40 sedan bridge forum

I'm not a gasser, but I understand the problem... is there any way you can increase the volume of air moved by the existing blowers (install bigger fans, from bigger boats with bigger engine rooms, maybe?) and, perhaps, also find a way to increase the ability for more make up/replacement/cooler fresh air to enter the engine room through bigger/additional air intakes?... I'm no expert, but, pure physics, it seems like a possible approach?

Redesigning the airflow won't really fix the problem and may potentially create other problems.

Vapor lock (if that's what caused the problem) is fuel boiling in the fuel lines. Relocating a fuel line or even wrapping a fuel line in (an approved) type insulation should alleviate the problem.

Another problem is the fuel mixture. Was this old fuel that's been in the boat for a long time? Or is this "winter blend" fuel that was left over?
 
Quick question - I need to replace my black tank filter, but can not find it. Looked by the holding tank, just cant locate it. Any tips, suggestions?
 
Quick question - I need to replace my black tank filter, but can not find it. Looked by the holding tank, just cant locate it. Any tips, suggestions?
Mine is on top of the holding tank. It's squished in there and barely accessible. I don't know if that's the original location from the factory, or if it was added there later by the PO, but that's where mine is.
 
Juergen, you may be running into the same thing that I’ve been running into with my gas engines. I think it’s vapor lock. 2 weekends in a row with temps in the mid 90’s, calm days with no wind to blow through the vents, and my genny running for a few hours, my port engine has stalled. Even running the blower the whole time exhausting hot air out. Once struggling to stay running and with some movement in flow using the other engine, and it cleared up. Seems to be a problem with SeaRay’s, and there is no shortage of complaints if you search it. A temp fix that seems to help is popping the lazerette engine room hatch, and getting some combustible air down there. My wife popped ours as I was struggling to keep it running, and she said it was like a suction to open, and that the engine sounded like it breathed a sigh of relief. There has to be a solution to this! I’ve even considered a 3rd blower fan to just move air around in there. It’s happening to a buddies Carver as well. Lately, we’ve had breezier days with what I would assume better airflow in there, and it hasn’t happened since. I also pretty thoroughly cleaned both spark arrestors with carb cleaner (after removal) which I’m sure helped quite a bit. I doubt that they were ever cleaned in 20 years by the previous owner! I would start with the spark arrestor cleaning first to make sure that they can breath in air as easily as possible.

Something is not right if the engine room is under vacuum.
 
Mine is on top of the holding tank. It's squished in there and barely accessible. I don't know if that's the original location from the factory, or if it was added there later by the PO, but that's where mine is.

Thank you for the quick reply - if anyone has a picture that would be very helpful - I was crawling around in there for a while, and couldn't find
 
Redesigning the airflow won't really fix the problem and may potentially create other problems.

Vapor lock (if that's what caused the problem) is fuel boiling in the fuel lines. Relocating a fuel line or even wrapping a fuel line in (an approved) type insulation should alleviate the problem.

Another problem is the fuel mixture. Was this old fuel that's been in the boat for a long time? Or is this "winter blend" fuel that was left over?

I fueled up in January. I added some sea foam treatment fluid a few days ago. I’ll see if that helps...
 
I'm not a gasser, but I understand the problem... is there any way you can increase the volume of air moved by the existing blowers (install bigger fans, from bigger boats with bigger engine rooms, maybe?) and, perhaps, also find a way to increase the ability for more make up/replacement/cooler fresh air to enter the engine room through bigger/additional air intakes?... I'm no expert, but, pure physics, it seems like a possible approach?
On my 340 the 8.1 mercruisers had the “cool fuel” modules which circulate sea water around the fuel filter. I think the intent of that system is to guard against vapor lock and I have never had that issues even in 100 degree weather. They did cause other issues which were because of manufacturing flaw.

It would be possible to retrofit this onto another motor as it is just plumbing.
 
