Remember Footloose - well he's back (finally)

F

footloose

Member
Joined
Dec 10, 2001
RO Number
6963
Messages
619
The saga continues - for those who don't know the story I purchased a 42 foot sport cruiser from (5 yrs ago) a widow after it had been engineless and lift bound for 10 years. My 70-plus year old father and I burned a year of weekends replacing cockpit deck floor, cabin cielings, every hose, wire, bracket, switch etc while I had Bill's Marine of Ft Lauderdale build two 450 HP 502 engines for me. Long story short, the motors break every 10 hours of use....once when I was 200 miles away in the Abocos one engine threw a rod...then it was head gaskets, ditributors getting sucked into the engine, electical issues, more head gaskets, and finally while at the dock....one refused to turn over - locked up for no aparent reason. Now ater in it - but something major broke. After three years of hassles I decided to replace the engines but lost my job mid stream.....so she sat for two years.

After a bit of financial catching up I found a pair of running Merc 454s fresh water closed cooling with Borg Warner 72C gears. According to the owner they were running when removed for a diesel upgrade but I never ehard them run and hey in S FL who knows what you are going to get? A few dollars and I had them home (with the help of JMAS - thanks JOE)and cleaned them up.

TODAY - On skids at the warehouse they both fired up on the first turn of the key, NO smoke, and had consistent 150-155 PSI compression accross all cylinders. Add to that that my towing company will tow the vessel to a DIY marina for me for free and we are looking to tackle the engine swap within 30 days. She wont be fast and she wont be pretty but it will be good to get back to diving, snorkleing, fishing, and cruising the ICWW in "trawler mode". I have missed it dearly.

Cross you fingers for me fellow DIY boaters. I'll post pictures if I can figure out how this works (been a while).

Fair winds and following seas.....
 
Welcome back! The POS SAGA continues...:D

What about the drives? Would it end up being better going to outdrives? Sounds like surface drives aren't too efficient until you get up.
 
We've missed you, O. Hoping all goes according to plan; you've had more than your share of problems.
 
Foot, you ought to post this on ATC. A lot of people who don't check the S. Florida forum, would like to know you are back.
 
Welcome back Olivier
Hey, i loved hearing about all your problems- made my boats that much better! ;-)
 
quote:
Originally posted by abalmuth

Welcome back Olivier
Hey, i loved hearing about all your problems- made my boats that much better! ;-)

Click to expand...


And that is why I have returned - now you can all quit whining about gas prices and laugh along with me.
 
Thanks all - not going to move this thread since I don't want to embarass myslef nationally

;-)
 
Welcome back old friend! best of luck getting her running again. Glad to here you're back on your feet again!
 
Thanks P - been on my feet the entire time (unlike so many others) but working too hard and travelling so much boating has been put aside.....tough out there.....4 times the work for less money in my line of business right now. Good news is we have always had a "cash only" attitude when it comes to toys like boats, motorcycles, and such. If the cash isnt available we do without.
 
The saga continues...

Good to see you back, Oliver!
 
Last night - in anticipation of hauling the boat and pulling both POS 502s, I removed the exhuast hoses, drive shafts, all non-engine hoses, Gil rizers, power steering pump, and loosened 36 of the 48 motor mount bolts/through stringer bolts. Can barely move today but have to get back into engine room shape somehow.

Hey Joe - looks like Foot might need to borrow a freind's sand blaster .... pick a day and lunch is on me. Your freind the PITA
 
Dang foot, why didnt you just sneak up and snag Rbentons Yanmars when he wasnt looking???
 
Welcome back Oliver! Now get that bad ass boat in the water. Don't make the mistake of calling her a POS, sweet talk her. <g>
 
O! Long time no see bud! Wish I was down there to see her back up and running...
 
Padraig - I am only calling the old 502 engines POS's. The hull etc is solid and we love the layout etc - lots of sweat equity and quality time into her side by side with my Dad - priceless! Once she is running there will be an actual naming of the vessel - we have decided on a name (not Footloose since this was my last boat - Donzi F33) and will be breaking a bottle over the bow to gain the sea gods favors.

Paul - snag those diesels for me and there are lots of nice boat rides for ya.

Brian - flights are cheap Bro - don't be a stanger - last 4 weeks have been perfect weather too.

Bruce - actually I have decided to keep the arnesons because some day I will put bigger torque monsters in the engine bay and might want to go faster. There is a guy in Washington that has the exact same boat, same gears, same props, and simple merc 330s and he still gets on plane just fine and tops out in the mid forties. I really believe the problems I have had have all been engine based - wrong cams, wrong carbs, wrong internals, wrong heads and frankly even the olf transmissions though marked 1.5:1 who knows what they really are .n the inside. The Merc stuff is all stock and proven.....so as I said, wont be pretty or fast but getting back out for booz crusises, overnight, diving, and fishing is the goal while I save up some big bucks for the next step.

Played a little hooky this PM and rebuilt both water pumps. One impeller had two cracked blades, the other some small chinks but why risk it - at this stage it is so easy to work on the engines so I did em both.

Good weekend all
 
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