410 Sundancer/Express Cruiser and 400 Sundancer/Express Cruiser **Official Thread**

Has anyone made a sunpad for the foredeck of a 400? I don't have anything up there at the moment and I want to make something that is comfortable for 2 people at least. Suggestions? Or even better, pics?

Here you go
 

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Looking to put 10” subwoofer in my cockpit. Have a 1997 400DA. Don’t want to cut the wrong spot - where should this thing go? Thanks! John
 
Question for 410 owners; Has anyone changed out the old Shakespeare analog TV antenna for the newer digital Shakespeare SeaWatch 3015? Wondering about the power amplifier, does it have to be changed out? Any other details I should know about?
Thanks
Pat
 
Oh, I thought I would find a spot in the U-shaped seating area under the bench seat. No room there?

I'm sure there are other places to put a sub, but the "default" location has benefits. I've removed mine to make use of the "access hole" many times. My AP pump is there, along with LOTS of cabling. When I pull new cables, that access is very nice to have. Apparently the "omnidirectional" nature of bass isn't universally accepted, but I guess I'm in the 'believer' category on that one. My system sounds good.
 
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Did the engine zincs in my Cat 3126’s today. Love this boat with these motors, but hate doing this task.
Can’t believe that Cat couldn’t come up with a better system.
For the benefit of others, like me, who are new to this maintenance nightmare:
Making some progress.
Only 3 hours this time, with the help of the pictured above homemade contraption, and one forearm scrape this (my third) time.
More than half of the caps backed off of the pencil zincs leaving them stuck inside the aftercooler. I was able to finesse out all but 3 of them. Those 3 required the drill, bits, and easy outs.
I’m sticking to the twice a season schedule to try to make this very unpleasant job a bit less painful.
First time was last June, and it took all day.
Second time was early Fall, took a little less than the first time, but still a PIA. Mostly because I didn’t have all the tools I needed close at hand.
I came out of the water in late November and went back in the third week in April, so it evened out to about 3 1/2 in the water months, of a 6-7 month season
This time I put everything I remembered needing last time in a big box and had it close at hand so there would be less in and out of the bilge while performing the surgery.
The list offhand:
2 sets of zincs with caps ready to go. To save time, I put them together with the thread lock on the shoulders as per the maintenance manual at home in my garage.
Ratcheting wrenches, combo wrenches, sockets with 3/8” drive and short extension in 9/16”, 5/8”, 11/16” sizes for caps on various pencil zincs. Ready for anything. Have a complete extra set (12) of stainless caps for the aftercooler and exhaust elbows.
TIP: Don’t use the little 3/8” square head plug for the exhaust elbow zinc. Too small and too easy to round out. Use the same stainless hex head caps that go in the aftercoolers instead.
1/2” wrench for after cooler cover bolts (I find it easier to have covers removed when taking those PIA zincs out).
2 of the home made 1/4” x 20 contraption (Photo Above) to thread on to stuck aftercooler zincs. I brought a spare with me this time because the threaded part of the pencils can break off if you don’t treat them gently. Will probably make a few more for next time just to be safe.
7/16” combination wrench for turning contraption.
Small lightweight automotive trim hammer to lightly tap stubborn zincs with contraption threaded on.
Long needle nose pliers.
Cordless drill.
Cordless light.
Easy outs with reverse drill bit set.
Cutting oil.
PB Blaster.
Clean rags.
Perfect seal for threads on caps when re-installing.

I find it easier to work on one motor at a time, remove all the zincs from that motor, then install the new ones before moving to the other side.

I was hoping to whittle the time and headaches involved in this job down a bit more, but having now done it 3 times, I don’t think it’s possible. While the wear on the zincs I removed this time was normal, it was fairly minimal due to the relatively short time they were installed while the boat was in the water. The main problem is the pencils getting stuck in the aftercoolers. I haven’t had one get stuck in a trans cooler, heat exchanger, or exhaust elbow yet (probably going to live to regret saying that). But there is something about the interaction of the metals in the aftercoolers that causes those to get stuck in a relatively short amount of time, and the anemic 1/4” X 20 thread ends break off way too easily.

