More pics. Still have to secure the bunks while raising the front of them about 1/2 inch, install the LED lights, and the diamond plating.
http://unumemarketing.com/boat/trailer4.jpg
http://unumemarketing.com/boat/trailer5.jpg
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More pics. Still have to secure the bunks while raising the front of them about 1/2 inch, install the LED lights, and the diamond plating.
http://unumemarketing.com/boat/trailer4.jpg
http://unumemarketing.com/boat/trailer5.jpg
Wow! That looks terrific. Great example of a first class job.
Hey Titan, how did your local Sherwin Williams guys like that color combo and name?
Yeah, I'm hitting it pretty hard. I want to get my boat off my friend's lift so he can use it for his boat. That's a good idea on the color name, but I like his buddy's name of it too. So maybe combining them like: Jetlink's Bad Ass Trailer Red. Hey, but now I want some credit... I mean, I picked the color! Surely this isn't too long: Jetlink and TitanTn's Bad Ass Trailer Red. Has a nice ring to it.Quote:
Originally Posted by ngavdba
My local guy was as personable as the lame colors they were mixing. He said nothing about the name, so I made a joke about not being able to pull up the color in the computer. Nothing. I made a comment on working for weeks on getting the right shade of red. Uh-huh. So FINALLY he made a comment as I was paying. "You had this originally mixed in Illinois?" Finally some recognition that this is not a normal transaction. "Yep, it was the closest place that knew how to mix enamel."Quote:
Originally Posted by Jetlink
Wow! Sounds like Mr. Personality there! Oh well, any idea when the boat will be coming off the lift?
That looks awesome man!!! Great job on the color Jetlink!
That looks great. I can't wait to see it with the boat on it. That's going to look so sexy.
Trailer looks great! Even if it's not an exact match, I'm sure the expanse of white between the cap and trailer will fool the eye. Can't wait to see them reunited.
So I went and got the boat today. I busted this whole weekend and basically got the trailer back together. I still need to do pin-striping and the Supra logo, but that'll just need to come later. I'm real pleased with how everything turned out.
http://unumemarketing.com/boat/new_trailer.jpg
http://unumemarketing.com/boat/new_trailer2.jpg
http://unumemarketing.com/boat/new_trailer3.jpg
Pardon my language but, hot damn dude!!! That does look super sharp!
Great work... Looking like a brand new trailer....
Just read through the entire post... WOW what a lot of work and what a cool payoff at the end.... you bring new meaning the term sweat equity!
My respect and JOB well done!
looks fantastic!
how hard is the pinstripe on the hull? that's a long run to keep 'straight'.
Thanks guys. I'm really proud of it and the fact that I didn't break the bank to get it done. Anyone can throw money at a problem and fix it, but I like to torture myself with my own cheap labor.
It's not too bad if you use a reference line. I used some painters masking tape and laid it down directly below where I wanted the pinstripe. It's easier to keep the thicker tape straight. You then come back and lay down the pinstripe along the edge of the masking tape. Although I was nervous about getting the line straight, I think it turned out pretty good.Quote:
Originally Posted by Salty87
Thanks for the inspiration! The boat looks fantastic!
Well, it time for more restoration. I'm in the middle of a complete engine rebuild.
I had a sticky lifter this past summer and since I've never really done anything to the engine, I decided to just do a freshen up on the whole engine. Bearings, seals, gaskets, lifters and a cam. Of course I was going to have a machine shop go through the heads.
It's turned out to be providential that I tore the engine down as far as I did. The boat had new exhaust manifolds on it when I purchased it. And now I think the old manifolds failed and let water back in the engine. I had two pistons that were disintegrating from water damage. That in turn scored the cylinder walls. I also had some cracked valve seats.
So the block is getting a .30 over bore, crank is being turned, heads completely gone through, etc. I've got the parts coming in next week and the machine shop will press in the cam seals and the pistons onto the connecting rods. I'll then bring everything home and start the assembly process.
It's going to be a lot of expense and time, but in the end I'm looking forward to a basically new engine and seeing what the performance is. Does anyone know what type of horsepower I should see from the slightly larger displacement? I'm not thinking it'll be much, but since I likely wasn't getting full power before, I think I'll definitely feel a difference.
http://unumemarketing.com/boat/engine_rebuild.jpg
Performance increase from a few more cubic inches will be negligible. In stock form you're looking at .73 HP/cubic inch so at .030" over you're looking at maybe +4 HP at most. You won't feel the difference.
