Official 2003.5-2008 340 Sundancer Thread

Savvy boaters, I need your advice as I'm a complete greenhorn. I'm inspecting a 2004 sea ray 340 with about 700 hours on 6.2L. All systems checked out but the motors. Oil came back with the port engine needing to be serviced immediately and starboard in yellow about to go bad. Both have metal and high sodium content suggesting coolant being burned in the cylinders. The selling broker suggests asking the seller to service the motors by the authorized shop to fix the problem. Here is my question: At this point, for about 90K for the boat, should I even consider buying a boat with "fixed" / "rebuilt" motors or walk away unless new power plants are installed?
 
RomanP said:
Savvy boaters, I need your advice as I'm a complete greenhorn. I'm inspecting a 2004 sea ray 340 with about 700 hours on 6.2L. All systems checked out but the motors. Oil came back with the port engine needing to be serviced immediately and starboard in yellow about to go bad. Both have metal and high sodium content suggesting coolant being burned in the cylinders. The selling broker suggests asking the seller to service the motors by the authorized shop to fix the problem. Here is my question: At this point, for about 90K for the boat, should I even consider buying a boat with "fixed" / "rebuilt" motors or walk away unless new power plants are installed?
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RomanP, brace yourself, you are about to get a TON of advice from the best source of knowledge out there for these boats. Personally I would shy away from the 6.2s and go with the 8.1s. Do not mean to insult anyone out there with 6.2s but would not want any less HP than what the 8.1s deliver. Plus more desirable down the road when you have to sell. My 2cents. Also, very smart on your part to get this post out there before buying.
 
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RomanP said:
Savvy boaters, I need your advice as I'm a complete greenhorn. I'm inspecting a 2004 sea ray 340 with about 700 hours on 6.2L. All systems checked out but the motors. Oil came back with the port engine needing to be serviced immediately and starboard in yellow about to go bad. Both have metal and high sodium content suggesting coolant being burned in the cylinders. The selling broker suggests asking the seller to service the motors by the authorized shop to fix the problem. Here is my question: At this point, for about 90K for the boat, should I even consider buying a boat with "fixed" / "rebuilt" motors or walk away unless new power plants are installed?
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Walk away. Seriously ..hard pass. There are an abundance of well cared for 340’s on the market. If the engines haven’t been cared for properly, it’s highly likely the rest of the boats systems haven’t either and you could be stepping into a potential money pit and an even bigger headache. Boats cost enough without having to worry about fixing past owners’ poor maintenance. (Or lack thereof). It’s highly likely the life of the engines has also been compromised at this point as well.
 
RomanP said:
Savvy boaters, I need your advice as I'm a complete greenhorn. I'm inspecting a 2004 sea ray 340 with about 700 hours on 6.2L. All systems checked out but the motors. Oil came back with the port engine needing to be serviced immediately and starboard in yellow about to go bad. Both have metal and high sodium content suggesting coolant being burned in the cylinders. The selling broker suggests asking the seller to service the motors by the authorized shop to fix the problem. Here is my question: At this point, for about 90K for the boat, should I even consider buying a boat with "fixed" / "rebuilt" motors or walk away unless new power plants are installed?
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Sorry to say I agree with the other comments. I would walk - lots of good boats out there in this price range. Also the 6.2s are not preferred for this model. While there is nothing wrong with them based on the intended use, the fact remains most people are looking for 8.1s so it would affect potential resale in the long term view.

-Kevin
 
RomanP said:
Savvy boaters, I need your advice as I'm a complete greenhorn. I'm inspecting a 2004 sea ray 340 with about 700 hours on 6.2L. All systems checked out but the motors. Oil came back with the port engine needing to be serviced immediately and starboard in yellow about to go bad. Both have metal and high sodium content suggesting coolant being burned in the cylinders. The selling broker suggests asking the seller to service the motors by the authorized shop to fix the problem. Here is my question: At this point, for about 90K for the boat, should I even consider buying a boat with "fixed" / "rebuilt" motors or walk away unless new power plants are installed?
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Yup, walk. Each motor is well over $10k in parts alone. Buying any used boat involves some risk, but the deck is way too stacked against you.
 
KevinC said:
From the top of the arch to the helm you do not need to go through the aft cabin. From the arch mount you can go forward to the area behind the storage pocket next to the helm seat. There is an access panel behind the cockpit seat below the arch mount. (The original wiring did go down behind the starboard cabinets but there is no need to run that path - When I installed my Quantum I wanted to remove all the old wiring but access there was limited so I left that section)

View attachment 80519 View attachment 80520

If you are replacing old electronics you can use the existing cable as a pull. If not you will need a fish tape/pole. I would install and leave a pull line in the arch for the future should you ever need it - just make it long enough that it can be pulled all the way in either direction.

-Kevin
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One more question,Kevin. How do you remove the cockpit seat back cushion?
 
silkywoods said:
Newbie here...Im not sure where to start on this forum, so how about here. Its looking likely I'll be the owner of a 2004 340. Survey is this week. One of the items on this boat that I want to change is the current owner pulled the tv and pivot stand in the galley, which is great, I didn't want that set up anyway. But has anyone ordered some laminate or come up with another material to have a cabinet door made to fill this huge black hole, Im not finding anything using search. Thanks
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Go to a local cabinet shop, they can make you one and probably get close to the color or go with a conpletely different color.
 
eddie said:
One more question,Kevin. How do you remove the cockpit seat back cushion?
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Pull out you seat bases and look under the seat backs. You should see some screws holding the seat backs down. Mine just lifted out. There were threaded bolts in the top pointing down and sat in holes from the factory. Mine did not have bolts on them but I can not say if there were supposed to be bolts on these and they were just left off by a previous installer or it that was by design. What I can say though is if there are bolts you will need to get into the seat base and look up for them. Oh and the seats do not need them if they are there so just leave them off when you put it back.

