"Vapor Lock" in donzi

[donzikid18]

Hello everyone,
Alright my donzi starts up fine when its cold. Then after i run it and shut her down it doesn't like to turn over. The starter is new and the battery is new this year. I checked the timing and it was advanced at about 13-14 or so. What should the timing be on a small block 350? Also the fuel line is not wrapped in anything should i put something around it to prevent "Vapor Lock"?? And is anyone else having this problem(vapor lock)?

Thanks
Ryan

[glashole]

doubt this is the same issue

BUT i had a similar problem with mine
big block with carb

we put a wedge under the carb because it wasn't sitting level when the boat was still

totally works awesome now

can't explain it because it was the merc tech's idea

[MOP]

Bottom timing of 13-14 degrees is quite high, more important is top timing. which should be set to about 30-32 degrees. Do not know which ignition system you have, an IV Tbolt can be set on the hose by running the engine up until the timing stops advancing then set it to 30-32. Much more then 30-32 with the gas we are forced to live with is very iffy whether or not you engine will suffer damage.

Phil

[motorcity]

Base timing on a sbc, should be around 4 to 6 degrees

[mrfixxall]

Base timing on a sbc, should be around 4 to 6 degrees

not on the merc tb stuff!



Donzikid,put it @ 8* and check the full advance around 3200-3500, should be 32*

if you look at the numbers on your module it should read V8 2? the 2? is the advance built into the module..if it reads V8 24 then take the 32* and subtract the 24* which will put you @ * 8* btdc..

[Cuda]

The initial timing sounds high to me, which will make an engine hard to start. I'd check that before looking for vapor lock. Sometimes we are looking for zebras when we should be looking for horses.

[donzikid18]

Thanks for the quick reply. I haven't had time to change the timing yet, because a buddy of mine bought that donzi 16 with the 4 cylinder and needed to change the distributor and rotor and now it wont start ! But yea i should have some time tonight to mess with it.

My boat is a 83' donzi with the thunderbolt.

[mrfixxall]

Thanks for the quick reply. I haven't had time to change the timing yet, because a buddy of mine bought that donzi 16 with the 4 cylinder and needed to change the distributor and rotor and now it wont start ! But yea i should have some time tonight to mess with it.

My boat is a 83' donzi with the thunderbolt.


check the module # first, some performance guys put a v6 4.3 module in them..that would be a V6-14 which is a 14 degree advance + the initial timing..

[Cuda]

I believe there was a module called the HIPO V-8 24 also.

[gcarter]

Here's the entire list;

http://www.donzi.net/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=56592&stc=1&d=1275797165

[donzikid18]

Sooo one cloudy day here in PA (today) i decide to take my boat out. Cruising along and next thing you know i hear a ping noise. slowed down and lifted the hatch and checked it out. I didn't hear a ping noise at idle:confused:. So i started to head back to the ramp and all the sudden i heard the ping noise again but this time it did it about 3-4 times, and then i lost power ! so i shut the motor down as it was about die It didn't sound to good . So now the motor is locked and it wont turn over. !!!!:mad::mad: Tried turning it over with my hand and no go !WTTTFFFF Has anyone had this problem or heard this "ping" noise. So needless to say i am not worried about the slow turn over but now it doesn't turn over at all ! hahaha


P.S.- i dont know if this is a laughing mater but its just the mood i am in hahaha ^

Thanks
Ryan

[mrfixxall]

Sooo one cloudy day here in PA (today) i decide to take my boat out. Cruising along and next thing you know i hear a ping noise. slowed down and lifted the hatch and checked it out. I didn't hear a ping noise at idle:confused:. So i started to head back to the ramp and all the sudden i heard the ping noise again but this time it did it about 3-4 times, and then i lost power ! so i shut the motor down as it was about die It didn't sound to good . So now the motor is locked and it wont turn over. !!!!:mad::mad: Tried turning it over with my hand and no go !WTTTFFFF Has anyone had this problem or heard this "ping" noise. So needless to say i am not worried about the slow turn over but now it doesn't turn over at all ! hahaha


P.S.- i dont know if this is a laughing mater but its just the mood i am in hahaha ^

Thanks
Ryan


pull the sparkplugs and see if water comes out..if your timing was advanced it would tulip the valves,,mabe you broke one off and wedged it between the head and the piston..

on another note was it over heating ??

[donzikid18]

Thanks for the quick reply...really just kinda needed to vent !No temp was good, risers were good and the oil is fine. Doesn't smell burnt and its not milky. I will try to yank the plugs out tomm.