Quick question - I need to replace my black tank filter, but can not find it. Looked by the holding tank, just cant locate it. Any tips, suggestions?
The big 6" in diameter horizontal fiberglass exhaust tube blocks the view of it. It's just outward of that on top of the holding tank.
 
I have a 8kw Westerbeke Genny (diesel) issue that I hope someone can give me advice. A couple weekends ago the genny ran fine all day (four or five hours) on Saturday, but on Sunday after firing it up and running for 15 minutes or so is started pouring out white/bluish smoke from the exhaust. I shut it down and restarted several hours later. It did the same thing so I shut is down. I checked the oil that night and it overflowed from the dipstick tube. The marina mechanic said it was water in the oil. He changed the head gasket and checked the head for warping....which checked out okay. He fired it up and the same thing happened. He is now saying it may be an internal crack in either the head or block. Could it be something else? I am not a diesel guy and don't know. As of right now, I am leaning on ordering a new head, but that is a gamble. The local diesel shop says they cant pressure test a three cylinder head since they do not have the equipment for diesels that small. Westerbeke stop producing the block a few years ago, but you can order a head for it.

Some history on the genny. A year ago the water pump bearings failed and the genny got hot. The alarm went off and I immediately shut it down. The water pump and impeller were replaced and it ran fine for over a year before this issue. Could this cause the problem a year later? I need help......
 
OK... so here's the long-awaited (maybe not?) concluding article on my stereo upgrade - thanks to everyone on this forum who helped me navigate it all. Photos attached, but, basically, I ditched my old Clarion XMD3 and 10 CD changer (I believe that was standard issue for SB400s in 2003?) in favor of a Clarion M608. I stuck with Clarion as I (foolishly) assumed everything would be plug and play (especially the flybridge remote cable) - note to the wise, it was not. The old remote was a 6 pin and the new one is 8-pin (and the new remote is physically bigger! - see my creative solution for drilling the bigger hole earlier in this forum).

The pictures paint a thousand words, but here's the highlights:
  • removed old Clarion units and created new MDF panel with cut outs for new head unit and switches
  • ran new wiring from amplifier (under port sofa) up through vacuum enclosure to new selector switches
  • installed new selector switches, which now enable me to select: Flybridge, Cockpit, Salon or Stateroom (individually or all 4) - ordered from Amazon
  • I still retained Sea Ray's wiring as it related to bridging the Subwoofer and having external speakers wired to "Front" and internal cabin speakers wired to "Rear", which enables me to turn up/down/off internal/external speakers as required
  • connected USB and AUX 1 and 2 cables from head unit to new face plates on MDF panel (face plates and short male-male USB cable ordered from China (AliExpress) for pocket change with free shipping!
  • ran new 8-pin remote cable from head unit to new fly bridge remote - easier than I thought it would be
  • installed Sirius XM antenna on suction mount on front screen and ran wiring behind trim back to receiver behind head unit (easier than I thought, too and works great!)
  • used "y-splitter" from head unit remote output/input to enable flybridge remote AND wireless remote to be connected to head unit - I like the flexibility of both
  • ditched legacy Panasonic marine speakers in cockpit and flybridge in favor of JL Audio (if you're only going to do one thing, do this!) - amazing difference in sound
The new selector switches and face plates look a little cluttered inside the stereo cabinet, but there is no additional exposed wiring.

Bottom line, I really like the way it all came out. The sound is great and the M608 packs a decent punch. No CD player (does anyone even use CDs these days?), but with excellent blue tooth audio, Pandora and SiriusXM, who needs anything else?

I hope this helps anyone thinking of doing anything similar - I learned a lot doing it, so message me here or PM if you have any questions?

Cheers,
Simon
Looks really good Simon! You've inspired me to follow a similar route, I had already decided on the Clarion M608, but how you hooked the speakers into the switches and the USB faceplate is awesome. I found the switches on Amazon, but not finding the USB port, do you happen to have a link to it that you used?

