Jump to content

Welcome to TheMalibuCrew!

As a guest, you are welcome to poke around and view the majority of the content that we have to offer, but in order to post, search, contact members, and get full use out of the website you will need to Register for an Account. It's free and it's easy, so don't hesitate to join the TheMalibuCrew Family today!

Engine Start Up


TexasMalibu185

Recommended Posts

I am wanting to start a 350 Magnum this weekend that has been sitting for about five years, I have changed the oil, tran fluid, distributor cap (it has Thunderbolt IV ignition), i should get a new impeller by tomorrow to change.

what else should i do to make it ready? i was told to put a mixture of kerosene and diesel in place of the oil to lubricate the internal parts?? then put oil back in. I was told to take the plugs out and put Sea Foam or other cleaner?? Anyway, i will take some sound advice....Thanks

Link to comment

i WOULD JUST GIVE ALL THE RUBBER HOSES A GOOD SHARP BEND TO MAKE SURE THEY DON'T CRACK. (whoops) Put some gas in the tank and crank it over. Watch all gauges very closely.

Link to comment

Just good clean/fresh oil. Unplug the distributor coil/fuel injectors and crank engine a few times to get oil back up in engine. If you want to spray some lubricating oil in the cylinders pull a spark pluig or two(helps free up the piston rings.) Fresh gas always helps if the old gas is also 5 years old. New Fuel Filter. Plug back in the coil/Distributor/fuel injectors and fire it up. Watch guages closely. Make sure you have water hooked up to engine or you will overheat it and ruin new impeller.

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

Link to comment

Make sure you have water hooked up to engine or you will overheat it and ruin new impeller.

hold your hand on the impeller housing for a bit when first started.

if the impeller isn't drawing water it will heat up fast.

if it stays cool then your engine is probably getting the coolant it needs.

Link to comment

hold your hand on the impeller housing for a bit when first started.

if the impeller isn't drawing water it will heat up fast.

if it stays cool then your engine is probably getting the coolant it needs.

Just take your time!

  • I would remove one of the hoses on the back side of the impeller housing and spray some lubricant
  • Remove ignition primary and crank engine to re-prime oil and fuel
  • start and let warm up slow
  • check and replace fuel filter (its probably going to pick up some crud from the fuel sitting so long) change filter again after tank empty
  • Keep checking all the vitals
  • Take it easy the first time you go out on the water

Have fun!! Glad your getting back into boating

-Paul

Link to comment

Thanks for all the good advice....I have just started the engine after replacing all fluids, filters, plugs, wires. I took the thermostat out and drenched all the cylinders with Sea Foam for two days and let it soak, I put about 5 ozs. of sea foam in the crankcase with the new oil and after new ignition switch , new battery and fake a lake all in place, I attempted to start it. The engine turned over slowly at first, and after a little bit, she fired up, running like a top. I let it run at idle for about ten to fifteen minutes, monitoring the temperature and water flow. Some water started gathering in the bottom and I heard a screeching and the bottom of the boat vibrated pretty good- close to the prop area. I turned the engine off and thought that maybe some water got into the "sleeve" of the shaft??? I sprayed some PB blaster on the shaft above and below the hull and started it up again. The engine ran for a minute or two and I heard the screeching again intermittently, but went ahead and killed the engine. Any opinions on what I should do next? Thanks, Bob

Link to comment
martinarcher

Right on. The strut bushing is water lubricated. If you need to rev the engine or increase RPM's when our of the water pull the neutral disconnect switch on the throttle so the transmission doesn't engage with the throttle). You will burn up that bushing if you let it run for a prolonged period with no water. I've heard of guys having to run the prop to check their shafts and they rigged up a hose to run water over the strut (shaft support, not where the shaft exits the hull).

Glad to hear she's running well. One more thing....if there's SeaFoam in the oil it will help clean crud out of the crankcase, but I would change the oil again before long to drain the detergents and contaminates out. After the first time out on the lake would be a good time, that way there's been a little run time on the engine.

Link to comment

Great, Thanks! Should I change this bushing at some point?

Another thing I forgot....I think the boat was filled with rain water at some point, due to a water line in the carpet, (about an inch from the floor), and the transmission cap was not secure. I removed the fluid and it was a little milky, still dark in color though. I filled it with new fluid, removed that and filled with new fluid again. Then I started the engine....what should I be looking for as to a problem in the tranny?

Link to comment
martinarcher

I wouldn't worry about it unless it cause you trouble. I'm betting it's fine.

