Official 350 Thread

Has anyone replaced the impellers in the raw water pumps? My engines cooled fine but I have no history on when the pumps were rebuilt last. The water hoses are shot and must be replaced so it makes sense to replace the impellers at the same time. I have the combo fuel pump unit and getting to them is going to be difficult. I was thinking removing the unit might be the best way to go. Any ideas?
 
Has anyone replaced the impellers in the raw water pumps? My engines cooled fine but I have no history on when the pumps were rebuilt last. The water hoses are shot and must be replaced so it makes sense to replace the impellers at the same time. I have the combo fuel pump unit and getting to them is going to be difficult. I was thinking removing the unit might be the best way to go. Any ideas?

I did both impellers this summer....not fun at all....luckily I have a very skinny twin brother so her crawled back into the platform basically to do it. We removed both the pumps it was much easier to change the impellers out and get any trash or broken pieces out. Took about an hour or so per side. Mine are cloosed cooling so there is alot of hoses in the way....we just removed one side to make it easier (just make sure to shut off seacock). One other thing....starters....if you ever have to replace them or rebuild them if you have the nose cone starters keep them....they are very difficult to locate since they dont make them anymore especially the counter roatating one...just a piece of advise from my own experiance...and go ahead and load up on asprin before the impeller job you will need it...
 
Only a couple nit pciky things I can think of.

The shower sump that never empties since the outlet house fills it back up when the pump turns off.

The sliding door track is getting fragile and there are none available to buy. Will have to make my own if this one breaks.

Had to repair my exhaust ports as well, but after 20 years I am ok with that.

Wish it had a more fuel efficent hull design but it is what it is.

Otherwise I have little to complain about, it is a great boat overall.

Dean

Try back flushing the shower sump. I noticed mine did that when I first purchased her and I took a hose and cleaned the sump out and just shot water from bildge to drain and so on. Helped out alot. I noticed we have the same color 350. Do you still have the rose carpet downstairs :smt009 I am looking into going floating hardwood at some point. All the stripes have been removed and wet sanded and buffed out except the one black boot stripe and black bottom....looks different. Is your platform you added like the 370 platform?
 
Ha! Dean, you are dead nuts on with that shower sump! I was wondering about putting a 1 way valve in there. It is frustrating to have that stupid thing cycle over and over again. I would also add that the shower drain is a bit undersized and is slow to drain. The hose diameter is just too small to flow that much water efficiently.

You also brought up another point i missed with that crazy smoked plexiglass cabin door. In a weird way I like it, but the U-Channel is getting cracked and in some spots has broken. I have looked at alot of places for replacement (do a google search for u-channel) and there isnt really an exact fit. I was really hoping someone had done this, so I could plagarize their solution. I was also thinking about replacing it completely with starboard or equivalent for privacy. sometime at dock, you can see right in. granted with 2 kids onboard there "aint alot going on down there" other than watching TV :) hehehe.
 
I figured I would add another post here (also on General Discussion) but it applies to our boat vintage specifically. Its about fabric replacement.

"I am in the process of replacing the forward fabric trim/accent pieces in my 1990 Sundancer. A while back I had a custom curtain made which separates the forward stateroom from the dinnette/galley area (the old one was ripped). The actual curtain fabric is perfect, albeit the pattern will not match the new trim fabric's color. I was thinking, since I am not changing the color scheme that much (trim & curtain is an ugly blue splotch pattern and I am going to a darker solid blue), would it be possible to somehow dye, or spray the curtain to match the trim pattern? I know I know, I sound cheap. But the last time I had a custom piece made, it ran me over $300 just for that curtain. "

any ideas?
 
Well, the trim pieces in the front are finally complete and it really came out nice... I will post some pix up when i have them installed. I spent about 11 hours recovering all of these pieces. For the record it was fairly easy to accomplish but it just takes alot of time. The original trim has the batting SEWN INTO the fabric. I didnt want to replace the batting, so I ended up taking a razor blade and severed the stitching between each piece. Believe me there are alot of stitches in each piece!!! This process left the white bat in tact and in place. This was the worst part and i can honestly say my fingers were sore... Then it was a simple process to measure out enough of the new fabric, lay down the trim piece and cut about 6-8" of overlap on each side.