I will only have 3 groups of speakers - Cockpit, Galley and then V-Berth. The Cockpit and Galley both have just 2 speakers, whereas the VBerth I want to hook up all 4 (PO had installed surround sound for the TV, but I've removed the amp/controller since it was AC powered only). My plan is to take a 3mm audio plug to RCA jack cable back and use the Aux In 1 port on the stereo, then put all 4 speakers on to the front/rear and left/right connectors on 1 switch. The Cockpit and Galley speakers will be on the other switch, with, as you did, them only hooked up to the Rear fader control. I'm working through in my head how that will be wired up, but I think it is doable.

Did you also have a sub-woofer? I'm wondering how that is wired in to it, I know it's typically straight off the amp, but given that my sub is only in the cockpit, I don't want it on if that speaker set is not on...

Kevin
 
I have a 8kw Westerbeke Genny (diesel) issue that I hope someone can give me advice. A couple weekends ago the genny ran fine all day (four or five hours) on Saturday, but on Sunday after firing it up and running for 15 minutes or so is started pouring out white/bluish smoke from the exhaust. I shut it down and restarted several hours later. It did the same thing so I shut is down. I checked the oil that night and it overflowed from the dipstick tube. The marina mechanic said it was water in the oil. He changed the head gasket and checked the head for warping....which checked out okay. He fired it up and the same thing happened. He is now saying it may be an internal crack in either the head or block. Could it be something else? I am not a diesel guy and don't know. As of right now, I am leaning on ordering a new head, but that is a gamble. The local diesel shop says they cant pressure test a three cylinder head since they do not have the equipment for diesels that small. Westerbeke stop producing the block a few years ago, but you can order a head for it.

Some history on the genny. A year ago the water pump bearings failed and the genny got hot. The alarm went off and I immediately shut it down. The water pump and impeller were replaced and it ran fine for over a year before this issue. Could this cause the problem a year later? I need help......

Sounds like you will have a new generator in your future. You can order the new head, but like you already said, that will be a gamble.

Best to find someone who can do a pressure test first.
 
I'm not at the boat, but is there a way to get to the inside of that door? Possibly through the secret storage slot in the stbd side couch? I think you might be able to and getting at it from the inside may be the best way to free it up without breaking something.
I managed to fix it last night... (more by luck than judgment!)... I couldn't find access from the starboard couch, so was left to (carefully) pry the inch of derailed track (hadn't noticed that before) back onto the guide rail and jiggle and jiggle and jiggle (that's technical language) and slide my fingers to guide the door back onto the (hidden) roller... word to the wise, DO NOT FORCE THE DOORS OPEN OR CLOSED... possibly the most difficult/frustrating (not to mention time-consuming - about an hour of jiggling :)) job I have undertaken... forewarned is forearmed... take care people
 

Attachments

  • Sea Ray Kitchen Cupboard Door - fixed.jpg
    Sea Ray Kitchen Cupboard Door - fixed.jpg
    118.1 KB · Views: 178
Last edited:
I have not had a chance to anchor this boat yet since we've had it. (October) Today I pulled all of my chain out on the dock to see how much was there and to mark it in 10' increments. Looks like 200' which is great. We usually anchor in 50-60' of rocky bottom, and just for the day, so that should be plenty from past experience on our lake. Does the original Lofrans 1 windlass free fall, or just motor up and down?
"They" say that plagiarism is the highest form of flattery, so consider yourself well-and-truly flattered... I did the same yesterday, even replicating your helpful colour-coding... fortunately very little wind... even so, I was nervous about getting overspray on my boat (but, even more so, on our super-yacht neighbor!), so used an old snack box to act as a mobile spray booth... fortunately I have a very understanding dockmaster, as the chain will need to stay on the dock for 48 hours to dry!... thanks so much for this original post... in the past I used a stopwatch to measure the chain drop... now my son has a more accurate measuring stick... with appreciation, Simon
 

Attachments

  • sea ray anchor chain.jpg
    sea ray anchor chain.jpg
    142.5 KB · Views: 182
  • Anchor Chain Marking.jpg
    Anchor Chain Marking.jpg
    65.1 KB · Views: 184
Looks really good Simon! You've inspired me to follow a similar route, I had already decided on the Clarion M608, but how you hooked the speakers into the switches and the USB faceplate is awesome. I found the switches on Amazon, but not finding the USB port, do you happen to have a link to it that you used?

