Winter project for Summer fun

Joe · #1 11-15-2009, 11:31 AM

Decided I am going to go through the "Puppy" over the Winter so I can hopefully have a Spring and Summer of fun instead of headaches. I bought her ('78 V20 w/898 Mercruiser) last Summer, and as with most things I have bought, she has issues. I know I need a starter slave solenoid, and am going to go through the ignition system and do a general tune-up (points, condenser, plugs,wires,dis. cap, etc.) I am hoping the coil is good, but may wind up doing that as well if it still not right when Spring rolls around.
I am also going to re-wire since I have phantom wires running to nowhere, and have already found a couple that have gotten a little crispy at some point. She needs trim senders, and want to get them replaced as well. The transom, and hull are in fairly good shape, stress cracks, and old screw holes not withstanding, which I want to get to when the warmer weather comes back.
I am hoping to update this as I go along, and have my fingers crossed that she'll be golden when I get finished.

spareparts · #2 11-15-2009, 06:16 PM

go ahead and get an electronic ignition for it and ditch the points, easiest way is a pertronix ignition conversion, you could look around for a Thunderbolt distributor, but its going to cost more. Don't waste your money on trim senders for that drive, those used a sender mounted in the reverse lock out assembly unless its been updated, they didn't work well when they were new, I'm not even sure you can get senders for it any more. If it has the hockey puck size senders on the gimbal ring, the transom plate has been updated. The senders are better for those, but they are a pain to install.

Blue_Runner · #3 11-17-2009, 03:10 PM

Welcome Joe...love the avatar and nice to add another NC boy to the mix! Keep us posted on your project. There have been some fine projects going on lately.