RickK's 170 rebuild

[larsli68]

Hello Rick,

When you did your non skid, did you use this product?

http://www.softsandrubber.com/samples.html

I can't find it in Sweden, but my brother in law is coming to visit this summer. I might ask him to bring me some.

//Lars

[RickK]

Hi Lars,
I used "glass bead" and bought it in 1 lb cans.
http://www.fiberlay.com/store.php?startrow=0

[larsli68]

Thanks Rick!
I really like the result you got using that product. I will check and see if I can get hold of it over here.

Thanks!

//Lars

[RickK]

Got her wet today!! Got to spend a couple hours in her, mostly idling - needs some timing tweeks or something. Running rough as I run her up in RPM and where it should jump up on plane (2+k) it starts really stuttering.  Had a flat bulb on the fuel line at first, took the screen off the end of the tube in the tank and that fixed that problem but the rpm problem is still there.  Has 1.2 hours on the motor now.  Has double oil in the small tank.

[mshugg]

Huge milestone!  Congrats!   

[dburr]

I have been lurking Rick, absolutely fantastic work, you must feel a hell of a sense of accomplishment!!!  

FWIW..  I have the same steering ram on the Osprey and have 2 90's in line that keep my hoses from heading to the moon.  I have them set up so that the 2nd 90 has the hoses roughly the 7-8 o'clock position looking aft. That helps prevent kinking when the engine is tilted.

Whaja find on the motor?

[RickK]

Hi Dave, great to see you still around. It does feel good to be done and back on the water now.  Still have some little stuff to do but the big stuff is done.
I am out of my element on the motor stuff, so I dropped it off at a mechanic yesterday. Waiting for him to call me so I can describe the problem.

I bought a 20year old RV a few months ago so I have been splitting my free time between the projects - needed to get this one done , for sure.

[larsli68]

Congrats Rick! Big step! 

I hope you figure out the engine issues. Looking forward to more water pics!

//Lars

[aquamoose]

Do you have a photo of it sitting in the water after you got everything reinstalled? Would like to see how it sits in the water.

[RickK]

I do not have a pic yet.  Right now it's sitting a little bow light because I am not using the real fuel tank (using a 3 gal portable so I can double oil the engine as I break it in) nor do I have the trolling motor batteries yet.  I think the main tank being full will level it out a bit.
I got the boat back from the mechanic and the engine is still not running right - he replaced an optical sensor but I guess that wasn't the problem.  He didn't take it out on the water to test it when he was done - tested it on muffs.

[RickK]

I spent a few hours yesterday and today sealing 2000 sf of pavers, twice.  So now that is done and I had a couple hours today to go get the boat from the mechanic and take it for a test run.  He took it for a test ride this time and said he could get it up to 5k no problem. The engine was giving us a false signal somehow, which forced the engine into S.L.O.W mode. This engine doesn't have much of a brain on it so it seems that the things that can trigger SLOW is overheat and low oil.  I don't have the oiler hooked up so that is ruled out (didn't have a problem with that before) and the temp sensors had been replaced as we put the engine back together.  The mechanic was at a loss to what was causing it.  He thought it was the port temp sensor, replaced it but it didn't help.  Finally he cut some wire that brought the idle up 200rpm when the engine was cold.  Seemed to solve the problem and the engine would go above SLOW rpm.
This boat is a different boat from what I remember from 4 years ago.  The engine being set back has the boat porpoising until I get to about 35 or 36mph. Hopefully when I start using the real fuel tank it will take care of that - maybe trolling motor batteries also. If it doesn't, I think a wedge for the motor will help tuck the motor under the boat more so I can push the bow down a bit. Don't really want to put tabs on the boat.
Now, about the engine - it is very responsive. I think I 1) my tach is off - I set it to 4P (If I remember right), 2) I need to limit the throttle travel, or 3) play with props. Here's why: The engine will spin up to 6700 rpm.     As I was playing around, moving through the RPM range as I break the engine in, it pops right up on plane - not a bow up so you can't see pop - it just jumps on plane (maybe the epoxy paint on the bottom?) and then it seems that the rpm is high for all speeds. If I remember right I used to be around 4k at 30mph, now I'm at 5k and I think I maxed around 5800rpm. From 4k to WOT is like 2-3 seconds - very responsive. I know I blew through the 3 gal tank in a very short time.
I am not a motor head so I'd appreciate some tips on this if anyone can help.

[CTsalt12]

Fantastic work here Rick.  Not sure how I haven't seen this until now.  That's a real purdy 170.  I'll be redoing my nonskid and topside paint in the next few years, and definitely using this as a reference.

[RickK]

Thanks, not sure how you missed it either

[McAllgeyver]

Rick, what  and outstanding job!I have a question about your foot recess around your console. Do you like it ? Was it worth it. Anything you would change now that you have used it for a while? Deeper? Higher?

[RickK]

Thanks for the kind words Sean.
I like the toe kick around the console - think it was worth the last minute change. It does make the trip around the console easier.
I got side-tracked with an old RV I bought and the boat took a back seat.  The RV is coming right along and we took it out for it's maiden voyage this past weekend.  Like a boat, it'll never be done but I got the majority of the major stuff done. It was once (97) the top of the Newmar line and she has every option available back then and they all work (now). 
Back to the boat - the engine still has about 2 hours on it so I still have some hours to finish the break-in and have a 3 gallon tank to premix double oil.  I can get 12 miles on 3 gals.  The only way I know this is this last trip I went 12 miles and the engine died at the dock as I reached it.    I will see if I can take it for another hour this weekend.