A boat tranny is a hydraulic transmission. As long as it doesn't slip on the water you should be fine. Take her out and run it. Bring it home and change all the fluids again. It might take a bit to get all the water out of the tranny. You did it right by changing it twice already. Thumbup.gif After changing fluids after the lake run, just keep an eye on it and make sure it is a nice clear red like ATF should be. The good thing is the little transmissions on these boats take almost no fluid at all so changing it is cheap. Is your a Velvet Drive like mine?

Have fun on the first run! Rockon.gif

Edited by martinarcher
Link to comment

Right on. The strut bushing is water lubricated. If you need to rev the engine or increase RPM's when our of the water pull the neutral disconnect switch on the throttle so the transmission doesn't engage with the throttle). You will burn up that bushing if you let it run for a prolonged period with no water. I've heard of guys having to run the prop to check their shafts and they rigged up a hose to run water over the strut (shaft support, not where the shaft exits the hull).

Glad to hear she's running well. One more thing....if there's SeaFoam in the oil it will help clean crud out of the crankcase, but I would change the oil again before long to drain the detergents and contaminates out. After the first time out on the lake would be a good time, that way there's been a little run time on the engine.

sea foam recomend <300 miles on a car, so maybe 5 hours on the Bu.

Link to comment
martinarcher

sea foam recomend <300 miles on a car, so maybe 5 hours on the Bu.

Thanks for the confirmation. I wasn't sure on the time period, I just knew it was long. I guess saying a tank of gas is safe.

Link to comment
  • 3 weeks later...

I have just taken the boat out and the engine is running like a top....and the tranny was doing fine....until I put it in reverse. Reverse worked fine, but then it wouldn't go back into gear for a minute. then it started slipping in and out of gear. This is when I put it back on the trailer, so just asking for opinions on what to do next....i checked the fluid and it was a little milky looking and somewhat thick. (This boat has been sitting up for a couple of years and I believe some water got into the tranny at some point) All fluids have been changed, the tranny has been changed 3 times. Also, it doesn't go into neutral, the prop always turns a little bit. Thanks!

Link to comment

By running the boat, you exercised the trans and moved the fluid around. You mixed whatever water was caught inside the trans with the new fluid. Time to flush the trans one more time, it that does not clear it up, probably time to do a rebuild on it. Don't forget to do another oil / filter change on the engine. Did you change the water separator, the inline fuel filter at the fuel line to carb. junction?

Link to comment

Yes, i changed the fuel filter and has new fuel. I will change the tranny fluid and then take it out again? What is involved with a rebuild? Is the tranny taken out for that? Is this something I do myself (a kit to purchase?) or take it to the transmission place? Thanks, Bob

Link to comment

A transmission you may need to flush 10-15 quarts through to get all the water out. I would keep changing, running for 10-15 mins, and repeat.

-Chris

Link to comment

I just realized one thing not mentioned, the trans oil cooler. If this has a leak it will transfer the incoming water to the oil side of the cooler then in to the trans. I would certainly remove it and check for integrity. Although your description does not lead one in that direction as forward/reverse should not have anything to do with the cooler, but better safe that sorry.

Link to comment

Thanks to all, and I did talk to someone at DIM today, he suggested looking at the trans cooler also....not sure how to rule this out?? Take it off? then what? Thanks!

Link to comment
  • 2 weeks later...

Hey guys!

Just ran the boat for about twenty minutes, tran fluid still red, so the cooler isn't cracked!!! But, after working the trans...forward and reverse....it had been running perfectly, and slipped out of gear a couple of times and screamed a little bit...i went ahead and loaded it back up. After checking the fluid, it was a low....would this cause it to slip or does it sound like it needs a rebuild?

Link to comment

Hey guys!

Just ran the boat for about twenty minutes, tran fluid still red, so the cooler isn't cracked!!! But, after working the trans...forward and reverse....it had been running perfectly, and slipped out of gear a couple of times and screamed a little bit...i went ahead and loaded it back up. After checking the fluid, it was a low....would this cause it to slip or does it sound like it needs a rebuild?

If it is low it will slip. Check it again while it is hot and has been running there could have been an airbubble in the system that made it look ful when it still needed a bit more

Link to comment

I had no leaking fluid anywhere, so I don't know why it would be low....but like you say, after it heated up and it was checked, it was low. At the dock when I first started it to check for water there were bubbles in it to begin with??

Link to comment

I would add some more fluid to start with. Put it back in the water and run some more to heat it up and keep checking to make sure you are full on dipstick. After you get your level correct, if it keeps slipping, it may be time for a rebuild. Hopefully, you just need to get good clean fluid at the right level.

Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...