-Kevin
 
Thanks again. I have a Garmin 8610xsv and 18" Fantom radar that I want to install, but might have it professionally installed because of trying to tie in the engine data. Don't really have a clue about backbones, neckbones and the like. I have put in amps,subwoofers and speakers with no problem, but really don't want to mess up any of the electronics.
 
eddie said:
Thanks again. I have a Garmin 8610xsv and 18" Fantom radar that I want to install, but might have it professionally installed because of trying to tie in the engine data. Don't really have a clue about backbones, neckbones and the like. I have put in amps,subwoofers and speakers with no problem, but really don't want to mess up any of the electronics.
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Hooking up basic NEMA2000 (N2K) for engine data is nothing difficult to integrate if you have Smartcraft already at the helm. They are basic twist on connections. The connections are simple Tee's or a block. At minimum you will need a connection for smartcraft gateway, connection to MFD, connection for 12V power and some terminators to end each end.

I can get some pictures of the NSK components but I don't have any handy now.

BTW, if you are installing take a look at my custom dash panels I showed a few posts ago. They are all black and can be pre-cut for your equipment. If you are looking to match the wood burl your best option is from Tecnographics. Either way PM or call me if you need them as I may be able to help.

-Kevin
 
Wowwee! That's great. I did get a panel custom cut from technographics for my gps and I do have smartcraft. I would still be able to use that for depth,correct and will the gateway be able to send all info to my garmin mfd?
 
eddie said:
Wowwee! That's great. I did get a panel custom cut from technographics for my gps and I do have smartcraft. I would still be able to use that for depth,correct and will the gateway be able to send all info to my garmin mfd?
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Smartcraft does not change, the gateway coverts the signalling. You will need to plug the gateway into the smartcraft junction block. On my 340SDA the SC JB is a 6-port and all are in use. You might need to replace with a 8port SC JB to get access. The gateway will then plug into into N2K on the other side. Once the N2K is able to hear the data from the gateway you will need to setup your Garmin to display the data.

-Kevin
 
Newbie here. First, I wanted to thank everyone for all of their efforts in this forum. I am new to boats of this size and just purchased a 2004 Sundancer 340 that my wife and I will keep in a slip in Santa Barbara, California. I read every single entry in this forum before purchasing the boat, and the information was a huge help in learning what to look for, what to look out for, and much more. Second, I have a question about the length of the boat. My slip allows for 38' maximum boat length in the slip, including the anchor chute and bow railing. The harbor is very precise and will use plumb bobs to determine the length of the boat. Does anyone know the measurement from the tip of the standard swim platform to (a) the end of the anchor chute (without anchor) or (b) the tip of the bow railing? My estimate is that the anchor chute is within my 38' maximum but that the tip of the bow railing extends a few inches beyond the maximum.
 
SB Paul said:
Newbie here. First, I wanted to thank everyone for all of their efforts in this forum. First, congrats on the new boat! I am new to boats of this size and just purchased a 2004 Sundancer 340 that my wife and I will keep in a slip in Santa Barbara, California. I read every single entry in this forum before purchasing the boat, and the information was a huge help in learning what to look for, what to look out for, and much more. Second, I have a question about the length of the boat. My slip allows for 38' maximum boat length in the slip, including the anchor chute and bow railing. The harbor is very precise and will use plumb bobs to determine the length of the boat. Does anyone know the measurement from the tip of the standard swim platform to (a) the end of the anchor chute (without anchor) or (b) the tip of the bow railing? My estimate is that the anchor chute is within my 38' maximum but that the tip of the bow railing extends a few inches beyond the maximum.
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First, congrats on the new boat!

LOA according to Sea Ray is 37.5 ft. This is despite NY considering it a 34 on my registration. Sounds like a pretty particular marina to me. I guess they dealt with abuses in the past. LOL

-Kevin
 
I have a 2005 340 DA and was wondering if anyone has a cockpit sunpad cushion they want to sell? I'm referring to the cushion that fits on top of the table in the cockpit.
 
Think I may have a bad alternator on my Port engine. New starting battery last fall. It measured less than 10 volts at the beginning of March. Removed, charged, re-installed and went out to run everything. Went out again today and the Port battery showed 11.9 volts (per VesselView) prior to starting the engine. After cranking, it went down to 11.4/11.5 and after running a few miles at 2500 rpms it went down to 11.1 volts. At idle it measured 11.4 volts. Oh yea, rpms over 2600 would set the VesselView alarm off. Anyone with any experience or ideas about testing the alternator? Thanks in advance.
 
JeffMc said:
Think I may have a bad alternator on my Port engine. New starting battery last fall. It measured less than 10 volts at the beginning of March. Removed, charged, re-installed and went out to run everything. Went out again today and the Port battery showed 11.9 volts (per VesselView) prior to starting the engine. After cranking, it went down to 11.4/11.5 and after running a few miles at 2500 rpms it went down to 11.1 volts. At idle it measured 11.4 volts. Oh yea, rpms over 2600 would set the VesselView alarm off. Anyone with any experience or ideas about testing the alternator? Thanks in advance.
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The alternator should be putting out approx 14v when charging. You could test right off the alternator with a voltmeter.

-Kevin
 
I need an Stainless anchor recommendation. I've tried the Lewmar Delta and a Lewmar Claw and they both fit terrible on OEM rollers. Hinged delta maybe?
 
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