In an effort to further clarify my dilemma, attached is a photo of my "mickey mouse" plumbing problem. In the foreground is the oil pressure gauge connection which is 'loosey goosey' because I can only catch a thread and get I/2 turn before the connection binds up. Apparently the plumbing problem wa...

Hey Mark, The problem is that I do NOT have the original 'tee' connecter. I need to get from the long compression fitting shown in the photo to a 1/8" NPT. It's a long story but the current oil pressure pick-up is a female 1/8" NPT on the engine; so I need to get from the long compression nut to a 1...

Thanks Captain, that 'fix' worked beautifully. Your point of "down pressure" on the port side 'going forward' is well taken. After placing a sliver of wood down the bolt hole I was able to cinch-up the lag bolt and realizing the "down pressure" did not try to over torque the bolt. Thanks again!

Recently discovered that the forward port side lag bolt that mounts my KBL engine to the port stringer in my '52 Riviera has stripped out the bolt hole in the stringer. Lag bolt spins but will not tighten / torque up. I do not want to remove the engine to glue a dowel into the bolt hole, re-drill et...

Jim, your statement, "you want the nut shown in your first post" is confusing to me. The long nut female CC connecter shown in the first post is what I am trying to connect to a mating male connecter. Where can I get a connecter that will mate to the original CC female long nut shown in the first ph...

Brass Male Flare Fitting.pdf Thank you Jim and John for your responses. First a little housekeeping. In my post of two days ago I talked about my 'one year restoration', actually it has been TWO years. Time really flies when you are having fun! Now, please excuse my ignorance regarding brass fittin...

It's almost a year since my original post. I refer the reader back to the original photo of the compression fitting on the engine end of the oil gage connection on a 1952 Riviera. Just tried to hook-up the oil gage to a "standard" I/4" flare fitting and the threads are not compatible with the "origi...

Thanks Howard. I ran across your suggestion about 45 days after you posted it. I had assumed the issue was 'dead' but was glad to find your solution to the water ski problem. My feeling is it would be better to tie the skiers load to the engine rather than the transom with maybe some added athwart s...

Thanks Greg, It's good to know that is how it was done 'back-in-the-day'. At least that will suffice for what I plan on doing, old school skiing. I'm thinking, just to be safe, I could 'bridle' the aft lifting ring support rod to the engine rear cross member with a small cable. Any other lifting rin...

I am contemplating my first water skiing experience with my Riviera this Spring! The question I have is: how do I attach the tow rope to the boat? The lifting ring, I am told, is not designed for a high lateral (aft) loading. Is the lateral load on the lifting ring from a water skier beyond the lift...

Attached are a couple of photos of the Overton cover for 'V' Hull 17'-19'. It is not obvious but one of the photos shows the starboard quarter with the cover in place. The cover is plenty big to cover the 18' Riviera, if anything it is too big. If I had it to do it over again I think I would order t...

Can one of the contributors provide a phone number or address for Portland Machine in Maine?
I googled "Portland Machine, ME but from the results it was not clear which of the responses was the machine shop that rebuilds the 'K' engine pumps.
Thanks

Thanks for that advice. I had the water pump assembly off the engine earlier but hesitated to take it apart for fear of not being able to put it back together. If internal inspection is not that complicated I will break down the pump for inspection.

My KBL engine has a very slow leak at what is apparently the shaft packing 'weep hole'. Is there any adjustment to the packing gland? If so, can someone describe the adjustment procedure? Is a new or rebuilt pump the only solution?
Thanks for any advice.
Steve

Thanks for that 'link' Jim. I ordered Overton's best quality / material cover, "Covermate HD 600 Trailerable Cover for 17'-19' V-Hull Boat". Total price was $122.39, with a 20% discount. Will post my assessment after receiving and installing the cover. Can't imagine how I could go wrong for the price!

Hey Mark, "Smokin deal' on the K mart cover. I'll take that under advisement. The majority of the time the Riviera will be stored inside; outside for short periods. Would like some feedback on how the 'production ' covers for "Trophy Ski Boats" and other alternatives like "Outboard Runabouts" fit th...

My 18' 1952 Riviera needs a boat cover but I do not want to invest $700 in a custom made cover. Does anyone know a manufacturer that has a cover that will fit a Riviera close enough for storage purposes? Possibly, a canvas shop with the necessary dimensions to make a cover from past experience? I wo...

Thank you all for the great advice and information. I just got off the phone with Pat at Crussen Classics; nice guy. He sells an alternator that bolts-up to the 'K' engine for $529. Uses the same bolts and drive belt. The alternator is internally regulated with one wire output that charges at low RP...

Thanks Troy. I have inquired with a friend who has done the 12 volt conversion but can not remember the details; he is checking his notes, and boat. Many owners have made this conversion and must know the answers to my questions; I am awaiting their replies. Will continue to independently research t...

Would like to get some information and suggestions for the conversion of a 1952 Riviera 'K' engine from 6 volts to 12 volts. Existing 6 volt generator has a single wire out put through a relay that only allows the generator to connect to the battery when charging output is sufficient. Question: what...

Attached is a schematic wiring diagram , circa 1952, that shows the "gasoline" gauge option. The schematic shows the gasoline gauge wiring as a dotted line. One way to tell if the gasoline gauge was an option , other than the hull card, is if the fuel tank is fitted with a 'porch' for the level sens...

The gauge diameters that I indicated are for the chrome bezel that holds the glass in the gauge. I think this is the size hole that you would need in the dash board for the gauge(s) since tha actual diameter of the brass gauge(s) case is slightly smaller. The chrome escutcion (sp?) that keeps the ga...

I have a 1952 Riviera that came with an optional "gasoline" gauge. On my boat the large gauge to the right (STBD) of the large (4" diameter) gauge tachometer is a combined oil pressure and amp gauge (also 4" diameter) the smaller outboard gauges are 2 3/4" diameter; in my case the smaller outboard g...

Thank you JimF for that reply. It looks like 5" is probably the lower limit although the clearance between the prop and the 'cage' on your trailer appears to be 7 or 8 inches as a further margin of safety. I know that the "angle of departure", as suggested, will vary all over the place for various b...

JimF,
Can you tell me what the ground clearance is on your "prop cage"?

I am trying to construct a trailer for my 1952 Riviera using an existing trailer frame whose top of the side rails are 19" above ground level. I would like to keep the boat as low as possible on the trailer for ease of launch and recovery. The limiting factor seems to be the ground clearance require...

Thanks Jim. I'll watch for the needle bearing.

Thanks Mark. After closer inspection I think it is the transmission side that is leaking. Good to know I can disassemble without worrying about getting it back together.

I have a 'K' engine on a test stand and it runs well. However, there is a small oil leak which appears to come from the interface between the engine block and the flange that holds the rear engine mounts, or the transmission and that flange. The transmission is a Paragon 1XE. I assume there are two ...

During what I intended to be the final test of my 'K' engine before re-installing in the Riviera a small amount of water was leaking from the cooling water pump seal. Is this normal? If not how difficult is the 'fix'?
Appreciate any suggestions.
Steve