2005 24ssv summarizing

[mpiller]

Hey all, new to the forum but already found loads of good info. Just got a 2005 24ssv in January, the dealer put a new motor in it and then winterized it before we bought it. Problem is I was hoping to take it out this weekend as it will be warm and we keep it in a heated garage so no worry about freezing. Wanted to get it out this weekend and get some break in time on it. I am very mechanically inclined but this is my first boat, and as I did not winterize it I am not sure about what goes where. There is a bag of parts on the steering wheel (maybe 2-4 hose clamps, a few plugs and bolts), and I feel like I could do it myself but was wondering if anyone had any insight or links to summarizing one of these? We would take it back to the dealer but its 2 hours away, and I wont be in town until friday, and were hoping to go out saturday.
Thanks!

[mpiller]

Ok I spent some time looking at the sticky about winterizing and think I have it figured out. Theres only two plugs, 3 hose clamps, and 1 larger piece that kinda looks like a thermostat. Heres my question now, when I put the plugs back in, hook up the hoses, and figure out the last part and where it goes, do I need to fill anything back up with water to prime it or just take it out on the lake and start?
Thanks

[sybrmike]

Congrats on the new ride. I'd hook it up to a fake-a-lake or run it on a hose on the driveway before hauling down to the lake. Easier to work out any first-time problems next to the garage rather than at the dock or boat ramp. The pump will self prime, but an initial charge of water sure wouldn't hurt & would avoid the impeller running completely dry for a few seconds.

[mpiller]

Ok thanks thats not a bad idea. And I do believe the item I thought was a thermostat is an anti knock sensor. (I had someone sending me photos of the parts since it is at my moms house) So I have just three hose clamps, one square head plug and one hexagonal head plug, and the anti knock sensor. If I have it all right, the hex head plug and anti knock sensor are the plugs for the block, and the square head is for the v drive. Shouldn't be too difficult.

The sticky at the top helped a ton, I'll go through with it just to check all the other plugs and such to make sure they're there. And by initial charge of water for the impeller, hooking up the fake-a-lake should push water into it before starting right?
Thanks!

[sybrmike]

Yup, turn on the hose, wait a few seconds, and hit the key. Some will say to wait to turn the key until you have water running out the pipes, but if there's a blockage in the exhaust you risk flooding into the cylinder through the manifold. You just need a little water to lubricate the impeller on that initial dry start. The hoses and housing should hold water between starts for the rest of the season.

[matt k]

that answers a question i've wondered about for a while. Assuming no unusual blockages, you won't fill the cylinders with water if you pump water through the engine while it isn't running? I've never had a fake-a-lake (always did the bucket and hose thing), so I was curious about that.

[sybrmike]

The water passages inside the manifold dump the water on the down hill side of the exhaust collector opening, so normally no problem running on the hose without the engine running. But if the exhaust is severely blocked there is a slight chance water could back-up & flow uphill into the cylinders. Not a common occurrence, but these are boats & strange things do happen.

[mpiller]

Thanks for the info guys, can't wait to put it all back together tomorrow and start it up. I think instead of the fake a lake, I'm going to go to home depot and get some fittings and tubing so I can just unhook the tube for the raw water intake and connect the hose straight to that. should be cheaper and less likelier to fail than the fake a lake. The raw water intake at the v drive is the right spot to connect to right? Pretty sure that's what I read other people did, and looks pretty simple from the pics in the winterizing thread.