Tinny on a budget

[efendy]

Today, I wanted to have a look at the thermostat over skronkman's suggestion. I opened it and there was some sand there as well. the gasket was pretty beaten up so I might change both. I am pretty convinced that other parts would also have the sand!
Also, I spoke to a mobile boat mechanic who is a local. He will come and check the motor and do compression test etc.
Link to thermostat housing with sand: https://www.dropbox.com/s/2zn59s1tndv1l ... 0.jpg?dl=0
Thermostat: https://www.dropbox.com/s/lvcijjd49qo1n ... 6.jpg?dl=0
Cover with gasket: https://www.dropbox.com/s/0a5ee289eqy6o ... 0.jpg?dl=0

Cheers

[cobby]

Mate congrats. I've skipped over pretty much everything so sorry if I'm repeating someone. It looks bloody clean as it should be.

Things to do: sort out your own storage. Rod holders, safety gear etc. etc. Exactly how you want it. Small boat so you'll need a little imagination for some things. Install a tacho! If there's only one thing other than water flow you need to know about like flat spots or misses a tacho makes it obvious. Is that top deck in front of the window unglassed underneath? Got to watch for condensation in places like that. Eventually it'll rot out so have to keep a good eye on it.

Otherwise looks a good buy for 2k

[efendy]

Mate congrats. I've skipped over pretty much everything so sorry if I'm repeating someone. It looks bloody clean as it should be.

Things to do: sort out your own storage. Rod holders, safety gear etc. etc. Exactly how you want it. Small boat so you'll need a little imagination for some things. Install a tacho! If there's only one thing other than water flow you need to know about like flat spots or misses a tacho makes it obvious. Is that top deck in front of the window unglassed underneath? Got to watch for condensation in places like that. Eventually it'll rot out so have to keep a good eye on it.

Otherwise looks a good buy for 2k

Thanks Mate, appreciate it. There have been a lot of good suggestions but nobody mentioned a Tachometer. I'll look into this. Thanks for that. I checked a bit on the internet and there are ebay ones for $60-70 - would these work?

Regarding storage, rod holders etc. I started a bit. I bought 2x 3 way snapper racks that will go into the rod holders at the back. I am looking at some stainless fittings and found a cheap place to sell me 316 stainless tubing so that I can make a snapper rack at the back and also a place for a bait board. I also want to make rails on the sides to make the sides a bit higher for my son but that's work in progress as it will cost a bit. I think I am going to start with plastic containers tied down to sides for storage and then would explore other options.

I'll check underneath of the top deck but how does it look when it is unglassed? does unglassed mean no resin used and only fibre there?
Cheers

[skronkman]

Unglassed means raw timber or just paint, no fibreglass. You can get after market tachos but check that it will work properly with your outboard (or be able to take it back). They usually have a switch on the back for different motor configurations. I'm not sure all car tachos will work properly on a 2 stroke (3 cylinder?). Again, I wouldn't spend money on one yet as it's not necessary to go fishing!

[Mattblack]

Hey Man....that thermostat looks cactus. You should spray a heap of WD40 in the chamber and run it for a while without a thermostat to flush out all the crap. You'll probably have to poke the tell-tale with a nail or something whilst it's running because it looks like there is some chunky stuff in there.

[efendy]

Unglassed means raw timber or just paint, no fibreglass. You can get after market tachos but check that it will work properly with your outboard (or be able to take it back). They usually have a switch on the back for different motor configurations. I'm not sure all car tachos will work properly on a 2 stroke (3 cylinder?). Again, I wouldn't spend money on one yet as it's not necessary to go fishing!

Thank you. Yes it's a 2stroke 3 cylinders. I agree, I need to go out and launch this thing already!

[efendy]

Hey Man....that thermostat looks cactus. You should spray a heap of WD40 in the chamber and run it for a while without a thermostat to flush out all the crap. You'll probably have to poke the tell-tale with a nail or something whilst it's running because it looks like there is some chunky stuff in there.

There was no water coming from the telltale but I fixed it by cleaning the tubing and the telltale with a live bait needle. Then Skronkman suggested to have a look in the thermostat housing and unsurprisingly there was sand there as well.
I will definitely clean it but I was thinking may be I should open up other places sand would build up and clean them.
If I open the thermostat cover the water will go in the main housing of the motor. Should I bypass this water with a contraption?
Cheers

[skronkman]

You may be able to dismantle the thermostat and give it a clean with an abrasive pad (like you use in the kitchen, the green ones) then reassemble and test it in a glass of hot water with a thermometer. You'll need to know what temperature it partially and fully opens at from the service manual or other source. Or get a new one if the one you have isn't functioning correctly.

