Last trip for the season for us :/ regatta weekend

[Socalx09]

I forgot to start my thread yesterday.

Got into needles at 9am and made plans to meet with @HNL2LHC and check out the DCB regatta at pirates. The boats are just beautiful! Saw @ChrisV DCB. Robert checked that out.


Had a great lunch at topock with @HNL2LHC, his son and crew. It was great to finally meet you in person!

Headed back to needles to dock the boat to get ready for the Howard regatta. We knew the water was low… thankfully his mom’s house has a deep pin and the boat barely floated without hitting. Kept the ropes a bit loose incase the water levels went up over night.

Headed to the regatta registration party. We didn’t know anyone going, but met a few people. We have never been to a regatta really. It was a nice time.

Now we are playing rock, paper, scissors to see which one of us has to get in the water to get the boat to the dock. Heading to Thompson bay to start the Howard Regatta at 930 so it’s going to be a nice ride down.

 

[Singleton]

Looks like a good trip so far.
We used to keep the boat in WI on the buoy at night at the cabin.
That water was cold, year around (maybe 65 at most).
I ended up purchasing a small 2 person inflatable boat and would row out.
Everyone thought I was crazy, but I was dry

 

[JFMFG]

Water level should be up today.

 

[Socalx09]

Looks like a good trip so far.
We used to keep the boat in WI on the buoy at night at the cabin.
That water was cold, year around (maybe 65 at most).
I ended up purchasing a small 2 person inflatable boat and would row out.
Everyone thought I was crazy, but I was dry

Haha that’s a good idea. I lost, so I had to go in.

 

[Socalx09]

Well the boat started to want to die when we got to the bridge by topock in the no wake zone.. started to see smoke and we made it over to the beach… just not having good luck this season.

 

[Socalx09]

Starts with throttle, runs rough, smokes out of the exhausts, dies as soon as we put it in idle.

 

[HNL2LHC]

Oh no!!! Just got up and started reading RDP. Sent you a text let me know if I can help out in any way. BTW it was Great to meet and spend the afternoon with you two. Was such a good afternoon.

 

[monkeyswrench]

I hope it's just a fuel or spark deal. Don't know the setup, but my deck boat did that years back. It was something tied into the linkage, like a momentary kill switch for shifting? That was an old 90's boat though, so I just bypassed it to get home. The switch was crapping out, and running poorly, when it went through it's travel, broke the circuit but stayed that way.

I hope you get it fixed quick. This time of year has always been my favorite on the water.

 

[Socalx09]

Waiting for the sea tow.. Aaron called to see if he could help us out over the phone. No luck.. talked to our resident RDP mechanic as well, they both think it’s a distributor/ ignition issue right now.

 

[Socalx09]

I started to drink and roberts stress eating.

 

[DarkHorseRacing]

So the two things I’d try are

1. Check the distributor. Specifically check the inside of the cap, and the metal tip of the rotor for corrosion. Both are easy parts to replace and all marine shops stock the parts.

2. Your coil could be going bad. Also east to replace.

I just went through similar situation with my boat and my coil was bad and needed to be replaced. It would barely start, idled poorly and would die if I put it into gear. Also if I gave it throttle under idle it would stumble and die.

 

[bocco]

So the two things I’d try are

1. Check the distributor. Specifically check the inside of the cap, and the metal tip of the rotor for corrosion. Both are easy parts to replace and all marine shops stock the parts.

2. Your coil could be going bad. Also east to replace.

I just went through similar situation with my boat and my coil was bad and needed to be replaced. It would barely start, idled poorly and would die if I put it into gear. Also if I gave it throttle under idle it would stumble and die.

Or problem number one could cause problem number two. Last time I had a bad coil I could see it all burned up inside the terminal for the coil wire. If you can't get a MerCruiser replacement an MSD Blaster should be compatible. Looks like the MSD blaster high vibration 8222 is the one to use.

Good luck getting it going.

 

[Socalx09]

Well… not going to make it back out on the water this weekend.

It fired up, but was running rough. The carb is flooding. We had it rebuilt in July so they think something is failing.. Also, they recommended getting rid of the thunderbolt distributor, and put in a MSD drop in distributor, and replace the quadrajet with a Holley 750. It was going to absolute on Monday to finish up the cosmetic repairs. I’m sure I said all of that wrong as some of it went over my head…

 

[DarkHorseRacing]

Well… not going to make it back out on the water this weekend.

