First Run Questions

[Kirk]

Have now spent almost the last year on a re-power of a 74 Donzi Ski Sporter and have a few questions.....

To start with, I powered the boat with a chev. 350 that I bought from Ziqouras Racing in Mass. it should push between 350 to 260 HP. Installed complete MSD ignition and am using the previous owners glennwood exhaust. Everything under the hatch is new.

Yesterday when we timed it (on water) everything was perfect. Water temp was between 125 & 135 and the oil pressure was up to 50 lbs. We did not motor at all just idled @ the ramp. Today we took the boat out and the first half of the ride was fine, the second half is when I encoutered a few bugs.

1) I had nil oil pressure ( I just put 6 quarts in yesterday) the sender is new. The motor was not knocking or wrapping and read a quart low, it was the same level as yesterday when I checked.

2) The water temp. today was up around 180' when I backed off to steerage speed the temp settled back down to 150'

In total we ran the boat around 1 hour at 30mph. max....after all I am still breaking in and have not yet done my first oil change as part of the break in.

Thanks for any advise,

KJ

[MOP]

Forst don't let the temp thing spook you! It is what I have come to ca;; False overheat, over the years I have had hundreds of new boat owners come back worried to death. What happens is if you chop the throttle at cruise the the ciculation in the block slows way down and the hot water rises to the top of the block giving you a false reading. If you slow down gradualy it will not do it, also just bringing the RPM up just a tad makes it go away pretty quick it will not hurt anything.
Just for safty sake screw in a positive reading oil pressure gauge and start it if all is OK, go over your wires, have a hunch the oil thing is more than likely a connection problem being as you have no ticking or other nasty sounds.

Phil