260 Sundancer Thread.........Comments questions and answers

On a different topic:
My "silly" horn is broken, physically broken. It's hanging from the wires. I imagine I can super glue it, but I rather exchange it for a new one.
The sound on the factory instaled horn is not very good. Does any one have any ideas on where I can buy either the original (or replacement) or something better?

Thanks in advanced,
 
flyfig said:
On a different topic:
My "silly" horn is broken, physically broken. It's hanging from the wires. I imagine I can super glue it, but I rather exchange it for a new one.
The sound on the factory instaled horn is not very good. Does any one have any ideas on where I can buy either the original (or replacement) or something better?

Thanks in advanced,
Click to expand...
Google this site using the following string;

site:clubsearay.com replace duck horn

you'll find all sorts of references to what people have been replacing it with.
 
Smartcraft Gauge Warnings, :smt100

I took the boat out on Friday, and after about a 30+ minute run (15 minutes at less than 6 mph, from the Marina to the open water, and the rest on the open bay), I decided to push it up. It was nice and calm outside so I went from about 3800 RPM (Cruising at 26 MPH) to 4400 RPM, I had the boat trimmed slightly higher than normal at 6 on the trim gauge, with the trim tabs slightly down to control any bow movement, doing somewhere over 30 MPH, but no more than 35 MOH.
All of a sudden I get an audible alarm (one loud beep) with an OVERSPEED warning on the Smartcraft Tach gauge with something like a 90% Throttle available (or power, I can't remember the exact words):wow:. I immediately pulled the throttle back and stopped the boat to check if there was anything wrong with it. Nothing seemed out of normal, I even raised my outdrive to the trailer position to check if there was anything wrong with it, and Nada... Temperature (163) , Oil Pressure, Watre Pressure, Gear Lube, and Coolant all were normal.
After I told my wife everything was OK we continued our trip to Thursday's (Restaurant on the Water, West River, MD).
After a few minutes now running at 3800 RPM, I get another warning, this time of an OVERHEAT, follow by a REDUCE THROTTLE signal on the Smartcraft Tach Gauge. I do exactly that and reduce the power bringing the boat to a stop. Temperature was no higher than 170 deg. So now I'm really confused :huh:. I open the Engine compartment for the second time and now I notice that both of my seacocks are in the close position (when looking at the Eng compartment front to back) the Starboard Seacock (according to boat manual that's the Overboard Discharge Seacock) was closed, so was the Port Seacock (A/C unit).
My boat is equipped with A/C, but I do not have a generator.
The Engine on my boat is the 350 MAG Horizon / Bravo III.
The only other thing that has been done to my boat was an IAC replacement last fall, right before we pulled it out of the water.

:smt017 I'm really confused here. The rest of the evening the boat ran perfectly fine with all instruments in the normal range.
Any help would be greatly appreciated. On the way to the boat to check on it. Does anyone knows the operating limits for this boat/engine?

Thanks,
 
An OVERSPEED alarm should only occur if the engine is bouncing off the rev limiter. It is easy to get this alarm if you are in neuitral and reving the engine but I am not sure how it could occur when running unless the prop was cavitating allowing the engine to over rev (I am not able to get mine to cavitate no matter what).

The other alarm for overheat could be a faulty sensor since your water temperature was OK. Did you happen to take note note of the sea water PSI on Smartcraft that you were getting while on plane? My sea water pump generally produces about 10PSI on plane.

There are no seacocks for engine cooling and the ones you have are for your AC and Macerator and only have to be open if you use either of them.

Unfortunately things like you describe may require a technician to diagnose. So if you can't figure it out, then I would just bite the bullet and see your dealer.

Dave
 
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Not sure where the operating temperature is supposed to be ( I will look into it) but I have never seen my temp over 153 at rpm. My manual says that the thermostat for a 350 with seawater cooling is 160 degrees and 170 for closed cooled models. Does that mean it opens at that temperature or is that the operating temp?
 
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While under way (regarding the overspeed) everything semmed normal until I got the alarm, and afterwards the engine semmed OK.
The overtemp, I remember seeing the warning (Reduce Throttle), but my temp never went over 175 deg. On the way back the temp stayed under 165 deg all the way.
I guess I'll have to have a technician look into to it, my engine is closed cooled though.
Keep the inputs and suggestions coming...
Once I find out what it is, I'll let you'all know.

Dave S: Do you do most of your boating at Lake Wiley? My wife's grandma lives just North of it, accross the border. I've flown many times into Charlotte Douglas...

Thanks,
 
Yes I boat on Lake Wylie. My boat is wet slipped there.

It's probably best to let a technician look at it given the circumstances. Closed cooling may not allow the engine temperatures to rise quite as high as raw water cooling would if your impeller was bad so I suppose that could be one of the problems. If you get a chance to run the boat again, look at the water pressure underway and that may give you some idea on the condition of the impeller. The Overspeed issue is something entirely different and that is a head scratcher.