It fired up, but was running rough. The carb is flooding. We had it rebuilt in July so they think something is failing.. Also, they recommended getting rid of the thunderbolt distributor, and put in a MSD drop in distributor, and replace the quadrajet with a Holley 750. It was going to absolute on Monday to finish up the cosmetic repairs. I’m sure I said all of that wrong as some of it went over my head…

The carb issue could be a bad float that won’t float, and so the needle valve is staying open. Having said that it was rebuilt that should have been noticed.

Alternatively could be too much fuel pressure and it’s overpowering the needle valves. But this is less likely as you’re probably running a mechanical pump.

Not sure on the Quadrajet but on a Holley you can pull the bowls off and check the floats, and replace the needle valves pretty easy. At least eliminate this simple things.

 

[Socalx09]

The carb issue could be a bad float that won’t float, and so the needle valve is staying open. Having said that it was rebuilt that should have been noticed.

Alternatively could be too much fuel pressure and it’s overpowering the needle valves. But this is less likely as you’re probably running a mechanical pump.

Not sure on the Quadrajet but on a Holley you can pull the bowls off and check the floats, and replace the needle valves pretty easy. At least eliminate this simple things.

It is a mechanical pump.

The weird thing to me at least is on the second tow, it was the fuel pump.. previous one was 3 years old… but his cousin who is more mechanical then us hopped in our boat and said something about a needle and seat and next thing I know, he’s banging at it. And, he gets the boat to fire enough to get us to the dock after he towed us. We mentioned to have it rebuilt while the fuel pump was being done. So, they sent it out. I wonder if it was the carb on all 3 incidents. Or, it just all went to hell at the same time. We did not have the black smoke on the previous two breakdowns.

 

[ChrisV]

Need to take it to someone who will lake test the boat after they fix it.

 

[lbhsbz]

Smack the carb around a bit…might free up the float and start working.

 

[Socalx09]

Need to take it to someone who will lake test the boat after they fix it.

It was lake tested after switching up the fuel pump in June- that is when they told us about the drive assembly. We haven’t had a breakdown since the memorial trip. So probably 7 lake days of not having an issue. We usually do long runs like from needles to the springs. It’s just random, at least to me.

 

[DarkHorseRacing]

It is a mechanical pump.

The weird thing to me at least is on the second tow, it was the fuel pump.. previous one was 3 years old… but his cousin who is more mechanical then us hopped in our boat and said something about a needle and seat and next thing I know, he’s banging at it. And, he gets the boat to fire enough to get us to the dock after he towed us. We mentioned to have it rebuilt while the fuel pump was being done. So, they sent it out. I wonder if it was the carb on all 3 incidents. Or, it just all went to hell at the same time. We did not have the black smoke on the previous two breakdowns.

They make an electric fuel pump for carbed setups that doesn’t require a return. Runs at like 7psi (adjustable). Might have been a Holley red. You could consider dropping the mechanical, as they seem to be a point of failure.

Switching to a Holley might get you easier in the field repairs. But regardless a carb on a marine motor still requires the gaskets be refreshed every so often, and doing that you check floats and needles/seats as part of that.

 

[RIVERBORN]

I’d say 99% carb issue.

 

[AzMandella]

I’d say 99% carb issue.

Yeah a Quadrajunk .

 

[Socalx09]

Hanging with @HNL2LHC today.

 

[HNL2LHC]

Hanging with @HNL2LHC today. View attachment 1436705

It was a great day with you guys. Was so happy that you made it to town to spend the day on the water. Look forward to the next time that we’re able to pull Robert from napping and drag him down to the Springs and a day of floating in Havasu!!! The way that boating should be….right Chanel?

 

[DWC]

It was a great day with you guys. Was so happy that you made it to town to spend the day on the water. Look forward to the next time that we’re able to pull Robert from napping and drag him down to the Springs and a day of floating in Havasu!!! The way that boating should be….right Chanel?

View attachment 1436802

A day off and back at it @HNL2LHC

 

[HNL2LHC]

A day off and back at it @HNL2LHC

Been on the water so much I even forgot how to shave. Sadly Iwill have to figure that out tomorrow. I was so close to running down to meet up with you yesterday @DWC but I was beat. Today I felt much better with 12 hours of sleep. LOL

 

[DWC]

Been on the water so much I even forgot how to shave. Sadly Iwill have to figure that out tomorrow. I was so close to running down to meet up with you yesterday @DWC but I was beat. Today I felt much better with 12 hours of sleep. LOL

Don’t blame you. We went out until 4ish. Sat in the pool, watched the Dodger game and drank a few . We were toast by the time the game was done. We’ll have to get together next time out.