Are you considering any performance upgrades while it's apart? Head porting? Intake? Cam? Carb? I know you said you have new manifolds so probably no plans to upgrade those. If staying near stock HP levels I don't think you'd get much HP per dollar on better manifolds or headers unless you were needing to replace them anyway.
Thanks, I kinda figured that was the case. I'm not really planning any performance changes. Quite frankly, I don't think my engine was performing up to even stock levels and it was fine. I don't need any more performance - I'm not racing anyone, and most of the time I'm trying to be gentle on the throttle so I'm easier on fuel.
So I'm not doing anything with the cam or carb. I might be getting a different intake - we'll see.
If the goal is a good performing engine that's easy on fuel it may be worth keeping in mind many things that improve performance or HP per cubic inch will also increase efficiency or reduce BSFC. I'm not sure what factory compression ratio is on these, but higher compression gives greater efficiency. Volumetric efficiency can be improved with head porting, intake, carb, exhaust. Not sure the specs on the original cams but something with more lift and more aggressive lobe profiles while maintaining a wide LSA can improve efficiency as well. Polishing chambers can help to prevent detonation and helps to run the most ideal timing curve.
What pistons are you using? What is the compression ratio? Have you picked a cam yet? What octane fuel are you planning to run?
I enjoy engine builds and have done a few torque and efficiency builds. I like shooting for best fuel economy in builds like this. Even for a low cost stockish rebuild there's a lot that can be done for minimal cost to improve on both power and economy.
Thanks for that info. I think the factory compression ratio for this engine is 8.0:1.
I agree that porting, intake, etc can help with efficiency as much as power. It just all takes money, and I just don't have the discretionary funds to put into something that I use on a very limited basis. This build is already costing me way more than I was hoping for. My machine work is already in the $700 range and the rebuild kit is $550. I know this is still fairly cheap for a 7.4 rebuild, but regardless of good intentions it all takes cash.
Here is the rebuild kit I purchased: http://www.mabbcomotors.com/catalog/..._1980-1990/840
Rob what are they using for the ZDDP additive?
Great question, and based on our earlier oil conversations I'm specifically using a ZDDP oil from now on. I'm not sure if you're referencing what assembly lube I'll use during the build, or if you're asking if I'll use an additive or oil with ZDDP. My plan is to make sure I always use oil with the ZDDP included. Do I need to do something more during the build?Quote:
Originally Posted by michael hunter
Valvoline VR1 and comp cams breakin lube for cam breakin is what I use, though I'd happily sub whatever cam breakin lube is conveniently available as VR1 alone should be good. The additive is just belt and suspenders, cheap insurance. Whether you need to be concerned about having sufficient zinc and phosphorus content after cam breakin depends on what cam and springs you are using.
As said above, a .030 over bore will not product any considerable gains unless matched with different heads/cam but that can get pricey.
Like cadunkle mentioned, if you are looking for any small gains I would look at a different intake/carb setup. Obviously the big goal is low end torque, and going with a longer runner manifold can help in that department.
For example, on my 302 SBF in my 1987 Mustang (stock heads/block) I switched from the stock intake to a GT40 style that has long tube runners (granted, it is EFI) but I ended up with 24 ft.lb gains and peak torque at 700 rpm less than stock.
My opinion on changing cams on a stock bottom end and stock heads is that it will do nothing but kill your low end torque. You may improve efficiency and peak HP but in this world you are trying to get up and go.
I don't know the specs on the cam PCM used in these, but I'm certain with only 330 HP there is a lot of improvement to be had. I'd imagine the PCM cam is low lift and slow ramp rates. Changing cams for more power and efficiency does not mean an engine that idles rough at 1200 RPM and pulls to 7500 RPM unless that's what you want. Cam technology and lobe profiles have come a long way since the 80s. In any rebuild cam lifters and springs are typically replaced given how cheap these parts are. With a modern cam there can be torque improvements across the board.Quote:
Originally Posted by Supra_Comp
Do the 351's have a better cam than stock? I always thought they had higher lift/duration than a stock Ford 351.Quote:
Originally Posted by cadunkle
It's likely a different cam than Ford put in 351 truck engines in the 80s as trucks had emissions requirements whereas boats didn't. So it's quite possible the cam is a bit different and may have made a bit more power. Hard to tell since boat HP was rated at the crank and car/truck HP at the rear wheels after driveline and accessory losses.