I will only have 3 groups of speakers - Cockpit, Galley and then V-Berth. The Cockpit and Galley both have just 2 speakers, whereas the VBerth I want to hook up all 4 (PO had installed surround sound for the TV, but I've removed the amp/controller since it was AC powered only). My plan is to take a 3mm audio plug to RCA jack cable back and use the Aux In 1 port on the stereo, then put all 4 speakers on to the front/rear and left/right connectors on 1 switch. The Cockpit and Galley speakers will be on the other switch, with, as you did, them only hooked up to the Rear fader control. I'm working through in my head how that will be wired up, but I think it is doable.

Did you also have a sub-woofer? I'm wondering how that is wired in to it, I know it's typically straight off the amp, but given that my sub is only in the cockpit, I don't want it on if that speaker set is not on...

Kevin
Thanks Kevin... I'll do my best to answer your questions:
  • USB Faceplate took me hours in front of Google, but eventually found it in China (where else!?). Here's the link to save you the same slog: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Sin...554.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.17144c4djT1anw
  • Male-to-Male USB cable, as above: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Ugr...698.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.17144c4djT1anw. It only needs a short lead and I couldn't find a really short one at Best Buy (or Amazon etc...), so, again, went to China. You'll need this to link the faceplate to the head unit
  • The items from China took a while to arrive, but for pocket change and free shipping, what do you expect? :)
  • Subwoofer - yes, I have one on the flybridge... I wired it (bridged) per the Sea Ray original wiring diagram, so it is linked to the Front Fader with the rest of the outside speakers - I worked on the assumption that I'll only want the subwoofer silenced when I'm not listening to the external speakers, so that is not switched via the isolation switches you found on Amazon. If I'm not outside, I use the fader to "mute" the external speakers (or vice versa)... figured it would be unwise to use the switches alone to mute both external (or internal) sets of speakers?
Make sense?

Feel free to ask more, or PM me

Cheers,
Simon
 
Last edited:
Thank you for the quick reply - if anyone has a picture that would be very helpful - I was crawling around in there for a while, and couldn't find
Is this what you’re looking for?... see attached... apologies if I got the wrong end of the stick...

Cheers
Simon
 

Attachments

  • E775BFBA-0C5B-4175-924F-E8D5FF3654FD.jpeg
    E775BFBA-0C5B-4175-924F-E8D5FF3654FD.jpeg
    108.9 KB · Views: 176
  • 7DB99B86-F4D9-4FE0-8EDF-45AC29319F89.jpeg
    7DB99B86-F4D9-4FE0-8EDF-45AC29319F89.jpeg
    111.6 KB · Views: 157
I have a problem with the head in the main stateroom. It isn't clogged up from what I can tell but there is no vacuum. Water in the bowl. Pump just keeps running. Flush it and get a "gurgling" sound.
The guest head works fine and has good vacuum.

What should I check?
 
I have a problem with the head in the main stateroom. It isn't clogged up from what I can tell but there is no vacuum. Water in the bowl. Pump just keeps running. Flush it and get a "gurgling" sound.
The guest head works fine and has good vacuum.

What should I check?
Possibly duckbill clogged. When that happened to me I opened the bowl valve and stuck my small shop vac nozzle onto the opening and sucked out what it would. Worked fine after that.

Hopefully others will post their theories and remedies.
 

Forum statistics

Threads
112,950
Messages
1,422,861
Members
60,932
Latest member
juliediane
Back
Top