1988 Malibu Skier...not every boat should be saved.

[Shea]

On 3/15/2022 at 1:31 PM, chasetepher said:

Lol is that not factory? No clue what's going on there.

 

Also, does anybody know if I can put a standard SBC starter on here? Not sure if the Mercruiser starter is different.

Just came across this thread for the first time.  Awesome project & keep at it!  I saw one of these boats last year fully restored in town where I live and it was absolutely beautiful!  Will be worth the effort for sure.  

[chasetepher]

 

On 3/15/2022 at 3:55 PM, Woodski said:

@chasetepher - Noooo!!!  Starter, distributor, alternator are actually marine specific.  Basically the difference is the electrical components have spark guards so you don't twist the key and go Boom!  Cars naturally vent the engine compartment, boats don't hence the difference.  The blower is used to purge the stagnant air out of the bilge before you twist the key.  

Also, make sure you get all the tools, parts, hardware out of the hull before you cover it up.  Would be a bummer to hear a wrench or socket rolling around after you launch and can't get at it  

Hrmmm that makes sense. I know about the air flow problem, hadn't considered that the starter would also need spark shielding. Slightly annoying that I can't just slap an sbc starter in there for $49.

 

On 3/15/2022 at 8:32 PM, Michigan boarder said:

See, aren't you glad you pulled that engine?  Where you're at now actually doesn't look all that bad, it's going to be easy to fix with some time and patience.

Jury still out...looks plenty bad still from pov LOL. Nah, it wasn't terrible. Just sucked doing solo. 100% requiring help for the reinstall.

On 3/15/2022 at 10:26 PM, shawndoggy said:

Am I the only one who really really really wants to fly out and shop vac all the leaves and debris out of there? It’s makin me crazy!

LOL I promise, it's not just you. That was just my stopping point after yeeting the motor that day.

[garrech]

On 2/17/2022 at 10:30 AM, chasetepher said:

Exactly. I spent enough time and money getting my lift setup, it needs to be something besides a permanent aerial home for my 240 project.

Thanks for posting, this is very cool to watch.  You have a 240 project?

[chasetepher]

16 hours ago, garrech said:

Thanks for posting, this is very cool to watch.  You have a 240 project?

Lol oof yeah I do. It's an S13 hatch with a LS 5.3 and an adapted CD009 six speed. That thing needs just as much work as the boat. I just love having multiple massive projects.

[chasetepher]

I'm so ready to be done removing things from this heap.

At least I had some help.

Just about as clean as it's going to get I think.

 

Other news, the starter tested bad, just as I suspected, so that and trans flush will be next. Maybe I can start putting a floor in it before winter...

[Shea]

19 minutes ago, chasetepher said:

I'm so ready to be done removing things from this heap.

At least I had some help.

Just about as clean as it's going to get I think.

 

Other news, the starter tested bad, just as I suspected, so that and trans flush will be next. Maybe I can start putting a floor in it before winter...

Child labor should speed things up!!!   

[mxmark4]

On 3/18/2022 at 1:56 PM, chasetepher said:

Lol oof yeah I do. It's an S13 hatch with a LS 5.3 and an adapted CD009 six speed. That thing needs just as much work as the boat. I just love having multiple massive projects.

I did one of those. Cutting the bellhousing off a perfectly good trans is scary!

[chasetepher]

15 hours ago, Shea said:

Child labor should speed things up!!!   

It's the only thing speeding up around here. Too old for this mess!

3 hours ago, mxmark4 said:

I did one of those. Cutting the bellhousing off a perfectly good trans is scary!

Oof, that's the Collins kit right? The Sikky adapter doesn't require any bellhousing cutting, it's a very pleasant kit from what I have experienced so far. I know the cut off adapters work fine for lots of people but I wanted the ability to swap the trans really quickly in case anything goes wrong. Of course, I'd have to be able to find a CD009 before any of this has a chance of working...

[formulaben]

On 3/14/2022 at 1:09 PM, chasetepher said:

I found another afternoon to work on this turd.

Funny but not funny.  I feel your pain but at least everything is out and you'll be able to make this into the perfect ride.  You helper will get to experience that he'll never forget!!  Can't put a price on that.  Also, I have a feeling she's going to be quite the looker when you're done, probably better than new even!

Keep up the good work and thanks for documenting the process.

[justgary]

How are the stringers that hold the engine mounts?  I would make a jig out of plywood and boards to locate the mounts, then cut the rest of those stringers out and replace them also.  Use your jig to locate the mounts when you put everything back in.

[chasetepher]

18 hours ago, formulaben said:

Funny but not funny.  I feel your pain but at least everything is out and you'll be able to make this into the perfect ride.  You helper will get to experience that he'll never forget!!  Can't put a price on that.  Also, I have a feeling she's going to be quite the looker when you're done, probably better than new even!

Keep up the good work and thanks for documenting the process.

Thanks for the encouragement, it does help when I'm facing multiple 50 gallon bags of old sopping wet float foam. Good note on the kiddo, I never want to push him to be into in the stuff I'm interested in so it's fun when he shows interest.

16 hours ago, justgary said:

How are the stringers that hold the engine mounts?  I would make a jig out of plywood and boards to locate the mounts, then cut the rest of those stringers out and replace them also.  Use your jig to locate the mounts when you put everything back in.

