Our 4th Sea Ray, '02 Bowrider 220, '02 260DA, '89 268DA, and now an '89 300 DA. I repowered my '89 268DA (still have this boat too) with a new Mercruiser 350 MAG MPI w/ Bravo III. I love fuel injection. The '89 300DA 5.7's have carbs. The motors have 50 hours on rebuilds and run great and sound nice underway, but require some effort (compared to my fuel injected 350 in the 268 DA) to get them started. Here is my question: What have you found to be the best starting procedure to fire these engines when cold? My Sea Ray dealer is servicing both these motors this week and if you have any suggestions regarding maintenance issues, I'll be happy to pass them on. Thanks
1989 300da
- Thread starter Moondance
- Start date
Sundancer
Well-Known Member
- Jul 20, 2005
- 2,909
- Boat Info
- 34 year old CLASSIC 300 DA, towed almost anywhere behind the Duramax Dually Crew Cab.
- Engines
- 16 cyl, 700 cu. in./Alpha I's
Turn the key on, goose the throttles a few times and then hit the starter. After it starts, I rev it but try to keep the rpm's as low as possible yet keep it running. When one is running smoothly, I switch to other engine. My Port is a little finicky so I start it first. The starboard is a piece of cake. It's harder after it's been sitting, but usually fires fairly quick. Both got tune-ups in May and we replaced the ORIGINAL spark plugs from 1989 after 656 hours! The engines run a LOT better now. The mechanic who did the tune-up has worked on the boat since it was commissioned in 1989. When I asked him how the plugs looked, he was kind of embarrassed to tell me they had never been changed! He did the work in my driveway while I was watching so he knew I'd catch him! The plugs were pretty hammered. It was pretty funny!
It's a great boat and we just completed 16 days in the San Juans. It was our first time in salt water and the first time the boat had ever been in salt water. My only issue was a spotlight eating tree that removed it completely from it's frame without so much as a piece of plastic landing in the boat. I think that happened in Spokane as I left that morning and the GPS antenna apparently needed a little bouncing on the dash a few times to get it to work. Mechanically, it was perfect! I didn't even lose any paint on the props!
It's a great boat and we just completed 16 days in the San Juans. It was our first time in salt water and the first time the boat had ever been in salt water. My only issue was a spotlight eating tree that removed it completely from it's frame without so much as a piece of plastic landing in the boat. I think that happened in Spokane as I left that morning and the GPS antenna apparently needed a little bouncing on the dash a few times to get it to work. Mechanically, it was perfect! I didn't even lose any paint on the props!