I'd be surprised if the PCM 351 cam was at all aggressive with lift or ramp rates and I'm with a 4400 RPM max it's not going to have a lot of duration or overlap. What we'd want for a mild performance build ina towboat is more lift and faster ramp rates along with slightly more duration and overlap. Nothing excessive since we want a broad torque curve for wake sports. Slalom and barefooting you can build for higher RPM.
Also I doubt that PCM cam in either 351 or 454 is split duration. Not sure on BBC but all Ford engines benefit from longer exhaust duration due to restrictive exhaust ports as cast. BBC has pretty decent exhaust ports relative to Fords but I'm sure more exhaust duration would help BBC as well.
I've made a little progress finally.
http://unumemarketing.com/boat/lifters.jpg
http://unumemarketing.com/boat/painted_engine2.jpg
Got it back in today. Based on last time, I was expecting one hour to drop in, and one hour to connect and get running. Well, the best laid plans... It took about 6 hours in all. But she's alive! Still a lot of little things to button up, but I'm glad she's running.
Anyone have advice on the break-in? I was told to get it running and immediately get the rpms over 1,500 and don't run over 2,200, but fluctuate between those numbers for about 15 minutes. This is to break in the cam. For breaking in the rings I'll need to go to the lake and run between 1,500 and 3,000 for 10 hours. Anyone have a different procedure?
http://youtu.be/ljCoci2SuHc
How long did you have it running? Hopefully not more than a few seconds as it doesn't take long to wipe a new cam.
Before starting ensure you have smothered and cam lobes and lifter bases with moly assembly lube. Also ensure you are using a good oil of appropriate viscosity for your build with at least 1200 ppm of zinc and phosphorus. I typically use Valvoline VR1 for cam breakin, and also use Comp Cams breakin additive. Prime the oil pump with a drill or speed wrench until you have pressure. Set your timing in the ballpark, put #1 on compression stroke with timing marks where you intend to set your base timing and lock in the distributor with the rotor pointed at #1 and preferably if you can tell also set at the point at which your trigger fires the coil. You want to be sure the engine will fire quickly, cranking will wipe the cam and removes your assembly lube
Immediately bring RPM to 2000-2500 RPM and keep in this range for minimum of 20 minutes, though I typically do 25 mins. I set the idle stop to be in that range before starting and adjust from there so "idle" is at 2000 RPM. Throughout the breakin period I slowly vary RPM in that range using idle stop screw adjustments. At the end of the breakin period set idle stop to 2000 RPM and do a long slow sweep to 2500, back down to 2000, then to 3000 and down, then to 3500 and down, then bring it to normal idle RPM. Set timing, adjust carb mixture, get idle RPM where the engine likes it. Shut down and change oil using high zinc and phosphorus oil such as Valvoline VR1 for first oil change. Monitor dipstick for metal particles during first oil change and check oil for metal at next oil change when draining.
Once the engine starts do not let it idle for any reason until you've run at least 20 minutes. Do not shut it off unless absolutely necessary, such as oil leak under pressure, severe coolant leak, overheating, or any circumstance in which you foresee you cannot run for the full cam breakin period. You should be closely monitoring oil pressure and coolant temp the whole time. Again, do not let the engine idle or you are likely to wipe the cam.
Thanks Cadunkle, that's a great run down and very similar to what I did yesterday. I had lots of assembly lube on the cam, and I used the correct viscosity of oil and added Valvoline's ZDDP additive to make sure I had enough in the oil. I had the oil pump primed and distributor timed with number one at TDC.
Once started I brought it up to 2,000 rpms and varied between 1,800 and 2,500 for 20 minutes. I then fine tuned the timing and carb settings. I had great oil pressure and temp setting the whole time.
To my understanding, this breaks in the cam. But I've heard that the ring break-in can take 10-20 hours. In reading about this topic, I've found that for the next 10 hours I should: keep above idle as much as possible, change rpms often, and don't go anywhere near full throttle. Would you agree with that?
So I should change the oil before I go to the lake and do the longer break-in period, but after this oil change do I need to do another one (after the second break-in period) before declaring it good for the summer?
Awesome, sounds like your cam is broken in just fine. If you haven't changed the oil yet after cam break in then do that before taking it out on the water. Your break in oil and filter are full of metal from the cam and lifters wearing together along with assembly lube and any other junk you don't want in the oil. You want clean fresh oil for actually running it under load.