If any more experienced DIY’ers have figured out any other tricks to make this easier, please post them.
 
Great write up. Just received 2 new sets of navalloy anodes. Second time in 3 months for me.

Buy a set of threaded taps to clean out the caps. I drill out most of the remanants in the cap, then run a tap to clean the threaded. Only need 3 taps and a handle.
 
Great write up. Just received 2 new sets of navalloy anodes. Second time in 3 months for me.

Buy a set of threaded taps to clean out the caps. I drill out most of the remanants in the cap, then run a tap to clean the threaded. Only need 3 taps and a handle.
Dave, I soak the stainless caps with the broken pieces threaded in to them in Muriatic Acid after removing and tossing the rubber O rings. New O rings are cheap at the local Caterpillar place.
I soak the brass plugs along with them. Boatzincs includes new brass caps with the engine kits, but I can’t see wasting the old ones. I’m accumulating quite a collection of brass caps.
Also, before I tackle it the next time, I want to figure out some kind of brush that I can use to get down in those holes in the aftercooler to clean the surface just under the threaded part, right where the top part of the anode gets stuck to the aftercooler.
My first thought is a stiff nylon gun barrel brush, or something similar that would be stiff enough to clean the anode gunk off and not come apart, but not so stiff that it damages the threads the caps screw in to.
I wonder if anyone else has done this.......
There is something about the zinc alloy that the aftercooler is made of that causes the anodes to basically freeze themselves to it, and not to the stainless caps.
The only time any part of the zinc anodevstays in the stainless cap is if it happens because it breaks off, and that only happens because the rest of the anode is frozen on to the aftercooler.
The reverse seems to happen to the zinc anodes in the trans cooler and heat exchanger. Those usually freeze themselves to the brass caps instead.
The zinc anode for the exhaust elbow comes with a small brass 3/8” square cap. Fearing that the anemic 3/8” could round out and cause a headache, I’ve been using the same stainless caps in their place that the aftercoolers use, and so far I haven’t had one freeze in an exhaust elbow on me So it looks like the alloy the elbows are made of don’t cause the same reaction with the zinc anodes.
Since your anodes are a different alloy (aluminum) then the zinc ones I use I’m curious to know if you have the same exact problem I have.
 
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Great idea on the muratic acid, and using the stainless cap in the exhaust. Just finished, was about 6 hours of work. I post up a few pictures of my process, but very similar to John's.

The biggest headache for me is I have 2 different trans coolers, that use different brass plugs...gotta sort that out one of these days, probably right after I get that frozen plug out (yup still fighting it).
 
Have a question for anyone out there with a 410 Express with a synchronizer. I am going to install a Glendinning engine synchronizer and wish to know just where the factory installed them. Any help or ideas would be appreciated.
 
Have a question for anyone out there with a 410 Express with a synchronizer. I am going to install a Glendinning engine synchronizer and wish to know just where the factory installed them. Any help or ideas would be appreciated.

Is the 400 EC cockpit carpet that you have for sale still available?? If it is, what color is it?
 
Question about 410 Sundancer aft cabin “A/C Vent:
Mine is positioned so that it blows air in the direction of the head door instead of blowing in to the open part of the aft cabin. It doesn’t look like anyone has ever had it down for any reason. No sign of removal on the vent or headliner.
Is it possible that Sea Ray intended to direct the air towards the head door, or was this a production mistake of some kind?
 
Need to replace my drip-less shaft seals on 1997 400 DA with CAT 3116TA diesels. Anyone know the size of the shafts? Just want to make sure I order the right ones. Thank you!
 
Have a question for anyone out there with a 410 Express with a synchronizer. I am going to install a Glendinning engine synchronizer and wish to know just where the factory installed them. Any help or ideas would be appreciated.

It is installed on the starboard side upper portion of the firewall in the engine bay.
 
Is the 400 EC cockpit carpet that you have for sale still available?? If it is, what color is it?
Yes, I still have it. It is beige
Is the 400 EC cockpit carpet that you have for sale still available?? If it is, what color is it?
I still have it and it is beige.
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