99% probable it's a bad ground or corroded connector problem.
Like Rick said - try cleaning first. Radio Shack has a liquid 'contact cleaner' that works pretty well - comes in a spray can. Spray some onto a Q-tip and rub it on the contact point before reconnecting, should stay clean for a...
Your toilet is missing?? Can't find it?? Got nothing to go on?? Call a cop.
J/K
Unless you spend a lot of time on the hook, away from 'civilized' plumbing, a porta-potty will be easier and cheaper.
As long as you are in there - I'd go ahead and replace the U-joints and gimbal bearing (you'll need a slide hammer to pull that bearing) - they've probably never been replaced since the boat was new. While you are about it, a new impeller would be in order. Make sure you get the gear lube pump...
I have three batteries on my boat - two on the original system and added one for just the electronics that are isolated from the rest of the system; the charging system charges all three. I added a solar panel through a split charger; one side to the electronics battery and one side to the...
Just a suggestion:
Had a leak - couldn't figure it out (they are evasive). No leak underway but water coming in while drifting or at anchor, but only with 3-4 people in the boat. I trailer the boat, easy to see there was no hull damage and the water was only in the forward section, dry in...
I had the same problem with my 350. Previous owner had the boat unused for several years in the driveway. After running the boat a few times the temp would be 'normal' until run at higher rpms when the temp would rise. The condition got progressively worse until it would overheat, even at...
I recently had the same problem with the gimbal pins. The splines were stripped because the PO (or the PO before him) had loctite on the ENTIRE thread in the gimbal. Had to drill and extract - in fact, the pin had to be drilled through completely using gradually increased size bits until the...
According to my tech a Merc 260 requires 4 gals a minute at 1000 rpm - more as rpms go up. Running on the muffs will provide (at most) 7 gals per minute (about what the engine needs up to 1800 - 2000 rpm).
Easy 'test' - running on muffs. Put a bucket under the prop - run the engine at...
"I've never had an issue with my marine stereo speakers... "
They operate on a different principle - Speakers have a permanant magnet with a lot of nickle which inhibits rust/corrosion and the 'signal' puts current on the diaphram material which is much like magnetic tape, the 'iron' being...
You'll probably end up with a shaft alignment problem if you switch to a 350 Chevy. As noted above, the Ford 351 C or W will be a direct swap with the 302 since the motor mounts are the same and all the marine electrical, fuel and exhaust will swap as well.
I got over the dopey horn 'problem' years ago. I doesn't really get water 'in it' - it comes from condensation and accumulates. The diaphram and electomagnet is steel (can't be stainless which is not magnetic), gets rusty and won't work. I just carry a handheld/compressed air horn and an...
I had a similar overheating problem (at higher RPM - otherwise normal at idle) with my '78 Cuddy/350 Chevy engine and asked the boat mechanic the same question re: the separater 'blocking' the larger holes. The risers are cast to accommodate several different applications and if your separater...
I checked the housing, and it did clean up rather well with the homemade caustic soda - electrolosis bath. The engine simply isn't getting enough water volume to the T-stat block. It's either a restriction in the outdrive or between the outdrive and the inside raw water hose. I'll know which...
Still overheating!!! Heart to heart with the Merc Tech today - he drags out the manuals. Mercruiser 260 requires minimum 4 gals a minute at 1000 RPM for cooling. Disconnect the raw water hose at the T-stat block - start the engine - only get 1/2 gallon.
OK - Tech dragged out the manual. My...
Problem solved!
I actually found the culprit today. After changing every moving part in the cooling system and every picyune problem area in the process - the overheating problem changed from normal at idle and overheat at higher RPM to directly to overheat from start up.
CLUE: Something...
Got an IR temp guage today. First I'll check the incoming raw water line from the transom to make sure there is sufficient flow there.
I'll pull the plugs and give them a visual when I check the compression - probably need new plugs anyway. Removing the exhaust manifolds comes after the...