480 DB Owners Club

Capt. Lee said:
Thank you for the reply. I had a 30 foot sail boat but age has caught up with me and it is time to move onto power. I am looking to see the inside of the 400 or 42. Did I post it in the wrong spot? We are looking to purchase, probably 10 plus year old boat. Our hope is to cruise the Puget Sourtend and once we get some experience, there is always Alaska calling. Education will be manditory, especially docking. I have always considered myself to be a safe boater and try to minimize risks. I know we twant dissels and I see prices are a bit higher here than almost anywhere else in the country. Again thank you for your imput.
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No problem. You probably should have posted in the "general discussion" forum and started a "New Thread". This thread is for the specific model - 480 DB (Sedan Bridge). More people will see it there versus in here. I would repost it there and start a new thread.

Diesels & twin engines will be waaayy different in docking. once you understand how to maneuver with twin engines, you will be wondering why you haven't had twin engines before. LOL It is actual relatively easy once you understand how they work. And the power diesels have so much torque that they respond very quickly. As I was told, "make sure the boat is pointed where you want to go when you put it in gear as it is going there..."

Glad I could help.

Steve
 
Thanks again. Understand how twin engines work was easy for me. Getting my brain and hands to react the way they are supposed to is something else. I know it is a matter of practice until it become second nature. It has to be easier that learning how to sail, I hope. I doubt if I will ever totally think engines are better than the wind. The wind is free and there is nothing better to me, than when I reached down and shut the motor off and have the wind fill the sails and start moving off with the only sound is the water on the hull. Thank you for all the guidance. Stay safe and have the wind at your backside. Lee
 
WDR said:
Hey everyone, 2004 480DB, anyone know where the exhaust vent fan for the salon over the cook top is? and how do you get it to it? and a parts number if you know it. I've searched this thread and not seeing anything on it but I may not be doing it right. TIA for any help!
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I would call Searay on this and they can send the schematics. Then post for the rest of us.
 
Trying to learn the correct method to bleed the Sea Star Hydraulic steering on my boat. I have searched CSR and the internet and found about a dozen different procedures but none are exactly like those on our 48 Sedan Bridge. Anyone out there done this and can point me to the correct way to do this?
 
Ranger Mike said:
Trying to learn the correct method to bleed the Sea Star Hydraulic steering on my boat. I have searched CSR and the internet and found about a dozen different procedures but none are exactly like those on our 48 Sedan Bridge. Anyone out there done this and can point me to the correct way to do this?
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I'll tell you my method and how I came to it.
On my 400 Sundancer the hoses from the helm to the steering ram were much shorter than on my 52 Sedan Bridge. So, on the 400DA I could put a piece of hose between the two bleed fittings on the steering ram then with a full quart of fluid attached at the helm open both bleed ports and cycle fully and slowly the steering left and right. The hoses were short enough to move any air in the system back to the helm and vent to the quart of fluid attached.
On my 52DB the hoses are long and there appears not to be enough fluid movement to move the air to the helm so I attach two hoses to the bleed fittings and submerge the ends into a clean container partially filled with the hydraulic fluid and with the full quart of fluid attached at the helm. Then while watching both ends cycle the steering with the bleed fittings open and the air then bubbles into the partially filled container at the steering ram. Occasionally the fluid in the container by the ram needs to be transferred back to the helm container but in the end all the air gets removed. One of the key things is to open the bleed fittings only enough to allow the fluid to pass but also the steering ram to cycle.
If you have power assisted steering still use the above but the use of the power assist is optional. The power assist hydraulics are a separate circuit only shared by the pressurized accumulator; as long as that accumulator remains filled all will be OK. If you have the powered assisted steering with the pressurized accumulator the pressure must be vented off the accumulator (schrader valve) before opening anything on the system; otherwise you will have quite the mess.
 
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Thanks ttmott for taking the time to respond. I have the power assist steering. This all seems pretty complicated, so I think I'll find someone locally to do this for me (paying the price of course) and watch the process and learn.
 
Ranger Mike said:
Trying to learn the correct method to bleed the Sea Star Hydraulic steering on my boat. I have searched CSR and the internet and found about a dozen different procedures but none are exactly like those on our 48 Sedan Bridge. Anyone out there done this and can point me to the correct way to do this?
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You need 2 people, it's kind of tricky. If your steering Ram itself has air in it, that's a different procedure.
I used the procedure set forth at this link to get air out to the wheel up top: http://www.seastarsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/200017-B.pdf
 
Ranger Mike said:
WDR, thanks for the response and the link. I will give this procedure a try and hope for the best. Mike
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Your power steering's accumulator will not be compatible with this procedure..... For example, if you remove the fill port at the helm and the accumulator has pressure in it as it should (35 PSIG) you will be surprised how big of a mess that will instantly happen.... Just saying.
 
ttmott said:
Your power steering's accumulator will not be compatible with this procedure..... For example, if you remove the fill port at the helm and the accumulator has pressure in it as it should (35 PSIG) you will be surprised how big of a mess that will instantly happen.... Just saying.
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Yes, I almost found that out the hard way. I loosened the fill port knob and fluid started coming out, so I tightened it before I had a big mess. Question: If I release the air from the accumulator tank can I then remove the fill port knob without making a mess?
 
