A horror story averted...whew!

hntr2k

Member
Well, As most of you already know, last fall I traded a motorcycle for my 1977 Mako 23. I didn't expect everything to be in tip-top shape, but a couple of things had been nagging at me from the get-go. (1) Whenever I turned the key to start, about 1 of 6 times, the bindix gear on the starter wouldn't seat and just spun, as if there wasn't enough cranking amps. I tried just starting it with a high amp charger/starter and that helped, though even still it turned over sometimes five to ten times before firing and starting. (2) the steering wheel had a lot of play in it, it would turn quite a lot before it actually started having an effect on the motor. It is a sea star hydraulic steering system. :(

So...

Last weekend, a buddy of mine gave me a 1000 cranking amp battery to try. So I hooked it up and cranked it. Well, it cranked, but wouldn't fire...and wouldn't fire...etc. So now I'm really concerned. Then, with the sun at just the right angle, I noticed a wisp of some sort of mist or smoke coming from the area of the center transom. :hair:

I immediately shut down all starting attempts and switched off the battery selector. Then I investigated.

I first discovered the presence of some liquid on the top of the Armstrong motor bracket. I thought it might be water from the motor, but I rubbed a finger in it and decided it was steering oil. That explains the steering issue, but why is the oil on the outside?

Well, digging into the shrouded bundle of hoses and wires that come through the transom to the motor assembly, I found that somewhen along the way, a smallish crack had developed in the engine electrical ground cable. I have decided that moisture entered and began causing all sorts of electrical havoc therein. Over time, it started to heat up and then the power cable joined in the fun. The two of them conspired to heat up to the point that each had several areas in the casing that were bare copper wire for an inch or even two of their length and...that heating had melted holes in both hydraulic steering hoses (thus, the loss of steering.)

Moral of the story...check stuff.

Result...I replaced the two power cables this weekend and lo-and-behold! that motor fires up like racecar. 1/2 a crank and roaring to go. (I got a small tear in my eye the first time it happened)

That leaves me with replacing the hydraulic steering hoses so I ordered the kit and will have them installed before the weekend.

I am taking the downtime to seriously go through the boat and seek any anomolies that I might rectify. I found and replaced two spark plug wires that had gotten a little corroded at the connection to the plug and a few screws that need replaced/filled etc.

All-in-all, I am ecstatic that I found these issues on the trailer(rather than twenty miles off shore) Or because I found it before that stuff decided to combine to make a nice toasty fireplace out my hull.

So, all is well, now. And I will be back on the water in no time, a wiser, safer boatsman. :biggrin3:
 

rifleroom

Senior Member
Good job man! I had the same thing happen to me a few years ago. I was checking out my boat in the back yard and the power cords were running across the hydraulic motor which had been leaking. The wires had obviously rubbed around enough to work themselves bare then the last time I started it they shorted out and caught fire. If I hadn't been alert enough, I might have lost the whole thing. I immediately got the fire extinguisher on the fire and put it out. I then fixed the problems and traded it in! I'm glad you got yours fixed before this could happen to you!
 

Nautical Son

Senior Member
Good thing you were persistant. I have been considering changing my hydraulic steering fluid overall to vegetable oil in the event there is EVER a leak it wont be as big of a mess.

I would think you could go to a Parker Hose dealer and have them fabricate custom hoses while you wait.
 

Golden BB

Senior Member
You ever check out the website classicmako.com ? I am getting a '72 mako 17 and found the site while I was searching for rebuidling a classic mako. Great site and allot of information for the old boats. Also, the creator of mako's son is on there;)
 

hntr2k

Member
Thanks for the lead GoldenBB

...
 

PaulD

Banned
That's a good site!!!! You got what we refer to as a "grimlin" they happen, atleast you found your's. I've seen some boats that they can never be found and eneded up with the whole boat being re-wired.
 
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