[Cuda]

Sounds like hydrolock to me.

[motorcity]

Sounds like hydrolock to me.


I have to agree with Cuda. You would have heard more than a pinging, prior to a major failure to lock up the motor. I'd pull all the plugs and try turning the motor over. Unless when you pull the plugs, liquid comes out.

[mrfixxall]

I have to agree with Cuda. You would have heard more than a pinging, prior to a major failure to lock up the motor. I'd pull all the plugs and try turning the motor over. Unless when you pull the plugs, liquid comes out.


Read post # 12 :)

[MOP]

With that high timing that ping may have been detonation, some easy to do in a piston or two under load.

[Cuda]

Read post # 12 :)
I was just agreeing with your diagnoses.

[mrfixxall]

I was just agreeing with your diagnoses.


i know cuda :) i think motorcity missed my post..

[motorcity]

Read post # 12 :)


Same here!

[donzikid18]

well i just dropped my boat off at my buddys mercruiser shop. I will be there for the next week figuring this thing out! lol thanks for all the reply's and will have an answer to what it was by early next week! I pulled the plugs and tried turning it over but still nothing.... maybe it is the drive ?? :confused:

[mrfixxall]

well i just dropped my boat off at my buddys mercruiser shop. I will be there for the next week figuring this thing out! lol thanks for all the reply's and will have an answer to what it was by early next week! I pulled the plugs and tried turning it over but still nothing.... maybe it is the drive ?? :confused:


starter might still be engaged? keeping it from turning..

[donzikid18]

alright well just got some news about my boat. The drive is shot ! i guess some water got into the drive oil and ripped it apart ! We pulled the plug and water came out first then the oil started coming out with metal shavings ! so now the option i have is to get a new drive or rebuild this one. what to do ? just thought i give everyone an update and thanks for all the help !

[gcarter]

What drive?
Remember SEI offers replacement Alpha drives, and Bravo lowers, w/a no fault 3 year warranty for a fraction of anyone else.

[Cuda]

Take the drive apart and see what it needs, then either get another used drive, or as George said, get an SEI drive.

[donzikid18]

Take the drive apart and see what it needs, then either get another used drive, or as George said, get an SEI drive.


The drive is all messed up. There are metal shavings everywhere. I do not know if there is a drive rebuild kit out there but i am trying to see what it would cost me if i rebuild the original. SEI looks nice and the price is good for a hole new drive. SEI 106 for about $1200 plus shipping witch is 85$. all comes down to money ! lol Plus we cant get the prop off the lower unit. I don't think that the prop has been off for about ummm 15 years ! now wtf. (my crazy uncle had the boat before i did)


BTW is a alpha I first gen.

[DonziJon]

The drive is all messed up. There are metal shavings everywhere. I do not know if there is a drive rebuild kit out there but i am trying to see what it would cost me if i rebuild the original. SEI looks nice and the price is good for a hole new drive. SEI 106 for about $1200 plus shipping witch is 85$. all comes down to money ! lol Plus we cant get the prop off the lower unit. I don't think that the prop has been off for about ummm 15 years ! now wtf. (my crazy uncle had the boat before i did)


BTW is a alpha I first gen.

It will cost you $1200+ just to get it rebuilt, if you have a shop do it which is a good idea, because there are special tools required. :nilly:

[Cuda]

If you have to buy all the gears, then either a working Alpha or an SEI drive. There are a ton of used Alphas out there. I bought one then had my mechanic tear it apart. He said he didn't think it had ever been used. Cost about a hundred bucks to ship from upstate NY to Florida.

[DonziJon]

donzikid18: I have a 1986 Gen I Alpha that I whacked on a rock two years ago. (1.5 Ratio) The skeg is two inches shorter now but I trimmed it clean and straight. It was not bent. The prop shaft has 1/8 inch total runout at the tip. The runout may have been there for years. I just never noticed it before. The drive has 15 hours on it since I whacked it. It is Tight. The drive oil is STILL Clean And Green. There is no corrosion. Paint is better than average.

I just decided to replace it with a NEW Mercruiser Drive (Now 1.47 ratio) for piece of mind. It was about $2300.

If you are interested..you may HAVE this drive..just pay shipping. I have no experience shipping something weighing 85 pounds and an odd shape. Where in PA do you live? I live in Portsmouth, RI. PM me if you like.

