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CDMA
06-16-2002, 10:24 PM
After a fun time with the starter I took Saturday and finished everything up. Went pretty well with no major problems. 2 scratches in the engine paint though... :mad: :mad: Where is my touch up gun...

So with a little hesitation Saturday night I fired her up. After a moronic slip that caused it not to start I would prefer not to admit she fired right up and I broke in the cam. She sounds great. Quiet a bit louder then last year and more aggressive. I love it. I was happy to see no leaks and everything was doing what it was supposed to. Only problem was my crank drive pump wobbleing. Figureing I could deal with that this morning I headed out to my dad's boat ( where I boat out of) and spent the night. First thing this morning I took off the pump and had a few fights with it. To make along story short a few spacers later we were set. Dropped her in the water and still no leaks...how could this be. I guess I am getting better at this stuff. So the next problem was when I put it in reverse and it went forward...note to self Bravo opposite of Alpha...

So we headed out for a test run. The bay was real choppy so we had to go hide in some cove and do some "sea trials". All I can say is WOW. The "350" has some balls. Tears the prop loose at low rpm basically on command. Spins the 25 mirage to 4500 easily and is still accelerating...hard. The Acceleration alone is heads and tails beyond last year. She runs smooth, hard and fast. The Bravo is everything I expected and more. Shifts so nice, turns the right direction, and inspires confidence. The only criticsm I have with it ( and this goes for the alpha too) is that I find the merc power steering too light. I wish it had some more weight to it. I may look into if I could change that or just save some $ and go for hydraulic. Well I take that back. The other criticism I have is that I dread having to deal with another alpha on the 14 ( sorry you alpha guys...just not a big fan)

Now I know you are all waiting for speed numbers but none exist yet. All I do know is that even with out going absolute wide open throttle and giving it time to accelerate I was spinning a 25 prop 4600 rpm and burying a 65 mph speedo. What a rush. I am so excited.

However there is always a downside. The only problem I have is an off idle stumble. If I floor it out of the hole no problem. It just roars away. However if I accelerate gradually there is a significant stumble. This also occurs coming off plane in the same rpm range ( 1500- 2500) or on a very slow plane. It feels like it is flooding out to me. I am thinking that it must be carberation problems. Either too rich or a stuck float. Any ideas guys? Carbs are not my strong point.

So all in all it was a sucess. Not perfect yet but well on the way. I am pleased so far and really thinking this is going to finally give me the results I was looking for.

Chris

Click here for my video of the engine running (http://www.donzi.net/photos/callardvid1.mov)

Digger
06-17-2002, 06:49 AM
Chris, congrats, that has got to feel good! ...can't help you with the carb/fuel issue, sorry

Gary S.
06-17-2002, 06:55 AM
Chris, the 390 Ford I have did about the same thing when I first had it built, turned out to be a combination of two things, the biggest was incorrect distributor advance curve and the minor factor was to fast a vaccume pull on the carb.

CnV & Family
06-17-2002, 07:33 AM
Great to hear chris... I always look forward to reading about your experiences. I always learn something from them. Thanks for excellent "documentation" on your project.

-C

MOP
06-17-2002, 07:52 AM
Great Job! Glad your finally off and running, one more possibilty on your stumble. The RPM you are reporting seems like when the boat angle is high, could be a slight float level adjustment. Now you have three things to check. Am looking forward to you roaring by me, I know you will be out this way over the summer. We should trade #'s drop me an E-Mail when you get a minute.

Rootsy
06-17-2002, 09:19 AM
or if the floats are set too high OR even CORRECTLY and the float bowls are not baffled you may be spilling gasoline out of the vent tubes right down the throat of the carb... i went through this before i added extended baffles to each float bowl... i would get it in both directions at first, added one to the primary bowl and then it happened only on deceleration so i added one ot both... upon acceleration i'd dump out of the primary bowl and when slowing down out of the secondary bowl... that inertia thing ya know... now i have zero issues... and always set the float height with the boat in the water and the engine idling...

secondly, do you have spring loaded needle and seat assemblies in the carburator?

if it was just happening on deceleration only i would think primary jets and metering holes coming uncovered but it happens on acceleration also so that leads me toward the vent spillage right down the throat of the carb... she'll stumble and just about die sometimes if enough spillage occures and she cannot clean herself up... if it is bad enough and it dies don't start it right away for it'll be vapor locked... (speaking from experience)... don't need to go bending a rod or anything...

Root

CDMA
06-17-2002, 09:42 AM
Seems like to me the floats are the # 1 thing to look at. Now this is stretching my memory but we tried this carb on the 454 when we were dynoing and I vaguely remember that we had a stuck float once. While I do feel competent I think I need to find someone with a little more experience then me to give me a hand with this.

Chris

Paul O get home from Lake George!!!

TORYSMINX
06-17-2002, 12:56 PM
Hey Chris good work,

I solved some of my carb problems with the Minx with metering rods and jets. The 383 really moves and I have no GPS numbers but I had 2 people going 75 on the speedo.

I still have to work the carb and the prop because I am using a 23 rapture that is a little beat up. I was wondering what size rockers you used?

Well keep us posted on how you are doing..

Tory