Dave
 
I've had the overheat and low water pressure alarm a couple of times as well. The first time, it turned out to be the dreaded plastic bag wrapped around the outdrives intakes. Other times have been from sucking sand into the raw water side of the FWC heat exchanger after pulling in tight to shore. I just drained the raw water side (my 496 has a nice air pump and valve for doing this) and the sand flushed out and I was back underway. Of course, impellers need checking, too.
 
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the only thing I took from this discussion was trim gauge. 6 is very high, not a little bit high. with my 350 mag b3, ideal is 3. Don't think that this anything to do with other issues, but as they say, my 2 cents worth.
 
I talked today to two certified Mercruiser Mechanics at my marina and this is what they said:
  1. The overspeed warning must have been based on a high trim setting (Yeap 6 is too high). Probably props cavitating...
  2. Two parts:
    • One mechanic said it could probably be a bad impeller, or impeller going bad.
    • The "Boss" more experienced individual, mentioned the possibility of some debris on the water intake (i.e. either a plastic bag or anything else)
After talking to him I ended up starting the boat at the dock to double check water pressure and temperature.

This is what I got:

-- Idle RPM (around 540-600 RPM) water pressure 1.9 - 2.0 PSI
-- At 1000 RPM water pressure went up to 4.9 PSI
-- At 2000 RPM water pressure to around 11 - 12 PSI

After 15 minutes of running at Idle temperature raised slowly to 167 (max). When I increased the throttle to 1000 RPM, Temperature decreased to 163 deg.

So far the mechanic advised me to run it tomorrow to see what temperature I get, and to take a look at the water pressure.

If any of you can let me know what water PSI you get under way, I'll compare it to mine and report as soon as I can.

ChuckW, if you can add some pictures (if you have them) that would help. Let me know how you flush you raw water.

I have to be safe to take my pregnant wife out there. By the way, today we found out it's a BOY!!! (Our first, Wohoo!!!) :thumbsup:


Thanks,
 
This is what I know based on my experience wih my own 260DA

  • I have never had the props cavitate on my 260DA and I run with my drive trimmed all the way to the first detent on the trim button. I don't know what the reading is as I never look at it. I trim by "feel". So unless you went past the trim detent and started getting up into the trailer position (which is a no no anyway) I don't see how you can cavitate. Going past that detent will put a huge strain on the u-joints in the outdrive among other things. Why don't you see what the reading is going to the first detent. Maybe you were going past that.
  • Your water PSI sounds fine. I get less than 2 at idle and around 10-11 psi when up on plane at 3600 RPM. When you run the boat if you get those types of readings then your water pump impeller is likely OK
  • Something blocking the intake temporarily may have been the culprit but I personally have never experienced something like that myslef.
If everything checks out OK then I wouldn't worry about it for now but I would put the water pressure reading in the Smartcraft display for awhile and keep an eye on the readings for several hours.

Dave
 
flyfig, I doubt your 350 MAG has the type of drain system my 496 MAG has. But here are some pics from my manual. However ensuring your RAW water side is free of sand and other debris can't hurt. Refer to your owner's manual for how to drain you RAW water system.

Congrats on the little one!!
 

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I went out today, ran the boat trying to repeat the same parameters (except having the trim so high, I left it at 3 +/- 1) and no indications of either an overspeed or overheat. Water PSI was normal, and the highest I got the RPM was to slightly over 4700 RPM.
Thanks to all of you for the great advise.
 
Dave S said:
There are no seacocks for engine cooling and the ones you have are for your AC and Macerator and only have to be open if you use either of them.

Unfortunately things like you describe may require a technician to diagnose. So if you can't figure it out, then I would just bite the bullet and see your dealer.

Dave
Click to expand...

I had the one of the mechanics look at the boat today (just to be safe) and in fact one of my seacocks (the one that it's supposed to be the macerator, according to the book) is an additional water intake for the engine cooling system. From the seacock there's a hose that goes from the seacock, all the way around the engine to the water pump (lower part of the water pump, to the impeller). That seacock was closed when I had the overheat warning .

Everything is normal now. That was a good lesson learned for me.

For those of you with a Fresh Water Cooled (Horizon) Engine, double check your seacocks. I thought mine was the macerator in accordance with the manual, and in fact is an additional cooling method for the engine... FWIW
 
If you have a macerator, is there a seacock for it? Did he mention why there is an additional Sea Cock for cooling as opposed to using the B3 intake? Does the B3 water intake on the drive work as well?

Dave
 
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Has anyone else noticed two missing male snap heads in their arch?

It seems the factory installed my TV antenna first, then couldn't get a drill or screwdriver around the dish to install a snap head for either the forward or aft binimi top.

Both tops have the female but the male is simply not installed into the arch. I'll have to partially remove the antenna to install the two snaps.

Just think it's odd and kinda funny given Sea Ray's reputation for quality builds.
 
One hot Friday afternoon they're building your boat... the tv antenna installer guy is thinking about his date... puts the thing a bit too far one way. The canvas installer guy next in line is thinking about his date and he installs the canvas but has to leave 2 snaps off...
and here's where you come in... :smt001
 
Bought a Raymarine RD218 and C70 combo this year. Looking to install it on my 2008 260 Sundancer. Any advice would be appreciated!

Paul
 
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