The engine mounts area is actually some of the best wood. None of the engine mount bolts spin when I go to tighten them so I think they'll just get some epoxy injections and be good.

 

Starter came in yesterday, going to install that this weekend and test it outside the boat before it goes back in.

[Michigan boarder]

Check you oil pan for rust, this might be a good time to replace it.  Also, does it have the drain tube attached?  There should be a hose attached to the oil pan where the normal drain plug is, and when you drain the oil you put the hose thru the drain hole in front of the engine and drain the oil that way.  I can't see one in the earlier pics.

[chasetepher]

1 hour ago, Michigan boarder said:

Check you oil pan for rust, this might be a good time to replace it.  Also, does it have the drain tube attached?  There should be a hose attached to the oil pan where the normal drain plug is, and when you drain the oil you put the hose thru the drain hole in front of the engine and drain the oil that way.  I can't see one in the earlier pics.

Drain tube? No I think it just has a normal drain plug. I'm going to go test fit the new starter this afternoon so I guess I'll see if it has any kind of tube. I always wondered how you were supposed to do an oil change on an inboard.

[martinarcher]

1 hour ago, Michigan boarder said:

Check you oil pan for rust, this might be a good time to replace it.  Also, does it have the drain tube attached?  There should be a hose attached to the oil pan where the normal drain plug is, and when you drain the oil you put the hose thru the drain hole in front of the engine and drain the oil that way.  I can't see one in the earlier pics.

This Bu is too old for the drain tube.  The early pre-90's Bu's just had a drain plug in the pan.

[formulaben]

22 minutes ago, chasetepher said:

Drain tube? No I think it just has a normal drain plug.

So does this have the dipstick adapter for oil changes?  If not, how are you doing them?

I'd definitely be adding an oil drain hose (if needed) and remote oil filter adapter if I were you, as this will pay off big each fall.  I know you'd rather not throw more money into this project, but now would be the time to consider all the service items/upgrades that are far more difficult with the engine installed.  See link below for list of items to consider:

 

[martinarcher]

I just use a oil vacuum extractor and with a long straw that fits down the dipstick tube and suck it out.  My new MPI small block will get a drain tube and a remote oil filter before it goes in for sure.  Easy upgrades.

[chasetepher]

The part about "how am I doing them" is funny lol. I saw the boat for the first time three months ago and it was an even bigger pile than it is now, so oil changes have been low on the list. 

Oil filter, I'll look into that!

[braindamage]

My son helped me rescue my ‘bu and rebuild an old jeep. I wouldn’t trade those times for anything!!!

[justgary]

18 hours ago, martinarcher said:

This Bu is too old for the drain tube.  The early pre-90's Bu's just had a drain plug in the pan.

So no big drain hole under the crank pulley either?  I would add that as well with the drain tube so it has a place to go when using the tube.

[martinarcher]

1 hour ago, justgary said:

So no big drain hole under the crank pulley either?  I would add that as well with the drain tube so it has a place to go when using the tube.

Is this a passage hole for the tube?  Not sure I follow since the drain hose would connect to the pan.  My crank pulley sits pretty high off the bilge due to the angle of the engine.  

[Woodski]

@chasetepher - For sure add a drain tube as engine is out and do a good check on the oil pan for corrosion.  Not that oil extractors are bad except for the stories of folks losing the 'straw' down in to the pan so a drain tube is very cheap insurance for a simple method to dump the used oil.  Typically the drain tube drops through the hull drain that is (as noted) located midships below the crank pulley with a T handle screw in plug to stop any water getting in once the boat is launched (and provides many laughs when, and not if, it gets left out for that first spring launch:-). 

[shawndoggy]

34 minutes ago, Woodski said:

@chasetepher - For sure add a drain tube as engine is out and do a good check on the oil pan for corrosion.  Not that oil extractors are bad except for the stories of folks losing the 'straw' down in to the pan so a drain tube is very cheap insurance for a simple method to dump the used oil.  Typically the drain tube drops through the hull drain that is (as noted) located midships below the crank pulley with a T handle screw in plug to stop any water getting in once the boat is launched (and provides many laughs when, and not if, it gets left out for that first spring launch:-). 

As an alternative, a few of us have used common air hose fittings on the drain hose so that an extractor can be hooked up without the necessity of a probe-down-the-hose.

 

[obski]

24 minutes ago, shawndoggy said:

As an alternative, a few of us have used common air hose fittings on the drain hose so that an extractor can be hooked up without the necessity of a probe-down-the-hose.

 

That's what I did.  I hook up the extractor to the drain hose.  Very easy and clean to drain the oil.

[martinarcher]

That're pretty awesome.  I'll be doing that for sure.  

[Michigan boarder]

Here's a pic of my bilge sans engine.  You can see a wire loom that goes to something on the hull, that is my water temperature sensor.  Then there is a hole abaft of that, which has a threaded insert in it, which my T handle threads into.  That is the main hole that I use to drain water out of the hull, the plug that is aft near the transom rarely gets used.  

The second pic shows the hose hooked to a carb bracket.  The other end of that hose is attached to the drain opening in the oil pan.  When I change the oil, I unhook the hose, set aside the hook, feed the hose to the front of the engine and put it down the drain hole.  Then while underneath the boat I remove the end of the hose and drain the oil into a container.  I simply follow the reverse procedure before I fill the engine with new oil.  I think this is common now with all newer inboards.

Extra points for all those boat words.