 

[Socalx09]

It was a great day with you guys. Was so happy that you made it to town to spend the day on the water. Look forward to the next time that we’re able to pull Robert from napping and drag him down to the Springs and a day of floating in Havasu!!! The way that boating should be….right Chanel?

View attachment 1436802

Haha right! He can nap on the week days. And, don’t forget to buy your glitter hat today!

Thank you again for a great day on the water! It was great to meet you and your family.

 

[Badchoices03]

Man, you guys have had the hell of a boating season, its pretty badass that you have pushed through every single one of them, a lot of people would have thrown in the towel at any time....I know you guys will get this figured out as well!!

 

[JFMFG]

At least next season you’ll have a backup boat for when shit happens

 

[rivermobster]

You Need to find a mechanic that knows how to diagnose Properly.

Once you know what the problem is, AND what caused it, THEN you can decide what to do about it.

Parts changers need not apply.

 

[Socalx09]

You Need to find a mechanic that knows how to diagnose Properly.

Once you know what the problem is, AND what caused it, THEN you can decide what to do about it.

Parts changers need not apply.

I hear you, but It’s been serviced and maintained at the same place for over 10 years, and it has never had any issues like this. I think it’s just an unlucky year with a 97’ boat parts.

I know 3 tows with similar issues freakin sucks, but they have stayed open every time we called. Fixed a major gel coat damaged within a week…They were suppose to go out on the water Saturday, and when we called at 9, they stayed open 3 hours past closing waiting for us to see if they could fix it. Once they saw 3/4 barrels misting and one barrel with a solid stream, they determined the carb rebuild failed. They got Robert on the boat and showed up what was going on and then suggested to improve the ignition/distributor system from the thunderbolt.

Our weekends have been inconvenienced, but we both feel that Aaron and Cheryl really care and have tried to salvage our season.

 

[Socalx09]

At least next season you’ll have a backup boat for when shit happens

Haha! we were just about to buy some parts for it until this happened. Got to get the first boat right before we touch the other one.

Absolute is also fixing all the little gel coat damaged that was cosmetic from the rock incident while they have it. So the Howard should be pretty solid… hopefully!

 

[Socalx09]

Man, you guys have had the hell of a boating season, its pretty badass that you have pushed through every single one of them, a lot of people would have thrown in the towel at any time....I know you guys will get this figured out as well!!

Haha thank you. We figured we have to fix it now or later… it’s also pretty hard to let it ruin our weekends. We have a full cooler, friends and family with boats, my dads house has a pool, his moms house is on a beach.. it’s hard to complain

 

[gqchris]

Man, you guys have had the hell of a boating season, its pretty badass that you have pushed through every single one of them, a lot of people would have thrown in the towel at any time....I know you guys will get this figured out as well!!

I threw in the towel on my HTM after 4 trips of bullshit. Nope, she had to go. Lost my ass but I just cant deal with the problems when time is so short!!

 

[gqchris]

Haha thank you. We figured we have to fix it now or later… it’s also pretty hard to let it ruin our weekends. We have a full cooler, friends and family with boats, my dads house has a pool, his moms house is on a beach.. it’s hard to complain

So badd ass you guys have two houses to choose from Chanel, that is awesome!

 

[Socalx09]

I threw in the towel on my HTM after 4 trips of bullshit. Nope, she had to go. Lost my ass but I just cant deal with the problems when time is so short!!

So badd ass you guys have two houses to choose from Chanel, that is awesome!

I have learned to let him talk to me first after something goes wrong. I will give him his “peace” or time to decompress. He usually takes 20 or so minutes and realizes it’s something out of his control. We did not end up going to the regatta dinner though. He wasn’t in the mood to chat it up with people after the breakdown so we went to the 19th hole for dinner. If anyone is in the needles area, they have really good food and service.

Definitely are very lucky to have some options. If only I could have predicted the future. I think we paid like 80k for the house, 35 for a pool and 40 for a boat garage… now these numbers look insane… I would have brought one myself!

 

[throttle]

So bummed to see you guys having more challenges. But you guys seem to adapt very well.

@HNL2LHC great job making room for them and helping salvage some much needed lake time.