I started by laying the trim piece face UP and worked the new fabic into the cut out space (between the top and bottom foam) using my finger only. Once satisfied with the smoothness of the finish, i started stapling (using 3/8" staples) working from the center outward. That crevice hides the staples and ultimately the mounting screws. Once that part was complete, I flipped over the whole piece and started wrapping the fabric around and stapling onto the plywood backing (again, from middle outward). You dont need to pull super tight, just firm pressure to get any wrinkles out. The ends were tricky, but I ended up using the old "Christmas package wrapping" technique to limit the crease. Most if not all of the ends are hidden, but i can honestly say they could probably stand alone... Just use larger staples here, since they will go thru multiple layers of fabric.

Oh, I used an electric staple gun, purchased from Sears 20 years ago. Nothing professional. As for the fabric, my buddy Rondds recommended a store called Calico Corners. Its really a high end Joanne Fabric place, but I found a Navy blue material that was originally $74/yard and was marked down to $16/yard. I ended up with 9 yards total which was WAY overkill. I now have enough to restitch the front cushion (on that step near the mirror) with more to spare. Time to hit Wally World to find a matching bedspread. Actually, I will likely leave that to the admiral. She is better at that "taste" thing than I ...

Now, I may take a peek at that back stateroom to see whats possible there.... :) LOL.
 
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Hi Dustin,

I had my stripes above the rub rail removed when I bought the boat, they where scuffed a bit and dry. I left the small one on the arch, and of course the water line. Really undates that boat in my opinion. My dock neighbor did it to his '91 310 again makes it look much newer. This past season when I redid my expoxy and bottom paint, I had the waterline stripes replaced, along with the exhuast ports reparied.

The carpet was replaced several years ago with a beige plush of some kind, brightens up the boat a lot. That plum color was getting old fast. I would like to redo the couch with a leatherette, but that is if we end up keeping it longer.

I will try your suggestion about back flushing the sump hose, maybe it has some build up in it and is restricting the flow. I know my sinks have become slow to drain as the corrugated hose is not the best thing to use there. I replaced the bathroom sink drain hose and will do the galley sink this year, which requires pulling the fridge so I may be a little hesitant about that. Might end up screwing up something and make another problem.

My swimplatform is the one he makes for the '90 350 thru '94 370 models. He has a picture of mine on his website. Look for one with 4 guys sitting on it enjoying an adult beverage :)

As for the empellers, not a fun job, and best to have help. I had the dealer do mine the last time when they did the bottom paint last year, however he did not get the hoses back on right/tight so I ended up getting in there and redoing them, which is the hardest part really.

On the port side I found that removing the batteries gave me a place to laydown and be able to reach it better. The stbd side is just a pain since there is little room in between the engines. I removed the pump housing and replaced the impellers on the dock. I also had help from above when reinstalling the pumps. It was also easier to attach the hoses back to the pump with it laying down instead of bolted on. This gives easier access to tighten the clamps where when it is bolted on the clamps are difficult to get to because of the stringer blocking them. Warning, be extra careful that you mark the hoses, it is very easy to get them on backwards. And the last thing you want is to do them over again. I know ;)

My other neighbor has a '95 370 and he did his empeller job standing next to the engines without having to remove the pump, man that was soo much easier than on ours. I love the engine room on the newer ones.

Just plan a 1-2 hours per side, and have some help.
 
Hi Mark,

I would like to see you pictures of doing the fabric replacement. Another friend did his 420, actually his wife did it, and it really made a huge improvement.

