Boat Buzz

Basic stuff for now, such as raw water impeller for my 71 XK 19 with the 350FLV. Thanks, Tom

Sierra Marine and Overtons are a good start.
Tom

Thanks for the names Tom. I was hoping to lookup the impeller by application but no such luck. I'll pull mine this weekend to get measurements.

I may be shopping for a starter soon. Is there something unique about a marine starter (it appears to have a cc tag on it)? I don't have it out yet so I haven't had a good look, but the solenoid setup doesn't look familiar. Can I go to the local auto store and buy a starter for a Chevrolet 350 - 1971? The engine is a 350 FLV. Thanks, Tom

I managed to pull the starter out this afternoon - contorted in positions that my 47yo body didn't appreciate. When rotating the engine manually from the crank I could hear a clicking from the starter. With the starter out and 12v to the battery side, and 12v to the solenoid, ground in place, I hear the solenoid click but no starter rotation and no movement from the starter pinion in or out. If I spin the pinion by hand, I hear the same clicking noise I heard with rotating the engine from the crank. Could the pinion be stuck in the out position? There's about 1/4" gap from the end of the pinion to the tip of the housing. It's an Prestolite MHA 7013. Is it worth attempting to disassemble the units or just plan on replacing? I have no idea of the age. Thanks, Tom

I was able to disassemble the starter. It appears the pinion is stuck in the out position.

I would take it to an automotive starter generator repair shop and have it rebuilt.

Some starters stay engaged until the engine starts, then the flywheel rotates the starter gear to disengage it from the flywheel. My Chrysler 426D has such a starter. Does your starter have a Bendix drive attached to it? If so, retraction is handled by the Bendix drive, not the flywheel RPM. Marine starters of any configuration must be "ignition protected" to prevent internal sparks from igniting any errant fuel fumes. Do not use starters designed for autos as they are not so constructed. CQ

This is all fascinating, and I love the advice that is available and provided here!!!.....

But mostly, Tom, I want to know about your 71 XK! Tell me more! (We have a '73... not a bit original but so much fun!)

Shannon

So I drove an hour to the nearest alternator shop and they managed to recondition the starter. Charles - you were correct in that once the engine starts the flywheel speed should disengage the starter gear. I'm hoping to be in a position to crank the engine for the first time next weekend. This weekend will be installing the starter, new raw water impeller, belts and disassembling/cleaning the carb. I pulled the carb and drained the fuel bowl before storage, but after 5 years there's a white chalky buildup on the choke plates, bore, etc. I'll try to find a rebuild kit this weekend.

Going back to the stringer and floor replacement, the floor sections are in three pieces: port, starboard and center sections. The seam between the middle and outer sections runs along the stringers. Each section is covered with marine vinyl. As a result, there's a small gap that runs fore/aft along each stringer where the middle floor board snugs up against each outer floor board. It seems to me that any water will always be dripping onto the top of the stringers, which doesn't seem right. Any thoughts on applying a single sheet of vinyl to cover the entire floor (thus covering the gaps in the floor sections) in lieu of covering the individual sections? The only issue I see is if I ever needed to remove the fuel tank I'd have to cut the vinyl down the seams. Am I overthinking this, maybe can avoid any issues with the right wood selection for the stringers and maybe apply a sealant to the stringer?

Still looking for someone that has experience with replacing XK stringers. I won't go all-in until I know the motor is running.

Shannon - I'll submit pics when I know the engine is good. If I can get the engine running, then I'll make a decision on the stringers - either replace now or get through the boating season and replace later this year. The flooring, which has been removed will be replaced one way or the other.

Thanks for the advice. Tom