[donzikid18]

looking now ! and yea donzijon already PMed

[donzikid18]

Thank you everyone for your help and input ! And a big THANKS to Donzijon ! Well what i thought was vapor lock and timeing turned out to be the drive went bad. I have some pics of my old drive just to show you what went wrong. DJ: Just waiting for the seal kit to come in.

http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o73/donzikid18/boat4.jpg

http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o73/donzikid18/boat3.jpg

http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o73/donzikid18/boat2.jpg

DonziJon: here is the back of my boat, Identical to yours as we talked. !
http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o73/donzikid18/boat1.jpg

[DonziJon]

Ryan came up to Rhode Island from PA (10 Hour round trip) to pick up my old drive Tuesday.. I preferred the drive go to another DONZI owner rather than an uninformed person with maybe....OMG.. a Bayliner.

I wish Ryan all the best and hope the drive works out without any further expence ...other than welding on a blank skeg. There is enough room that the lower would not have to be drained to do this. The seal kit Ryan mentioned is the Gasket Set required to reinstall the drive to the bell housing.

The reference to the transom in the photo...My Minx has the same LOW Exhaust exit as Ryans 18. (Uncommon) There are two 90 degree elbows inside the boat on each side that Mellow the exhaust note. DJ

[Tidbart]

Ryan came up to Rhode Island from PA (10 Hour round trip) to pick up my old drive Tuesday.. I preferred the drive go to another DONZI owner rather than an uninformed person with maybe....OMG.. a Bayliner.

I wish Ryan all the best and hope the drive works out without any further expence ...other than welding on a blank skeg. There is enough room that the lower would not have to be drained to do this. The seal kit Ryan mentioned is the Gasket Set required to reinstall the drive to the bell housing.

The reference to the transom in the photo...My Minx has the same LOW Exhaust exit as Ryans 18. (Uncommon) There are two 90 degree elbows inside the boat on each side that Mellow the exhaust note. DJ

Stand-up move there, DonziJon.:clap::thewave:

[DonziJon]

Stand-up move there, DonziJon.:clap::thewave:

Thanks Tidbart. I enjoy helping out...just for the hell of it. I suspect some people will be confused by this action. :nilly: DJ

[CHACHI]

Thanks Tidbart. I enjoy helping out...just for the hell of it. I suspect some people will be confused by this action. :nilly: DJ
John, please keep me in mine when the Square Four is taking up too much space :)

Ken

[gcarter]

John, please keep me in mine when the Square Four is taking up too much space :)

Ken


Oh...no, no, no!
I've had first dibs for several years!
Just because I don't have the money don't mean anything!

[DonziJon]

I gave the Square Four away last month...............Did I do good..?? :bonk: DJ



















Just kidding :yes:

[CHACHI]

Oh...no, no, no!
I've had first dibs for several years!
Just because I don't have the money don't mean anything!

George, neither do I but I was hoping that John's "giving" ways would continue, and from his last post...what can I say, the man is a giver.

John, you did real good. Whats next, the Yamaha? :wink:

Ken

[DonziJon]

George, neither do I but I was hoping that John's "giving" ways would continue, and from his last post...what can I say, the man is a giver.

John, you did real good. Whats next, the Yamaha? :wink:

Ken

Speaking of the Yamaha, I need to have my people take it over to see "Cousin" Gordon's people, and get it fixed so I can give it away. That bike doesn't like Ethonal...or maybe it's an $800 onboard computer or something that's making it useless. It does LOOK GOOD though. :yes: Only 30k miles.

Trouble is, motorcycles are F-in dangerous and with well over 200,000 miles under by butt, I may have used up my Miles Allotment. If I fell off, at my age, I'd probably break a lot of stuff. Nope, not riding anymore. :wink: DJ

[Cuda]

Trouble is, motorcycles are F-in dangerous and with well over 200,000 miles under by butt, I may have used up my Miles Allotment. If I fell off, at my age, I'd probably break a lot of stuff. Nope, not riding anymore. :wink: DJ
I feel the same way. I had three motorcycles and I feel blessed I was never killed on one. There was one who pulled out from a bar right down the road and got splattered. Every bike week there are about 15 people killed in Daytona. I live 20 miles directly west of Daytona. I came to realise that riding isn't worth what it could cost you (your life). I had my fun and will leave that to someone young and immortal. There are a lot of bikes around here. People on crotch rockets we refer to as organ donors.

[DonziJon]

So Ryan: Not to put you on the spot.....How did that drive work out for you..? :)