The U channel is going to be tricking to replace when it finally goes. Wish I would have bought a set when Sea Ray still had them in stock. At the time I thought $300 was too much, now I would pay double :)

I also had the piano hinge screws keep coming out and stripped out finally. This is the hinge that holds the 2 pieces of plexi together. I got some small 'sex' bolts from McMaster Carr, and drilled thru the glass every other hole. The outside shows these small stainless flat heads and looks perfectly normal. They also keep wanting to back out so I used some locktite and they hold fine now. I tried the locktite with the original screws but the plexi is not a good material for tapping threads anyways.

Then there 'was' the plastic U channel the door snapped into on the right side. Well it finally broke so I got a piece of aluminum angle, painted it black, marked the holes, drilled them and countersuck them. This works much better although it needs repainted evey other year as it does not stick well to the alum.

All sorts of little projects over the years, but that is what boating is all about.
 
Well, the trim pieces in the front are finally complete and it really came out nice... I will post some pix up when i have them installed. I spent about 11 hours recovering all of these pieces. For the record it was fairly easy to accomplish but it just takes alot of time. The original trim has the batting SEWN INTO the fabric. I didnt want to replace the batting, so I ended up taking a razor blade and severed the stitching between each piece. Believe me there are alot of stitches in each piece!!! This process left the white bat in tact and in place. This was the worst part and i can honestly say my fingers were sore... Then it was a simple process to measure out enough of the new fabric, lay down the trim piece and cut about 6-8" of overlap on each side.

I started by laying the trim piece face UP and worked the new fabic into the cut out space (between the top and bottom foam) using my finger only. Once satisfied with the smoothness of the finish, i started stapling (using 3/8" staples) working from the center outward. That crevice hides the staples and ultimately the mounting screws. Once that part was complete, I flipped over the whole piece and started wrapping the fabric around and stapling onto the plywood backing (again, from middle outward). You dont need to pull super tight, just firm pressure to get any wrinkles out. The ends were tricky, but I ended up using the old "Christmas package wrapping" technique to limit the crease. Most if not all of the ends are hidden, but i can honestly say they could probably stand alone... Just use larger staples here, since they will go thru multiple layers of fabric.

Oh, I used an electric staple gun, purchased from Sears 20 years ago. Nothing professional. As for the fabric, my buddy Rondds recommended a store called Calico Corners. Its really a high end Joanne Fabric place, but I found a Navy blue material that was originally $74/yard and was marked down to $16/yard. I ended up with 9 yards total which was WAY overkill. I now have enough to restitch the front cushion (on that step near the mirror) with more to spare. Time to hit Wally World to find a matching bedspread. Actually, I will likely leave that to the admiral. She is better at that "taste" thing than I ...

Now, I may take a peek at that back stateroom to see whats possible there.... :) LOL.

I was suprised when I read that someone else was taking this project on to and to boot its the same boat as ours. Im excited to see your pictures of this as ours is coming along fine. Talk about alot of staples in the back of those panels,lol. I used new batting on ours along with new foam. Got all of the foam , batting and material from joan fabrics. Cant wait to spring so i can get back into the boat to grab the last pc to reupholster
 
Whiteknight,
The piano hinges so far havent given me issues but that U channel is about had it... The worst one is the top channels (left, right and even center). They are cracked and starting to break off. I wish I could buy it too, but i know thats a pipe dream at this point. The aluminum L angle is a good idea but I take it that this is just what you said...an "L" shape, not a "U" shape... any leads on where something similar could be purchased would save me some grief...


Wavedancer,
My foam was absolutely perfect and felt as good as new. To be honest, it would have been much easier for me to take off the batting and replace it completely, but I guess you live and learn huh? :) What color is your boat? Did you do the mid-cablin trim as well, or are you just taking on the forward stateroom for now? Just curious as to what you have done....
 
Mark,

I picked up mine at a good hardware store, the smallest alum angle they had. You must countersink the screw heads as the thickness of the metal is more than the plastic channel and if the heads stick out it can make the door too tight. When the direct sun hits mine it gets tight. But I generally cover the plexi with a white towel anyways to keep it cooler down below.
 
