Gulf Coast boaters
- Thread starter BigAl331
- Start date
reelapeelin
God
Welcome to the fold, Big!!...we got some guys down around Mobile, but don't recall seein' Biloxi around here...keep your eyes open, though...these things are everywhere...just saw one today in the Intercoastal Waterway at Ocean Isle NC...I've seen this guy here before, but he's an older dude and don't believe he's on the web...idled by him and said, "Like yer boat"...he looked up and waved and smiled...I'll stop and talk w/him one day...
Whatcha got pushin' yer 78?...
reelapeelin
God
Sounds like ya got 3 choices...fix Sick Johnny, buy pre-owned or buy new...yours is 25" shaft?...I hated to buy new back in 04, but it's paid for now and trouble-free since new...nice not to have to mess w/motor issues and right now a buyer is definately in the driver's seat...
You lookin' to go w/150 again?...
Not sure if its a 25". I know the motor is an '82 but that's about all I know about it right now.
Reading the post about repowering hp I think I have decided if I do repower I would go with a 150 or 175. The general consensus here is that the V does well with a 150, so why mess with what works
Reading the post about repowering hp I think I have decided if I do repower I would go with a 150 or 175. The general consensus here is that the V does well with a 150, so why mess with what works
Skools Out
God
yours is a 20" transom on that 78
HookedOnMarsh
Member
Hey BigAl, I live over in Bay Saint Louis. Just got me a V20 last month. Has kept me pretty busy getting her right from just sitting around not being used. Nice to know some others around here have these boats because I haven't seen any. Mine is an 1986 Cuddy with a 175HP V6 Mercury. The consensus is 150 HP is perfect, and I agree, but it is nice to know I have that extra 25HP to spare if needed. Mine cruises anywhere from 30-35 on the GPS but have had it up to 43 on the river. Haven't worked on that motor you have but I'm learning a lot about this old Mercury. What sort of troubles your motor having?
Hey BigAl, I live over in Bay Saint Louis. Just got me a V20 last month. Has kept me pretty busy getting her right from just sitting around not being used. Nice to know some others around here have these boats because I haven't seen any. Mine is an 1986 Cuddy with a 175HP V6 Mercury. The consensus is 150 HP is perfect, and I agree, but it is nice to know I have that extra 25HP to spare if needed. Mine cruises anywhere from 30-35 on the GPS but have had it up to 43 on the river. Haven't worked on that motor you have but I'm learning a lot about this old Mercury. What sort of troubles your motor having?
How would you like to get together and go over our boats? Right now I many problems but the most pressing is getting the motor right.
The carbs are weaping fuel. I have ordered kits but I feel a little gun shy when it comes to carbs. Trying to get the synced, to me is the hardest part. Also I have wiring issues (not to keep it off the water), needs glass/gel coat repairs, and paint.
HookedOnMarsh
Member
I'll be glad to get help you out, but would be sometime before I could get together with you due to this heatwave. I am an A/C Refrigeration tech and I mostly work on the Northshore and New Orleans so you can imagine how busy we are now. 
Carbs aren't all that bad. If you can get them off, you can succesfully rebuild them. If it's leaking gas out, I would guess that the floats are probably saturated and sunk or there is some trash in the needle and seat.
Anyway you will find much good advice here and these people have helped me tremendously with my lower unit problem. While you are waiting for the gasket kits to come in, go get a service manual for your motor. It will give you a better understanding of what you're dealing with and gives step by step instructions. I do consider the Johnson carbs a little harder to tune right compared to my Mercury because you have to set the idle mixture screws. Mine are fixed jet carbs, so they either work or don't.
My tips from rebuilding my Johnson 60HP carbs is this.
First scribe a I, II, or III on each carb on the side of the body AND the bowl so you don't get them mixed up as you are taking them off.
Keep all the needle valves and any other small parts that are going to stay with the carb with it's own carb.
Before you remove the needle valves, count the number of turns in clockwise until it is seated, write that number down and then turn couterclockwise and remove them.
Have a big table and lay everything out in order as you take it apart and take pictures with a digital camera as you go. Pictures are worth a thousand words or a few hundred dollars!
Set the floats per the instructions, DONT just throw them together and eyeball it!
And remember, you can do it.
Carbs aren't all that bad. If you can get them off, you can succesfully rebuild them. If it's leaking gas out, I would guess that the floats are probably saturated and sunk or there is some trash in the needle and seat.
Anyway you will find much good advice here and these people have helped me tremendously with my lower unit problem. While you are waiting for the gasket kits to come in, go get a service manual for your motor. It will give you a better understanding of what you're dealing with and gives step by step instructions. I do consider the Johnson carbs a little harder to tune right compared to my Mercury because you have to set the idle mixture screws. Mine are fixed jet carbs, so they either work or don't.
My tips from rebuilding my Johnson 60HP carbs is this.
First scribe a I, II, or III on each carb on the side of the body AND the bowl so you don't get them mixed up as you are taking them off.
Keep all the needle valves and any other small parts that are going to stay with the carb with it's own carb.
Before you remove the needle valves, count the number of turns in clockwise until it is seated, write that number down and then turn couterclockwise and remove them.
Have a big table and lay everything out in order as you take it apart and take pictures with a digital camera as you go. Pictures are worth a thousand words or a few hundred dollars!
Set the floats per the instructions, DONT just throw them together and eyeball it!
And remember, you can do it.
I know what you mean about the heat. My car doesn't have AC.
I have done two of the three. They are fixed jet carbs. I didn't see any adjustable screws on them at all. My kits cam with new seats and needles along with gaskets, no jets. Now that I have been through two I should be able to replace the jets without removing the carbs, so news ones may be in order.
I pulled the top one of first. Did it and then pulled the middle carb, so I never had more than one carb pulled apart at one time. Got one more to go.
I have done two of the three. They are fixed jet carbs. I didn't see any adjustable screws on them at all. My kits cam with new seats and needles along with gaskets, no jets. Now that I have been through two I should be able to replace the jets without removing the carbs, so news ones may be in order.
I pulled the top one of first. Did it and then pulled the middle carb, so I never had more than one carb pulled apart at one time. Got one more to go.
RABBITFISH
Junior Member
Welcome to the fold!!
I'm in the Kenner,
Louisiana area, near the airport, but I do spend a lot of time on the Gulf Coast, In the begining of June I was in Ocean Springs Biloxi area for a week!!! If I can help any don't hesitate to call.Tommy
Got back out on the water today for about 2 hours. After going through the carbs and lower fuel pump rebuild, now works good. Still got problems with guages so I'm not sure what RPM/speed I'm running at WOT.
Ready to go back out. Still looking for fellow V's here on the Gulf Coast.
Ready to go back out. Still looking for fellow V's here on the Gulf Coast.