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96 Sunsetter VLX questions


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Just picked up a 1996 Malibu Sunsetter VLX. Needs some TLC but overall seems to be in good shape. I cannot seem to find a whole lot of definitive information on it in the sense of parts or information in online manuals.

-Biggest question is how many bilge drain plugs should there be? I see one in the back bottom of transom that is plastic, is this the main plug?? My center bilge area was full of water so I sucked it out and found there to be a horizontal drain there but no plug present that leads to back bilge area. It seems like I was reading there should be another actual T handled brass plug around where the V-drive is? 

-Airguide 2 bolt style speedo tubes need replaced, right side broke off and one looks like it will at any time. Just go with a universal speedo tube for each side?

-running it out of water, I did this on an old mastercraft direct drive by easily accessing and pulling the main water pickup hose and putting in bucket. I like this method as you can actually see the engine sucking the water not forcing water to it. Can someone confirm the pickup on this bat would be starboard side and is a brass style pickup on bottom of boat, it connects directly into the front V-drive unit and this is the main water supply for engine/transmission where I would run it by?

Have more questions but that will get me started. Thanks for any help or direction here!

Kyle

 

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Welcome to the club! You should have two plugs. One in the very back, that you found already, and one right under the v drive. It’s a brass tee plug. not really useful since the water always will accumulate in the middle ski locker. 
 

speedo? You should get perfect pass star gazer to replace your speedometer. It’s awesome.

Yes, you found the water pick up.

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Thanks for the quick reply. I need to look harder I guess, I have not seen the Brass Tee plug and I have looked and looked. Just want to make sure when it gets put in the water I am not forgetting something ;) So I found a bunch of water in the middle ski locker, is there not supposed to be a plug in that pass through at the back of it? Guess it doesnt really matter..Just pull the back transom plug when off the lake and all good?

It has  speedo and perfect pass...however the perfect pass needs some help. I bought this boat as a bit of a running project. I've personally never owned a V-drive before but been around a lot of them. 

Kyle

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1 hour ago, kygreen229 said:

Thanks for the quick reply. I need to look harder I guess, I have not seen the Brass Tee plug and I have looked and looked. Just want to make sure when it gets put in the water I am not forgetting something ;) So I found a bunch of water in the middle ski locker, is there not supposed to be a plug in that pass through at the back of it? Guess it doesnt really matter..Just pull the back transom plug when off the lake and all good?

It has  speedo and perfect pass...however the perfect pass needs some help. I bought this boat as a bit of a running project. I've personally never owned a V-drive before but been around a lot of them. 

Kyle

Gotcha. Yeah, look almost right under the transmission, it should be right there. I put the plug, standard sized, in the middle ski locker to keep water out and to the rear of the boat where the bilge pump is. If not since it’s the lowest point, it will always have water in it. It won’t drain very well out the back plug unless you’re on a real steep incline.
 

Common places for leaks you can check are around the bow hook loop, around the platform brackets and bolts, the drip shaft packing, and the risers on the exhaust. 
 

If you need support on the perfect pass, those guys have great customer service. Just give them a call. The other speedo gauge, some guys disconnect it because the water that gets in the line freezes in the winter and gets the control panel wet.

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1 hour ago, BlindSquirrel said:

Gotcha. Yeah, look almost right under the transmission, it should be right there. I put the plug, standard sized, in the middle ski locker to keep water out and to the rear of the boat where the bilge pump is. If not since it’s the lowest point, it will always have water in it. It won’t drain very well out the back plug unless you’re on a real steep incline.
 

Common places for leaks you can check are around the bow hook loop, around the platform brackets and bolts, the drip shaft packing, and the risers on the exhaust. 
 

If you need support on the perfect pass, those guys have great customer service. Just give them a call. The other speedo gauge, some guys disconnect it because the water that gets in the line freezes in the winter and gets the control panel wet.

Maybe on the 96 model it wasn't there? I'm serious I got down there with a flashlight and a mirror and I cannot see a drain plug at all under the V drive or transmission area. Nothing. Just the plastic plug at the stern center bottom and then where you can put one that goes to and from the ski locker. 

Appreciate the advice where to look for common leaks. I'm sure I will be in touch with the perfect pass guys eventually. 

Kyle

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22 minutes ago, kygreen229 said:

Maybe on the 96 model it wasn't there? I'm serious I got down there with a flashlight and a mirror and I cannot see a drain plug at all under the V drive or transmission area. Nothing. Just the plastic plug at the stern center bottom and then where you can put one that goes to and from the ski locker. 

Appreciate the advice where to look for common leaks. I'm sure I will be in touch with the perfect pass guys eventually. 