Has anyone figured out a solution to the plexi sliding top tracks? Mine are broken and look like crap but I have been unable to find a solution.

Ray
 
Wavedancer,
My foam was absolutely perfect and felt as good as new. To be honest, it would have been much easier for me to take off the batting and replace it completely, but I guess you live and learn huh? :) What color is your boat? Did you do the mid-cablin trim as well, or are you just taking on the forward stateroom for now? Just curious as to what you have done....

Our interior was the blue plaid checkered stuff, was fading a bit so i wanted to redo it. So far the VBERTH is the only update on her so far because everything else is imacculate. Hoping to install a real nice stereo with mp3 hookups so the family will have the bells and whistles they like,lol. Everything works radar, chartplotter and all other option just need to get everything up to date is all.
 
Ray, I may have to get a friend to look making me some out of alumin. I might have to make a wood template out of the door. Mine are ok with only a couple cracks but but eventually it will need addressed.

How does your boat run with the 502's ????
 
Whitenights

The boat performs great with the 502's. It is one of the best decisions I've made.

Ray
 
Wavedancer: I actually installed another stereo up top. I left the one in the cabin alone since it was still in nice shape and we rarely ever used it. Instead, I installed a completely isolated head unit & amp in the front dash where the old Loran used to be. The amp now resides under the dash and accessed thru that large underside panel. I did that 6 years ago and it still works great. It wasnt a marine unit either. I opted for Infinity speakers in the sidewalls (just 2) and put a bazooka tube under the rear/aft facing seat next to the wetbar. It isnt the best unit, but really gets loud and has some kick. Plus, I get to control it from the helm (or via remote control).
 
Wavedancer: I actually installed another stereo up top. I left the one in the cabin alone since it was still in nice shape and we rarely ever used it. Instead, I installed a completely isolated head unit & amp in the front dash where the old Loran used to be. The amp now resides under the dash and accessed thru that large underside panel. I did that 6 years ago and it still works great. It wasnt a marine unit either. I opted for Infinity speakers in the sidewalls (just 2) and put a bazooka tube under the rear/aft facing seat next to the wetbar. It isnt the best unit, but really gets loud and has some kick. Plus, I get to control it from the helm (or via remote control).

Sounds like what you did is exactly what I had in mind. Now the search continues for the components,lol. Looks like we are going to try that new bottom paint called zyrex that a thread has been started on. Im impressed with the improved overall performance of this stuff. Im all about spending a little extra for the long haul if it lasts and works if you know what I meen. Ill post in the spring how the project went...
 
I really have to have the bottom soda blasted. It has quite a few years of buildup and to be honest looks like heck (to me anyway). If I did that, then maybe I would have it barrier coated. I will read up on that Zyrex stuff as well. That isnt on my immediate "to do" list however. I have some rear camper canvas to redo (9 years old) first then more interior upholstery and maybe new fuel hoses (existing ones looking worn). Then some boot stripes.

Oh speaking of fuel fill hoses.... Has anyone attempted that yet? I would be interested to see how to remove these since they look like they are silicone'd into the spot where they enter the engine room. Access will also be a tough go...

Jeez, the more I think about it, the more work I have to do...
 
All Right... so glad to see a real thread for the 350 get going. Thanks HGM. :smt038
I have an EC with diesels so I'm sure that my cabin is a bit different than all yours. No aft berth, as the diesels occupy that space. Hey I could always have a few people sleep in the ER though, plenty of room down there! Picked her up just over a month ago so I am just getting started on the updating and bringing all the systems back to life.
As for current issues: yes the sliding door channel track is cracked. I haven't decided how to tackle it yet so now I'm anxious to see how Mark or Whitenights gets it done.
I am about to start the stereo upgrade next week. There is only a broken head unit in the salon now with a couple of surface mount speakers.
The entire boat is being wet sanded this week, then fresh wax. Also, new Bimini frame work is in progress so I can start the canvas work soon.
I look forward to sharing experiences and technical fixes with everyone.
Vince
 

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