So I just bought a Mac X....

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NiceAft
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Re: So I just bought a Mac X....

Post by NiceAft »

So any thoughts, advice or warnings regarding the 57 lb kicker motor?

If the question refers to transferring the kicker from your Mac to the dinghy, don't do it. If you do, once you get it on the transom of the dinghy, leave it there :D I disagree with Jimmy's evaluation.

That motor is far too heavy to lift with control. By that, I mean to be able to lift from a higher platform to a lower one, sustain holding it while trying to align the fastening clamps, all the while sitting/standing on an unstable floating platform.

My 6hp Mercury 4 stroke weighs 55lbs, and I will only mount it on my Achilles inflatable while attached to a dock. If I was to need to tow it, I would do that with the motor attached. I recognize that presents a danger in the Merc. getting damaged if the dinghy flips, but the motor is not going to the bottom, which is probable if trying to lift from the Mac to the dinghy, or vice versa. Far too risky for something that heavy.

I stated this in another thread about the relatively same question. Even though I'm seventy-one, I worked over forty years in furniture delivery, still lift weights, and would not consider lifting that awkward a weight in such unstable conditions..
Ray ~~_/)~~
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Re: So I just bought a Mac X....

Post by Drifter »

I do think it's a hefty beast. I can pick it up and swing it around but doing so with accuracy is another matter.

I was thinking of some kind of safety line for lowering it, maybe even using the boat's winches or jerry-rigging the mast-raising thingy :D

My main concern is what you guys think of the transom; can it handle that weight dangling on a kicker mount, in an area that doesn't normally have an engine attached? And what do you think of the thick plastic as a backing?

There are a lot of old threads on here but sadly most of the links and pics are long-dead.

I figured the 15 hp Yamaha I had was too heavy, but what do you guys think of the 9.8?
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Jimmyt
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Re: So I just bought a Mac X....

Post by Jimmyt »

I don't know what the X transom looks like where you're thinking about mounting it. I've drilled the M transom, so have a limited knowledge of that, but not the X.

Drill a small hole and measure the thickness before you commit maybe? You could epoxy it without much effort if you back out.

Chances are, it will be fine. The 50 puts a good bit of stress on the transom when running hard, so it must be fairly stout.
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Re: So I just bought a Mac X....

Post by Drifter »

In terms of location, hard to say without the mount to play with but basically about here, just below the serial number plate:


Image


Bad news - I tried removing the nipple this morning, got nowhere as it's so recessed and hard to reach. Then decided to just try poking some strimmer wire through and see if it's blocked? The plastic wire went straight through with no resistance, so no it's not a blocked nipple.

I'm now a bit concerned, as I recall the PO told the dealer that with the 4 bladed prop it would over-heat above 3000 rpm, but it made it go better and he was happy to cruise around below 3000 rpm. However he included the original 3 blade prop should I wish to use it (yes).

Now I'm worrying that the overheating was nothing to do with the prop and something more serious, such as a blown head gasket because the cooling system is not working, or not working enough?

Right now a mangled impeller would actually be a good thing, as it would likely be the culprit and fix the issue.

What I really don't want is to remove the bottom half of the engine, just to find a perfectly pristine, recently-changed impeller - because that would imply the PO knew there was a cooling system problem, tried fixing it and then sold it when he couldn't. :cry:
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Re: So I just bought a Mac X....

Post by Tomfoolery »

The BF50 will pee as soon as it’s started, cold or warm, fast or slow engine speed. I would still pull the fitting out of the block, as it could be cruddy behind it and a wire won’t clear it. It’s not hard to remove.

If the passage is clear, and you’re still not getting a pee stream, it’s time to pull the lower leg and take a look at the impeller.

But before you do that, did you tape over the inlet on the underside of the anti-ventilation plate? Put more than enough water through the muffs? Just asking is all.

When you go to take off the leg, know that there are five (5) bolts holding it on; two on each side, and one under the zinc or inside the inlet. I don’t remember exactly where it is, but it’s up in there, recessed inside a non-obvious cavity. I almost broke mine trying to get it off until I realized there was one more. :|

That lower leg is light and easy to remove and reinstall, but I used a floor jack to gently hold it in place while I pulled the bolts so it didn’t drop, as I didn’t have help.
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Jimmyt
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Re: So I just bought a Mac X....

Post by Jimmyt »

Drifter wrote: Fri Nov 13, 2020 9:54 pm
Bad news - I tried removing the nipple this morning, got nowhere as it's so recessed and hard to reach. Then decided to just try poking some strimmer wire through and see if it's blocked? The plastic wire went straight through with no resistance, so no it's not a blocked nipple.

Right now a mangled impeller would actually be a good thing, as it would likely be the culprit and fix the issue.

What I really don't want is to remove the bottom half of the engine, just to find a perfectly pristine, recently-changed impeller - because that would imply the PO knew there was a cooling system problem, tried fixing it and then sold it when he couldn't. :cry:
I would not have known to do this:
"But before you do that, did you tape over the inlet on the underside of the anti-ventilation plate? Put more than enough water through the muffs? Just asking is all." (Tomfoolery). The Etec does not require it. Great info!