Kyle

Okay, sorry for sending you on a goose chase. Mine has a plug that looks like this in the link. It would be hard to miss if it were there. https://nationalsupplydirect.com/garboard-t-handle-plug-44-carded.html?gclid=CjwKCAjwrcH3BRApEiwAxjdPTTHGP-nlWqlqG5u-98T0DA_6Dc8BfRs1KoAoiEuAhMhE1ZV_W1aqpxoCvR8QAvD_BwE

 

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6 hours ago, BlindSquirrel said:

Okay, sorry for sending you on a goose chase. Mine has a plug that looks like this in the link. It would be hard to miss if it were there. https://nationalsupplydirect.com/garboard-t-handle-plug-44-carded.html?gclid=CjwKCAjwrcH3BRApEiwAxjdPTTHGP-nlWqlqG5u-98T0DA_6Dc8BfRs1KoAoiEuAhMhE1ZV_W1aqpxoCvR8QAvD_BwE

 

No no, you didn't send me on a wild goose chase. I just wanted to be certain there wasn't a plug that I was missing. Apparently in 96' with the VLX they didn't put that plug there. Just the stern plug is all I can find that leads out of the boat.

Appreciate the help. 

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New question:

My 90 degree plastic shower fittings are leaking and brittle. Started digging around and pulled the hot hose off. I was just looking to replace the ends of each one, hot/cold/output for the shower. Bakes online wants $20 for a 6' chunk of hose with that fitting on it. There has to be a more cost effective way. Any thoughts? 

Thanks,

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I can offer no help on the above. I was searching for something else, but since we just bought the same boat, I thought I'd say hi!

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37 minutes ago, dashbrdhulagirl said:

I can offer no help on the above. I was searching for something else, but since we just bought the same boat, I thought I'd say hi!

Awesome! I guess I can say welcome now ;) So to update, I got rid of the shower system completely....less to worry about, less to leak, less to winterize (for us up north folks) and just easier. Both boat shops I talked to said people dont really use them anymore for the most part. 

If you just bought a 96 VLX, does yours have the center T handle plug underneath the V drive area?? The manuals and most people I talked to says it should. Mine does not. There is one plug as far as I can tell and it is at the stern on the bottom center. Just updated it to a round brass plug arrangement today to get rid of the plastic setup that was in its place. 

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Yet another question to which I think I know the answer to on this one.

Someone installed 2 speakers in the rear transom of the boat one on each side 6.5” speakers. Meaning they cut holes in the boat to do so. Is there a way to remove and fix back to “normal” or is it what it is? 

cant seem to figure out how to insert a photo..
 

 

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Unless you are a paying member, use an image service like ImgBB or Imgur; or Dropbox etc. And you you mean actual hole sin the stern OUTSIDE the boat, above the swim platform?

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15 hours ago, kygreen229 said:

Awesome! I guess I can say welcome now ;) So to update, I got rid of the shower system completely....less to worry about, less to leak, less to winterize (for us up north folks) and just easier. Both boat shops I talked to said people dont really use them anymore for the most part. 

If you just bought a 96 VLX, does yours have the center T handle plug underneath the V drive area?? The manuals and most people I talked to says it should. Mine does not. There is one plug as far as I can tell and it is at the stern on the bottom center. Just updated it to a round brass plug arrangement today to get rid of the plastic setup that was in its place. 

I haven't found a T-handle plug either. 

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4 hours ago, Eagleboy99 said:

Unless you are a paying member, use an image service like ImgBB or Imgur; or Dropbox etc. And you you mean actual hole sin the stern OUTSIDE the boat, above the swim platform?

That is correct actual holes above the swim platfrom inboard of the tie down ring each side. 

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12 minutes ago, kygreen229 said:

That is correct actual holes above the swim platfrom inboard of the tie down ring each side. 

YIKES!  That's a pretty wild mod!  Not in my paygrade.  Your only solution is full-on fiberglass repair unless you want it to look real janky with something like  a porthole cover.  WHO would do such a thing?

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3 hours ago, Eagleboy99 said:

YIKES!  That's a pretty wild mod!  Not in my paygrade.  Your only solution is full-on fiberglass repair unless you want it to look real janky with something like  a porthole cover.  WHO would do such a thing?

I think someone thought the Epic boat idea was cool with their speakers in the back and gave it a shot. I got the boat for a pretty good deal, that one modification had me rethinking It but it will work either way, I won’t be keeping the boat in a slip or anything like that either. 

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24 minutes ago, BlindSquirrel said:

We need a pic for sure. Get a flickr account to upload a photo. Then copy the photo link and paste it here!

See if this works..

Boat speakers in the hull

 

  • Thanks 1
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31 minutes ago, Eagleboy99 said:

Yup - as strange as described.

Ideally they could be removed, fiberglassed in, filled, sanded and painted but I have no idea with fiberglass repairs, especially with that magnitude. Plus I could use those speakers to replace bad ones inside the boat 😉

Edited by kygreen229
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Another question since a pic of the back of the boat is up. It appears the swim deck is bowed. Anyone have experience in dealing with that? Was going to pull it off and soak it down, flip it upside down and put weight on it and let it dry..doubtful but maybe worth a try?

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