Ranger Mike said:
Yes, I almost found that out the hard way. I loosened the fill port knob and fluid started coming out, so I tightened it before I had a big mess. Question: If I release the air from the accumulator tank can I then remove the fill port knob without making a mess?
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Yes, vent completely down then when finished purging fill it to it's full level then re-pressurize to 35 PSIG.
 
Ranger Mike said:
WDR, the link you sent is for an Outboard motor steering system. Do you have the link for our inboard steering systems, or, is the procedure the same?
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Hey, sorry I was trying to find the link I used and apparently copied the wrong one. I replaced the actual hydraulic cylinder last year on my 2004 480DB. I worked w a guy named Daryl at BoatSteer.com. He told me exactly what was going to happen when I tried to have mine rebuilt.....and it did, and then $ later, I used their exchange program and they had the directions w the cylinder/Ram and I think the instructions are on their website also. It definitely took 2 people though, because I was up top spinning the wheel back and forth when told. Have had zero issues so far. I only run around 20-24lbs though
 
WDR said:
Hey, sorry I was trying to find the link I used and apparently copied the wrong one. I replaced the actual hydraulic cylinder last year on my 2004 480DB. I worked w a guy named Daryl at BoatSteer.com. He told me exactly what was going to happen when I tried to have mine rebuilt.....and it did, and then $ later, I used their exchange program and they had the directions w the cylinder/Ram and I think the instructions are on their website also. It definitely took 2 people though, because I was up top spinning the wheel back and forth when told. Have had zero issues so far. I only run around 20-24lbs though
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Go down to the bottom of this page to the Sea Star section, should have what you need. http://www.boatsteer.com/purge.html
 
2 quick questions (2004 480DB) 1) How do you get the speakers in the salon ceiling out? Do those cloth covers just pop out? 2) Anyone ever install a security camera under the ledge in the cockpit right outside the sliding glass door (between those 2 speakers)? If so were you able to run a wire back inside the salon? I'm trying to get a wire back to the compartment where the old tube TV used to sit. Thanks for any help.
 
WDR said:
2 quick questions (2004 480DB) 1) How do you get the speakers in the salon ceiling out? Do those cloth covers just pop out? 2) Anyone ever install a security camera under the ledge in the cockpit right outside the sliding glass door (between those 2 speakers)? If so were you able to run a wire back inside the salon? I'm trying to get a wire back to the compartment where the old tube TV used to sit. Thanks for any help.
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This is a 52DB but above the entertainment center is a vinyl covered filler panel between the ceiling and cabinet that can be pulled out (it's held in place with Christmas tree fasteners) and all of the wiring you need to get to can be accessed. 480DB ?? There were three lights in the cockpit and plenty of illumination - I repurposed one for the camera. Even used the light bezel.
IMG_4141cropped.jpg
 
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ttmott said:
This is a 52DB but above the entertainment center is a vinyl covered filler panel between the ceiling and cabinet that can be pulled out (it's held in place with Christmas tree fasteners) and all of the wiring you need to get to can be accessed. 480DB ?? There were three lights in the cockpit and plenty of illumination - I repurposed one for the camera. Even used the light bezel.
View attachment 88378
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Yeah, your picture is exactly what I'm trying to do, but I only have 2 lights and 2 speakers (nothing in the middle already), and I believe all the wires to the lights and speakers must go thru on the PORT side somewhere and maybe cross back over inside (just not seeing a way to pull a wire along with them even if I could figure out who to get to them). Where the old TV is on the STBD, I made a drop down/hinged panel and mount an RV locking swingmount on it and flat screen to that. So I wanted the NVR and other electronics I don't have to access regularly in there. A lot of wires run up the back up of it from below deck, but I'm not thinking the hollow part of the cockpit roof connects into it (at least so far). I'm betting someone on here has figured it out on this vintage boat though.
 
Ok 480 owners. Has anyone here replaced their starter? I think mine went and I need to pull it out and have bench tested. My question is how do you remove the bolt that is under the starter and inside the stringer. Thanks for the help.
 
mquiet said:
Ok 480 owners. Has anyone here replaced their starter? I think mine went and I need to pull it out and have bench tested. My question is how do you remove the bolt that is under the starter and inside the stringer. Thanks for the help.
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I had a starter go bad on my port engine last year while getting the 1000 hour service done by Cat techs. I have the same Cats you have. They had to jack the engine up to get the bolt out. I was not on the boat at the time they did it so I cannot tell you how they did it, or what tools they used to get the engine lifted. My hatches were open at the time, but my guess is they jacked it up instead of rigging it from the top and lifting. Good luck and keep us updated. I just got "lucky" for it to fail when the engines were being serviced or I would have been doing the work myself, which sounds like a pain to change out. The starter is not cheap either. I found one at Whayne Supply in Cincy and had it shipped to my marina in Kentucky. If my memory is correct, it was around $700 for the starter. Sending the starter off for a rebuild would have delayed the techs to long and cost a lot more for the service.

Keith
 
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