Newb to the max, a bit overwhelmed

[Rando1201]

Hey guys, with all the COVID - 19 stuff going around. I bought a second boat after my club shut down. I bought a 1972 Columbia 30 with a blown A4, I also purchased another A4 which is now in my garage.

I'm 35, trying to get my boat outfitted. Just got done figuring out the electrical, I built my own bench test and bought an instrument panel from a consignment shop.

The engine I bought also came with a Walter v drive, but it's not installed.

I just pulled off the carb, and it's just about as basic as any other outboard carb if not easier. What I found interesting is that even in the spare carb there's no clip for the float valve needle, yet the needles both have a divot for the clip. Is it needed? And does it come in the rebuild kit from Don?

I just pulled off the water pump. It's pretty bad, anything else I should really go over before firing her up in my garage? I just replaced the oil with SAE 30 .

Any help would be greatly appreciated. I am trying to get this boat outfitted to be a weekend island cruiser. My home harbor is Channel Islands Ca Oxnard CA.

I still have to pick the old engine out, and then drop this one in. Im steadily getting through the engine. Oh yea all the hoses were hardened.

Also the holes around the transmission housing are missing bolts, I'm not sure if that's where a bracket went or if bolts actually go there.


That's my introduction - my back is taking a toll, so is my brain taking in all these fumes in my extremely small garage. Im super dedicated, and have a little extra money to blow. If you can help me charge through this thing that would be greatly appreciated.

[Ando]

No bracket for the float valve needle. The only thing that holds that needle in place is the float itself. Once the needle and the floats are assembled in their respective positions, flip the housing upside down and play with the float. You should see the needle going up and down. You want to ensure that the needle doesn't stick (ie that it moves easily up and down).

Edit: As for the transmission housing, there is a bracket there. That bracket attaches to the transmission housing by two bolts the port side. The bracket supports the transmission cable.
Welcome

[sastanley]

Welcome...one step at a time.
First, get some ventilation for the workshop. Control the things you can..there will be situations where you can't control the fumes somewhere down the line, but control them where you can. When I was mixing paint for my hull re-do last year, I had a box fan at each end of my small shop (one car garage size but doors at both ends) plus a respirator for the mixing part. I love to have a good time, but being stoned at 0900 in the AM ruined the rest of the day when I had a list of to-do's!

[Rando1201]

No bracket for the float valve needle. The only thing that holds that needle in place is the float itself. Once the needle and the floats are assembled in their respective positions, flip the housing upside down and play with the float. You should see the needle going up and down. You want to ensure that the needle doesn't stick (ie that it moves easily up and down).

Edit: As for the transmission housing, there is a bracket there. That bracket attaches to the transmission housing by two bolts the port side. The bracket supports the transmission cable.
Welcome

Ok so what allows the float needle to move up with the float, there's nothing attached to the float needle. I just can't visualize how the float actually moves the needle. The only thing is a tab. does the tab bend into the divot at the top of the float needle? I just dont understand how it would actually do its job without a clip attaching the needle to the float tab.

[Sam]

If you don't have one the MMI Service and Overhaul Manual is the best $50 you can spend.

[scratchee]

Ok so what allows the float needle to move up with the float, there's nothing attached to the float needle. I just can't visualize how the float actually moves the needle. The only thing is a tab. does the tab bend into the divot at the top of the float needle? I just dont understand how it would actually do its job without a clip attaching the needle to the float tab.

It's possible you're visualizing it upside down. The needle sits on top of the float. When the float lowers, the needle drops down and allows fuel to flow. When the float rises, the needle is lifted up and blocks the fuel flow.

[indigo]

Carb Needle

Fuel pressure and gravity move the needle down and the float lifts it up to shut off fuel and modulate the level of fuel in the bowl of the carburetor. Some carbs do have a little wire clip that I believe is there to pull the needle down should it get stuck.

[Rando1201]

Fuel pressure and gravity move the needle down and the float lifts it up to shut off fuel and modulate the level of fuel in the bowl of the carburetor. Some carbs do have a little wire clip that I believe is there to pull the needle down should it get stuck.

Thanks I get it now.

[Rando1201]

Any idea how to get this nut off?

[Ando]

What the others said about the float needle. As for that nut: there are areas on the engine that, from rust and condensation etc, get fused. Be patient with it. Use the right size wrench first and foremost. Hit it with wd40, wait 30 min and try again. Then use wd40 again and try. If that doesn’t do it, hit the wrench with a hammer...lightly just to loosen the nut a bit. Slowly, slowly. If all else fails, hit it with a torch for a bit and then try again.

[ronstory]

Regarding the nut, it's penetrating oil, time, and a good impact driver.

My story (pun intended ) is that I have a bunch of air tools that could take apart just about anything. However, in my garage it took 5-10 mins or so to power up the compressor (loud), get the hoses out, lube the tools and get ready with an impact socket.

Then I saw this offer from HD on an cordless impact wrench that used all my same Ridgid batteries. After looking at all the reviews, I bought one.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/RIDGID-18-Volt-OCTANE-Lithium-Ion-Cordless-Brushless-4-Mode-Compact-Impact-Wrench-Kit-with-1-4-Ah-Battery-and-18-Volt-Charger-R86011SB/303037082

Holy Mother of your preferred deity, IT'S AMAZING!! I say that lightly. I was trying to remove the exact same bolt from an unbolted bearing and housing assembly from my "Puzzle rebuild". I wrapped a rag round it to limit it's movement, grabbed it and put the bigass socket on it...and pressed the trigger. I took almost 10 seconds before it started to move and 5 secs longer... it was off.

It's not often I say that a new tool changed how I use tools... this one has. If you can afford $150, just buy one.

Just my opinionated two cents.

[ndutton]

Have you seen the MMI YouTube video on the subject?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fslgwjnuQc

[Surcouf]

I ended up cutting it with a dremmel.... it is not an expensive nut, and unless you have the MM tool, or a very good makeshift tool, your impact gun is also impacting the transmission...

With a dremmel: 5 minutes, 2 cuts to release tension and it was out (true it had been sprayed / lubricated for several days before...). Your time fighting is not worth the price of that nut

[ronstory]

I ended up cutting it with a dremmel.... it is not an expensive nut, and unless you have the MM tool, or a very good makeshift tool, your impact gun is also impacting the transmission...

Yes, but it's like a hammering a rivet, a small object's mass vs a large object's mass to get the desired effect. If you look at mass of the tranny versus the nut its got to be at least 300:1. So 1/300 of the 325ft-lbs is about a foot-pound. Not to mention the tranny was loose in the housing and I held the shaft with my hand, it was just little bit of vibration.

Now imagine similar frozen nut on loose big bolt, the mass ratio would have been more like 10:1. Holding on to that with my hand would have hurt. ;^)

IMO, we do far worse things to the tranny when we reverse into the slip to slow the boat, than using an impact drive on the nut. Sometimes, mass is your friend... but not when pulling into the slip.

YMMV

[Rando1201]

Have you seen the MMI YouTube video on the subject?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fslgwjnuQc

I missed that one. Thanks a bunch.