Aquasport 170 Project - 10/22/07 Update

[gw204]

I decided to take advantage of a beatuiful Nov. day and really start digging into my Aquasport yesterday .  

The first thing I wanted to do, was take another stab at getting the motor running.  So, I drained the gear lube to see if there was any evidence of water intrustion through the prop shaft seal that was infested with fishing line.  Much to my surprise, the oil that came out seemed OK.



Once that had drained, I filled with fresh gear lube and reinstalled the drain plugs with new O-rings.  Then I sprayed the powerhead with CRC engine degreaser to get it cleaned up a bit.  After that was done, I hooked up the battery, put on the engine muffs, connected the portable fuel tank (which now has a new line and bulb, 2.5 gals of high test, 2 oz. of Stabil (a double shot) and 5 oz. of SeaFoam) and pumped her up.  To aid the battery I pulled my Jeep around and set up the jumper cables.

I crossed my fingers and hit the key.  It turned over like a champ but wouldn't catch.  I tried again and got the same thing.  DUH, plug in the safety lanyard.  So, I did that and still got nothing.  

I pulled the air box cover and shot some starting fluid into the carbs.  Between that and the foggin oil I sprayed in last weekend, there must have been too much liquid in there and it hydrolocked.  Pulled the plugs, turned it over and got it freed up.  Reinstalled the plugs, hit the key, she turned over and caught.  She didn't sound good, but she ran.  After about an hour on the hose, it was idling much better.  Once a carb rebuild and general tune-up is are done, I think it will run really well.  Compression numbers after a good warm up were 110, 106 and 111.  I tried to take some shots of it running, but my camera batteries died.  

While my wife went to the store to get more batteries, I attacked the gas tank cover.  After cutting the caulking wity my utility knife, I was able to get one corner pried up.  This allowed the water in the compartment to begin draining (you can't really see it in this picture though).



The tank cover came up after a bunch more prying and pulling.  There was a nice mess underneath it...but no fuel smell or gas sheen on the water.  The cover was ridiculously heavy so I imagine the core is saturated.  The bottom side remained wet for quite a while....





I then proceeded unbolting steering cable and throttle from the console so I could slide it forward to get better access to the tank.  Once that was done, I removed the sending unit and pumped the fuel out of the tank and into portable containers for disposal.  Then I began cutting the foam and removing the clamps around the tank.  From that point, I used a large steel bar I found in the yard a few years ago to gently pry on the tank to try an break it free.  After about 30 minutes of prying and cutting, prying and cutting, the end of the tank popped up enough so I could get a line under it and lift it up.  Then I slid it right out of it's coffin and out of the boat.  The tank is actually in remarkably good condition.  I suspect it was replaced a few years ago.  There's only a few small pits down near the bottom.



So, this is how she currently sits.  After removing the console I can begin cleaning the tank coffin.  It's really nasty in there...







And the E-rude.  Compared to my wife in the background, it looks like the biggest 60 HP in history.  That CRC degreaser caused the paint to peel on the leg...but I didn't care.  Somebody gave it a really crappy paint job sometime in the past.



After the coffin cleaning comes engine removal and then transom deconstruction.

[JimCt]

Great pictures & narrative!  Were you able to find any drain in the tank well?  

For cleaning out the well you might want to try Easy-Off oven cleaner.  Before & after using the oven cleaner in my 240:





Remove the water from the well  before spraying on the oven cleaner.  Let it sit for a few hours, hose off then powerwash.  Be careful about getting any of the cleaner on you as it is a strong alkali.  When you're done it'll be clean as a whistle.

[RickK]

Thanks for the step by step Brian. I have a bunch of hatches I'm gonna have to pull soon for initial investigation and I hope I find no surprises.

[gw204]

Jim,

I ran my chase wire up through the garboard drain again and it didn't pop out in the tank coffin.  Aside from that, I didn't do any investigating.  I'm pretty sure there's no drain though.  I'll keep you posted.  

Rick,

I'm anxious to see what I can find when I get to the transom phase.  At some point, someone drilled some drain holes in the two side wells up on the casting deck.  I had one filled with water when I cleaned the boat.  It all drained, but I don't think it came out the back....  

I'll be posting again once I get her opened up a bit more.  

[gw204]

I guess I'll just keep this thread running and change the date in the title as I progress....

