fifteen minutes they had it back on. I should have had them do it when they did the upper unit. Live and learn.


But I am now up against a deadline. I have To get the boat out of this RV park by November. So I have to find a place to keep it. I have some options. So it's not too big a problem. But it has to be someplace I can work on it.

[OldSkool]

Ike,
That cooling system looks real bad. Hopefully you'll get it worked out before the money runs out. I finally got Old Skool running just in time to winterize her. Still waiting for that last good fall day and I'll run to the river to try her out.

Good luck with the repairs.

[Ike]

Hopefully you'll get it worked out before the money runs out.

It's been running out of my hands and into everyone else's rapidly. Have you bought a manifold lately? Egad!

Still waiting for that last good fall day

I think it passed. Nothing but wind and rain in the forecast.

However, I have been doing some things between the rain squalls. I installed the upper half of the thermostat housing, but I had to buy new longer bolts. The new one is higher than the old one, but just the part where the bolts go?????

I put the end plates on the new manifold. Also had to buy new bolts for that. The manifold comes with all the bolts and nuts needed, except the ones for the end plates???

Anyway. I started cleaning up the mating surface on the block with emery. It's taking awhile. But everything is ready to be bolted in place. But between the rain and running around doing other things, it's going slow. I put a new cover on the boat today. I didn't do that last January (I hadn't stripped it out yet) and had to chip ice off after we had an ice storm. Hopefully we'll get a few nice days after I finish.

[Ike]

Finally getting things done. See pic below of new manifold, water pump (behind the pulley) thermostat housing and hoses.



However, as usual I hit a snag. In the pic below, notice that the bolt immediately to the right of the last bolt on the manifold, is missing.



I cleaned everything up. put the new manifold and gasket on, started tightening bolts (alternately, first one end then the other, the the middle two, and so on) and when I got to that one, which was the last to be tightened, it would only tighten so far and then it slipped!. I nearly threw in the towel. Possible stripped threads in the block, and other thoughts (not printable) went through my head. Then I took the washer off and tried it again, and this time it tightened up, but with the washer it's too short. So I looked at various alternatives. Yes I tried chasing the threads with a tap. Didn't work.

Get a longer bolt?
Put in a stud?

In the next pic the original bolt is on the right, and it's hard to see but only about 1/4 to 3/8 inch was actually in the hole, which is a good inch deep. So getting a longer bolt might work. The new bolt was exactly the same length and just wasn't grabbing enough threads.

So I took one of the old studs and screwed it in and it holds but the threads aren't very deep, so I bought a new stud with deeper threads (last one on the left.) This will go all the way into the hole and have plenty of thread engaged. I can then put a washer and nut on it, and cut off any excess, so it isn't sticking out there to cut me every time I work on the engine.



I went to Tacoma Marine , the local mercury parts and repair, and showed their head mechanic what I was going to do. He thought it would work fine.

So next, I have another hose to put on, the exhaust shutter, the exhaust hose, and the riser. Then install the carb and the throttle linkage and I should be done. (this time anyway)

[Ike]

Done done done. New Water pump, new thermostat and thermostat housing, manifold, water hoses, exhaust hose, and water shutter. All bolts, nuts and washers are new SS. I used the existing riser. It looks like crap on the outside but the inside looks fine. I'll change it out in the spring. Now I need to put it on the earmuffs and run the engine.



Those of you with sharp eyes will notice that the throttle is not hooked up to the carb yet. I did that later.

[Ike]

It's Alive, It's Alive! (appropriate for halloween)


Ran the engine yesterday for about 15 minutes. All appears well. No water leaks. Did not overheat. But I'll have to wait for some decent weather before putting it back on the water.


I hope everything is ok with those of you on the East Coast.

[Big Island Lifer]

Thanks for sharing some good news today!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Ike]

Well the decent weather came and went. Last Friday I was going to drop it in the lake so I started checking out everything, and the blower died. I think the brushes finally gave out. So I've ordered a new one. At the same time I'll install a new switch. I had to order a duplicate of the blower that was installed. That way I don't have to engineer a new way to mount the blower, but it won't be here for a few more days.

So. I hope we get a few more good days before winter sets in.

[tcason]

Why not just cosmetic paint on the outside of riser if internals are good?