As Tom says, the telltale should be squirting water when it starts. Once you are positive that you have a strong supply at the muffs and tape at the vent plate opening, and the nipple is clear, no water means the impeller is bad or the waterway is blocked. Either way, the foot needs to come off so you can start chasing it down. Is there a lot of corrosion at the intakes?

If/when you replace the impeller, make sure you get the blades angled correctly.

Hang in there. It could any number of simple issues; bad impeller, missing impeller key, blocked passage, etc.
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Re: So I just bought a Mac X....

Post by Drifter »

Quick reply on my phone, I'm not using muffs, it's in a container
Image
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Re: So I just bought a Mac X....

Post by Jimmyt »

Water doesn't look deep enough to prime the impeller, although pic isn't super clear. Bring the level up to the next horizontal fin. That will guarantee the impeller is wet. Even if you have to raise the barrel. Running the impeller dry will toast it - even for a short period.

The vane pump should prime with what you have, but if it's worn it may not. Looked at some cutaways and your water level appears to be below the impeller height.
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Re: So I just bought a Mac X....

Post by Drifter »

It seems the image hosting service is down at the moment, but the water is above the cavitation wing things.

I have actually raised the barrel, on 2 old 12v batteries and a brick. The water is as high as I can get it, before it leaks from a couple of built-in holes.

Let me try to describe it... the engine has 3 pre-cast fins, and the bottom one has like wings bolted on. The water is above those wings. I can't raise the tub any higher as it's already pressed up against the bottom of the outboard, and I cannot fill it any higher, due to the holes.

I don't know what this tub is exactly, I just bought it as it was ideal for my old 200 hp engine. The higher trailer and smaller engine means it was too low for the Honda, hence the bricks.

Tomorrow I'll take a look and see if I can tape over the holes and raise the water level even higher.

I have some of that super sticky tape that's supposed to do exactly that kind of thing 8)
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Re: So I just bought a Mac X....

Post by Drifter »

https://www.dropbox.com/s/zvlylvy8v7k5i ... .jpeg?dl=0

Okay there's a Dropbox link, showing the bricks and the hole, though I think I was still filling it at that point so you can't see the water. This one should show the water level:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/2su00gll3lv3z ... .jpeg?dl=0
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Re: So I just bought a Mac X....

Post by Jimmyt »

Those are good, clear pics.

If you can get 2-3 more inches (50-75mm), you will have the pump wet. If you don't have the pump fully submerged, air leaking around the shaft seal will prevent priming, as effectively as a worn impeller/casing.

I would pull the foot and put in a pump kit so you would know what you have. I know you want to see it run and pump. But, even if it does, you should put a pump kit in it and make note of the date so you can schedule the next one...

Holes in bucket should be fairly easy to stop up temporarily. :wink:

And... anti-seize every fastener you touch when you put it back together.
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Re: So I just bought a Mac X....

Post by Tomfoolery »

Jimmyt wrote: Sat Nov 14, 2020 9:06 amI would pull the foot and put in a pump kit so you would know what you have. I know you want to see it run and pump. But, even if it does, you should put a pump kit in it and make note of the date so you can schedule the next one...
I agree with this completely. You don’t know how old and/or how worn the existing impeller is, and if it’s coming apart, those rubber bits will be pushed into the water jacket cavities and be very difficult if not impossible to get out. And if they’re really beat up, you may not even be able to reassemble them to check that you got all the bits.

First thing I did when I bought the boat was have the mechanic shop that surveyed the OB replace the impeller. And they charged extra for helicoil repair of one of the five bolts that hold the leg on. And all they did was pack the hole with 4100 and put the bolt back, as I found out when I changed out the impeller myself a couple of years later. :x

But I digress. :D
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Russ
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Re: So I just bought a Mac X....

Post by Russ »

Since you don't know the condition of the impeller, I'd pull it off and inspect and replace it. Good insurance. I replace mine regularly even if it's not needed.

And Tom's experience, I would put some anti-seize on the bolts.
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Re: So I just bought a Mac X....

Post by Drifter »

I will try to replace it later, for now it will do while I get on with the rest of the long list of things that this old girl needs (I won't be going anywhere soon as its monsoon season)!

Hopefully this pic will work...

Nope, that site is down again. Well if it worked I'd show you a happy little Honda piddling like a horse :)

It's a good, strong stream and when I revved it a bit with the fast idle it was like a pressure washer, so I'm confident with it for now and maybe a maiden voyage later in the year.

Later I do intend changing the impeller, the plugs, the oil and oil filter, and the thermostat too if I can find the part number. I really want to baby this engine and do servicing and repairs myself. Not because I'm a mechanic, far from it, but because I intend keeping it pretty much forever, going long distances and being self sufficient.

Case in point, I called a mechanic to help repair the starter motor on my old boat, and they managed to snap a bolt while removing the fuel pump *grimace

I literally don't trust him to work on my baby Honda, and prefer to figure this stuff out and do it myself.

Besides, local time tends to be like "two days past Wednesday o'clock" and I'm not getting any younger :D
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Re: So I just bought a Mac X....

Post by Jimmyt »

So, what was the fix?
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