Rings can take a little while to seat. Two schools of thought on this. One is take it easy and vary RPM so they gently wear in to the bores. The other is run it hard, several hard pulls working up to WOT and back off letting engine braking keep revs up a bit while slowing down (that bit not as practical in a boat, but some props do have a lot of bite), at first stopping at lower RPM then working up to higher RPM. The theory is more aggressive acceleration and deceleration yields higher cylinder pressures which helps the rings wear together to the bores more quickly.
I used to be of the former crowd, generally going pretty easy but varying RPM and load as much as possible. Now I'm slightly more favoring the latter method as I believe it seats the rings more quickly. I've driven engines both ways during the break in period but don't think it makes a big difference. Parts wear together fairly quickly either way and I've never had a problem with ring seal using either method. Pick your poison, I won't advise you one way or the other aside from avoid extended idling for the first 20 hours or so. Idling, particularly before the rings are fully worn in and seated, can build up carbon and blow by between the rings and lands. Change the oil immediately after cam break in and again after 20-25 hours. After that go to your normal oil change interval.
That makes a lot of sense. Thanks for that explanation. I've heard of both schools of thought as well, and that's why it was confusing me. I'm going to continue reading on both methods, but just for argument sake, let's say I go with the hard pulls. How long does this need to go on? 10 pulls? 5 hours? I totally get the "don't let it idle" thing and will be avoiding that regardless of the method.
Awesome advice. This thread should be stickied just for that one post.
^ +1.
I have a question about the no idling. I have to do the 20 hour break in on my new motor (cam was done by marina). When I plop my boat in the harbour we have to go through a no wake zone (idle) to get to the lake, it's about a 2 minute stretch. Will that be an issue?
Sorry Titan, not trying to hi jack.
No worries with a short no wake zone like that. When I say extended idling I mean more like 15+ minutes at a time. So long as the cam is already broken in you're fine. Letting it idle for a few minutes at the dock or through a no wake after dropping it in is good to get some temperature in the block and oil before putting a load on it when getting on plane. The first 20 hours or so on an engine are not nearly as critical as the first 20 minutes of cam break in.
Onto other projects. I replaced the steering cable and helm this past weekend. The most aggravating part was fit the bezel under the steering wheel. I had to make several fabrications to make it all work. But I think the end result looks great and it seems to function real well.
Just a couple more weekends and I'll be doing the engine break-in on the lake.
http://unumemarketing.com/boat/steering_wheel.jpg
http://unumemarketing.com/boat/helm.jpg
Break in went well. Everything worked great and all gauges are spot on. The only issue was the engine had a hard time turning over when starting when warm. At first I thought the battery wasn't charged or I had some wiring issue. But after checking everything out I determined that the timing was off. It was retarded by a degree or two. I had set the timing by feel initially because I didn't have a timing light and because I didn't want it to sit at idle too long until it was broke in. The timing is now set at 9 degrees BTDC and the engine turns over as it should.
Once we get some rain free weekends it'll be more lake tests to make sure everything is as it should be. And oh yeah, the steering was like butta.
Awesome. Glad to see you got it all in and running in time. I will probably do a refresh on my engine next winter when I pull it out.
False alarm. It's not doing right. Went for another lake test today and was stuck on the lake for about an hour. It starts and runs well from the beginning. After 10 minutes of running and I shut it off and it started again easily. I ran for another 15 minutes and shut it off again. Suddenly the problem of not being able to get the engine to turn over was back. It turns the engine over for half a revolution or so and then stops. Putting both batteries to it doesn't make a difference. The starter seems very hot to the touch. I got going again by pouring cold lake water over the starter housing and cooling it down. But once it was running again it was hard to keep idling. I made it back to the dock fine (anything above 1,200 rpms runs great). But idling around the dock was very difficult and it kept cutting out. It would turn over fine and restart. Huh?
Thoughts? And for the record, the starter is 10 months old - a marine starter from DB Electrical.
So many things...
Vapor lock? Check your timing.
Firing order? Check your distributor and plug wires.
Is it the big old plunger style or the newer mini high torque starter? I have had bad luck with the old starters. I ditched them in 3 boats and have the mini high torques, never had a problem since. They draw less amps than the old ones and turn the motors over faster... Make sure you use a conducting paste such as never sieve against the face of the starter and the the bell housing and use never seize on the boats, this really helps move the electrons :P