Don't worry about getting fresh water in your cowling or over the block, head, etc. just drain it out and let it air dry with the lid off when finished.

You really want to check under the exhaust plate too but be super careful you don't snap the bolts off. I mean super dooper careful or just don't do it at all. Do not force the bolts, you really don't want a stainless bolt snapped off in there, it's a nightmare. Maybe leave that to the mechanic. You will likely need new gaskets if you do this too.

If you have other hoses or access to the cooling system then you can use your garden hose on low-medium pressure to back flush, forward flush through these while the thermostat is removed and thermostat cover is not on. Don't use high pressure so as not to blow out any gaskets. Do not start the engine while doing this. Water will go everywhere but that's fine, just drain and air dry.

Sometimes on some engines the sand just comes out with the flush and everything is fine. Other times on other engines it clags up in the water jacket and under the exhaust plate, creates hotspots in the head and eventually cooks the engine. I've personally seen both. I hope your engine is in the former category. I'm not trying to scare you, just be aware of overheating. If you engine has an alarm, keep an ear/eye out for it. If you have a contactless thermometer you can use it to look at the running motor to see if it's getting too hot in different places. You can also use your hand to feel for hotspots but be careful (for obvious reasons), you should be able to feel heat but be able to hold your hand there without getting too hot.

After your first trip to the lake and a good run around you can check the thermostat again and see if any more sand is getting caught there.

All the best.

[efendy]

Once again, thank you for all the suggestions and taking time to write, much appreciated.

You may be able to dismantle the thermostat and give it a clean with an abrasive pad (like you use in the kitchen, the green ones) then reassemble and test it in a glass of hot water with a thermometer. You'll need to know what temperature it partially and fully opens at from the service manual or other source. Or get a new one if the one you have isn't functioning correctly.

I read about putting the thermostat in hot water and testing it. Even though I have a digital thermometer, I think I'll ask the mechanic to inspect it and tell me what to do - I might just get a new one along with a gasket as it looked pretty beaten up.

Don't worry about getting fresh water in your cowling or over the block, head, etc. just drain it out and let it air dry with the lid off when finished.

Great to hear about this, thank you!

You really want to check under the exhaust plate too but be super careful you don't snap the bolts off. I mean super dooper careful or just don't do it at all. Do not force the bolts, you really don't want a stainless bolt snapped off in there, it's a nightmare. Maybe leave that to the mechanic. You will likely need new gaskets if you do this too.

If snapping happens because of high torque application, I have a torque wrench I don't know it would help?

If you have other hoses or access to the cooling system then you can use your garden hose on low-medium pressure to back flush, forward flush through these while the thermostat is removed and thermostat cover is not on. Don't use high pressure so as not to blow out any gaskets. Do not start the engine while doing this. Water will go everywhere but that's fine, just drain and air dry.

I'll try this backflush. I guess it can't be done though the thermostat opening?

Sometimes on some engines the sand just comes out with the flush and everything is fine. Other times on other engines it clags up in the water jacket and under the exhaust plate, creates hotspots in the head and eventually cooks the engine. I've personally seen both. I hope your engine is in the former category. I'm not trying to scare you, just be aware of overheating. If you engine has an alarm, keep an ear/eye out for it. If you have a contactless thermometer you can use it to look at the running motor to see if it's getting too hot in different places. You can also use your hand to feel for hotspots but be careful (for obvious reasons), you should be able to feel heat but be able to hold your hand there without getting too hot.

Human temperature tolerance is apparently 43-44 centigrade degrees. I should be alright if I stay below 40 then! - I have a contactless thermometer, I'll try this.

After your first trip to the lake and a good run around you can check the thermostat again and see if any more sand is getting caught there.

Great advice, thank you. I'll do this.
Thanks for all the help
Cheers

[skronkman]

The bolts can snap because corrosion can lock the threads in place. It can happen to any bolt on an outboard but particularly in the exhaust plate bolts; they have raw water running under the plate and also the hot exhaust may contribute.

Yep, back/forward flush through the thermostat opening.

At high idle (<1500rpm) on the hose you should be able look for hot spots after she has warmed up with your thermometer.