She Runs! (1956 Chris Craft that is...)

[Rednaxs60]

Have a soft spot for water and boats after owning a 30 foot Uniflite and living aboard a 40 foot Bayliner Bodega for 5 years. Hear you on the cramped quarters, one thing I never got used to. Enjoy the rebuild, it keeps the romance of the boat alive and I'm glad the Mrs is in the fray as well. Enjoy following your thread.

Cheers

 

[joedrum]

Well that ain’t no bathtub toy ...nice boat ...even a oldwing young compared to this boat it looks ....nice shape it seems

 

[mcgovern61]

Last June, I cleaned and rebuilt the Zenith updraft carb. Don't see cast iron, single barrel updraft carbs around much. It is a pain to get to. It is located under the intake manifold here:

Man! I will never complain again about working in tight spaces on my 1100! My arms are quite torn up getting to that carb. Fuel lines off first, then fuel pump, then the front valve cover (which, BTW, is under the intake manifold on the side of the engine) and finally the intake manifold with carb attached.

Here is the poor old thing resting comfortably on my work table:

 

[mcgovern61]

I am shocked I got the engine running at all considering the amount of clay in there:

 

[dan filipi]

Should run amazing with that cleaned up.

 

[Rednaxs60]

Good job Gerry! Look forward to the after ultrasonic pictures. Going to be a great substitute for the bike, but I read where physio is helping a lot and you may not be a bike widower just yet.

Cheers

 

[mcgovern61]

Rednaxs60 » Tue Aug 07, 2018 11:38 am[/url]":3lkfk2up]
Good job Gerry! Look forward to the after ultrasonic pictures. Going to be a great substitute for the bike, but I read where physio is helping a lot and you may not be a bike widower just yet.

Cheers

Thanks Earnest! I am feeling better and have had the Slug out a few times. But less than 200 miles on her since May.

 

[mcgovern61]

We had her out a few times after the carb rebuild. Interesting fact. The float needle is stainless steel with no rubber tip. The rebuild kit came with a new float needle that has a Viton rubber tip. When I installed it and checked the float level I noticed the tip would stick and floats would not drop right away even with blowing a touch of air in the fuel intake pipe. I cleaned the new tip a bit and it still stuck, but not too hard. I installed it hoping the fuel pump pressure would be enough to push it down.

After installing everything, she started right up. With the initial settings, it took 2 hours to get the idle to settle, but she still idles too high. I adjusted the throttle rod (that's right, no cables on this puppy, all mechanical rods and levers).

Idle was still a bit high. Too high to really set or check the timing. We went out for short trips and at upper RPM's she moves along at about 21 knots average (about 23 MPH) at full throttle. BUT, when you pull the throttle back quickly, she will stall and fight to restart. :rant: :cheeky:

 

[mcgovern61]

I did everything I could on the electrical side trying to find something wrong (like bad plugs, wires, coil, points, timing, etc...). Nothing. Gas is clean. Tank is clean. Gas bowl and fine mesh screen before fuel pump is clean.

Well, no more avoiding pulling the carb (and all of that other crap in the way). While disconnecting the fuel pump, I remember my engineer buddy saying to check the diaphragm. A hole or crack could cause an air leak. Pulled the pump, and removed the screw on the diaphragm.

Well now. What happens when a steel diaphragm section sits for 10 years? RUST! Rust has been coming right off the top of the diaphragm lever and entering the carb. Of course, there is no filter between the fuel pump and the carb. The filter is before the fuel pump! I clean the fuel pump up and get rid of all of the rust. Carb still has to come out.

Open up the carb and sure enough, the idle jet is plugged solid, the enricher circuit has a big old plug of rust sitting in it. I waste no time cleaning it up and clearing it out again. Re-install everything and she fires right up! :yahoo:

 

[mcgovern61]

It still takes two hours to get the idle, air/fuel mixture, choke plate and throttle handle set correctly. Pull out my trusty Snap-On timing light. ON SNAP! I have a 6 Volt DC system.

Connect the timing light anyway (why not?) and guess what? It works on 6 Volt system too! :yahoo:

Got the idle down to the right RPM, checked timing (it was right on all along). Check forward and reverse, no stalling. I am a happy camper! Blip the throttle real fast and she sucks air and stalls. :head bang:

Start up again and run the throttle up easy. No problem. Blip or pull too fast and she tries to stall. Accelerator pump doesn't seem to be working right. It did flip gas when I tested it out of the engine. Not sure why it isn't working after installation, but it is staying like that for this season.

Last Saturday, my Wife and I took her out to the Atlantic Ocean and had a fantastic day! Here she is cruising out on the ocean at about 12-14 knots:

 

[dan filipi]

Nice video. Brings me back to times we took ours out. Nothing like it really.

 

[mcgovern61]

Thought I would add a photo of the reversing gear lever. I had the seat back off for other work and it gives a great view of the big chrome reversing gear lever!

 

[mcgovern61]

Lest anyone doesn't know, before my Wife had neck surgery a few years ago (removed two discs and had bones inserted), she loved riding with me on the Slug. Her neck just cannot take the jarring if we hit bumps or expansion joints on highways. Here is a pic from back in the day when I ran out to visit Joedrum and the rest of the family was in Ohio. She came out for a ride after coming out of a pool. Needless to say........"Happy Wife, Happy Life"!

 

[D-50Dave]

mcgovern61 » Yesterday, 3:15 pm[/url]":j84bsb4a]

Rednaxs60 » Tue Aug 07, 2018 11:38 am[/url]":j84bsb4a]
Good job Gerry! Look forward to the after ultrasonic pictures. Going to be a great substitute for the bike, but I read where physio is helping a lot and you may not be a bike widower just yet.

Cheers

Thanks Earnest! I am feeling better and have had the Slug out a few times. But less than 200 miles on her since May.

:good:

 

[Ansimp]

Congratulations Gerry on the boat it is coming along nicely.

 

[joedrum]

great vid

 

[desertrefugee]

Here she is cruising out on the ocean at about 12-14 knots

Is that your top recommended cruising speed? Kinda like my Westfalia in the mountains. It's not the destination, it's the journey.

 

[mcgovern61]

Is that your top recommended cruising speed? Kinda like my Westfalia in the mountains. It's not the destination, it's the journey.

For sailing in a fairly steady 3'-5' ocean swell and 1' chop, 12-14 knots is smooth and steady. No spray in your face (or all over the boat from pounding through waves). Plus, it is a very fuel efficient speed. Here is what it looks like when you have higher winds and waves and attempt to travel at 19 knots. It can be quite a bit wetter:

However, on flatter water, pushing her up to cruise at 19 knots with the boat up on plane is just plain fun (and possibly a little less fuel efficient).

It really is the best of both worlds. She is a great day cruiser or speed boat depending on what water she is on!

 

[Ansimp]

Sensible speed or fun? Seems to be my dilemma everytime I ride! :smilie_happy:

 

[pidjones]

How does the wife's neck handle this?