Anyway, I spent a little more time tinkering with the 170 yesterday.   :)

Before the motor got removed, I wanted to take some time to figure out how much wiggle room the outboard needed at full turn to each side while tilted up.  I'm not sure how big of a powerplant I'll be putting back on there, but this will give me an idea of how much I could enclose the transom if I stick with a 3 cyl.  So, I got out some cardboard, some tape, a bait knife and went to work.  The outside edges were easy to trim.  The inside one along the motor took a bit more time.  Tilt a little, cut a little, tilt a little, cut a little, etc.  In the end, this is what I had.  It gives me about an inch of space on each side, which I'll more than likely open up more when the time comes.









Then I started the Evinrude up so I could fog it before it gets delivered to the new owner this weekend.  She took a little coaxing to keep running at first, but I was eventually able to get he stabilized and sprayed.



Take that mosquitos!!!  



After that, the engine was completely derigged and buttoned up.  The control cables, wiring harness, etc. was all removed.  This weekend I'll be trailering the boat up to Annapolis to drop off the engine.  I figure it's easier to take the whole boat up and pull the motor off on the spot than try to get it off at the house and into the back of my truck.

Next step was busting the remaining foam and a bunch of ice out of the tank well.  I tired to be ginger about it since I may reuse the well, but I'm not sure yet.

Lastly, I removed the windshied and railing from the console before my brother helped me lift the console out of the boat.  It will get cleaned up and stored in the basement for the winter.  Pardon the out of focus pictures....I need a new camera.







After the motor gets pulled, I'll be starting on the transom.   :)

[JimCt]

Good pictures.  Be real interesting to see the core when the transom's opened up.

Still no drain for the tank well?  AS did a lot of things right but on some of the basics they fell down.  Some of the '80's CCP's had no access to service some critical under-deck areas.

Keep the pictures coming & narrative coming...

[gw204]

That's correct Jim.  No drain for the tank compartment.  I'm scratching my head about that one too....

I'll keep you all posted.    :)

[Miguel]

Hello GW:
Great progress on your boat.  
I once tought about opening holes on the two side compartments under the front casting deck of my 170.  They constantly fill with water when it rains hard.  You mentioned a previous owner did that on your boat.
Did you ever find out where all that water goes when you remove the plugs?
I would assume that it free-falls down to the space underneath and there is some way for it to go to the bilge.  The anchor locker drains to the bilge if I´m not mistaken.  Let me know what you find out.

[JimCt]

My fish locker had a drain in it ... 'cept it drained into the foam.

[gw204]

Miguel,

The holes in the side lockers were done simply with a drill bit about 1/4" in diameter.  I'm not sure where the water goes, but my gut tells me it ends up on the outside of the stringers.  I'm also not sure if there's foam out there, or if there's a method to drain into the main bilge.  But I'll be finding out sooner or later...

I'm not sure when I'll get around to cutting the floor out, but if you can hold off on doing drains in your, I'll definitely let you know what I find out.  

Jim,

My big locker in the center actually drains overboard.  I don't know if all the water drains over or not, but if I shoot water in the drain hole, it comes out a thru hull on the stbd. side.   :)

[JimCt]

If you can see water coming out somewhere... anywhere, that's a good start.  Some of these AS's were certainly "plumbing-challenged".

[Miguel]

Your findings regarding the final destination of the water in your wells will be of great interest to me.
My center locker is plumbed to drain overboard on the side of the boat.  I wonder if all 3 could be plumbed together to drain on on the existing thru hull.
It would be a lot easier to just let it free flow down if it eventually goes to the bilge.  Just open a hole and insert a brass drain stuffed with some 5200......

[gw204]

I wonder if all 3 could be plumbed together to drain on on the existing thru hull.
It would be a lot easier to just let it free flow down if it eventually goes to the bilge.  Just open a hole and insert a brass drain stuffed with some 5200......

Sending all three through the one drain is the way to go.  That's how my old 20' Grady was.  The plumbing should be fairly easy to work out as well.  A few extra drain fittings, some junctions, some hose and a few clamps.  My right well has an access port inside of it that would probably allow you to get to everything under the deck that you needed.

I personally don't like things that drain into the bilge because any gunk and grime that goes down there most likely won't all make it's way out.

Please do yourself a favor and swap the thru-hull out for a stainless, bronze or chrome over bronze one if it's still the original one.  You could be in a world of hurt on day if you don't.  A few of the those on my old Grady snapped in half as I was changing them out.  

[Miguel]

Thanks for the advice.  I will change it for stainless.  
My bilge pumps use stainless over plastic (just for looks), but they are not nearly as close to the waterline and are readily accesible.

[JimCt]

Plastic ones I took out of my boat were in surprisingly good shape after 32 years.  My concern was if they received a substantial impact, they might let go.  Bronze or stainless eliminates that possibility forever.