Official 400EC thread

I came across a davit system that I really like. It is on a 400EC in a friend's marina. I have no details about it and do not know if it was custom made or who manufactured it if it is a production unit (it is similar in concept to the St. Croix davits I have seen). My friend who knows the owner of the 400EC said he can remove the davits when not in use to stow them. They use a block and tackle to raise and lower the dinghy. I don't believe the weight would be an issue, but I cannot see the underside to know what, if any, backing plates were used. (sorry picture is sideways)

I will try to get further information since I want this system on my boat.

Davit System.JPG
Davit System.JPG
 
I came across a davit system that I really like. It is on a 400EC in a friend's marina. I have no details about it and do not know if it was custom made or who manufactured it if it is a production unit (it is similar in concept to the St. Croix davits I have seen). My friend who knows the owner of the 400EC said he can remove the davits when not in use to stow them. They use a block and tackle to raise and lower the dinghy. I don't believe the weight would be an issue, but I cannot see the underside to know what, if any, backing plates were used. (sorry picture is sideways)

I will try to get further information since I want this system on my boat.

View attachment 86787 View attachment 86787

That's perfect! I'm going to make something like this. Thanks for the pic.
 
That's perfect! I'm going to make something like this. Thanks for the pic.

UPDATE: You may want to wait on that for a minute. I saw my friend today and he said that his dockmate with the 400EC came back from his trip and told him that the fender housing cracked when he hit a large wave. I have no idea if he did not reinforce the area with a backing plate or if there is just too much stress on the small area of the mounts. Tread carefully..........
 
UPDATE: You may want to wait on that for a minute. I saw my friend today and he said that his dockmate with the 400EC came back from his trip and told him that the fender housing cracked when he hit a large wave. I have no idea if he did not reinforce the area with a backing plate or if there is just too much stress on the small area of the mounts. Tread carefully..........

Thanks for the update. I'm going to work toward over engineering the supports, but this basic concept is what I'm going for. If it's too rough the engine will be coming off as well.
 
I wasn't able to locate a OEM Sea Ray cockpit table, and base, so I put one together myself. I bought a teak folding table, and went to work applying a finish.


After finding a piece of 1/2" plate steel, 20"X20" I had it powered coated, then drilled, and taped six holes to be able to screw down a base plate to except a table post,

and I found a OEM Sea Ray table base mount to secure the table to the post.


Cockpit table project now complete!

 
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Nice!
Your better off..the stock table is odd shaped and doesn’t work nearly as well as what you built.
 
How do your 7.4L start after sitting a week?

This winter I rebuilt my 2 carbs and also did a float bowl fuel evaporation test while they were on the bench in the basement. Was suprised how fast the fuel evaporated out of the float bowls. Even after rebuild and a new fuel line on port engine they don't start very easy if sitting for a week. Once started they fire right up for a few days. It's getting to the point where I'm considering putting an electric fuel pump on bulk head to prime float bowls but I think its a band-aid to another issue. I must say after replacing the port fuel line from fuel pump to selector switches, due to the outter rubber delaminating, that engine starts easier. In fact last spring that engine would not even start until I replaced the line which led me to belive air was migrating into fuel line and fuel pump was not able to create a vacuum to pull the fuel from tank. Thought being if it boat sat for a long time the small amount of vacuum in the line created when the fuel pump sucks the fuel from tank the cracks would allow vacuum to disipate to the point where the diaphram in fuel pump could not pull full up the line, it would just pull air.

Before I go through the trouble of piping in an electric fuel pump I was curious if others had this problem and what was done to correct it. I've rebuilt more carbs than I care to remember in my life and know the carbs are working as they should and know the fuel pumps work properly after testing them.

I have a sneaky feeling it could be related to the fuel lines having cracks in the outter rubber preventing pump from pulling vacuum and getting the fuel primed in float bowl quickly if engine sits for more than a few days. Thoughts, comments welcome.....
 
How do your 7.4L start after sitting a week?

This winter I rebuilt my 2 carbs and also did a float bowl fuel evaporation test while they were on the bench in the basement. Was suprised how fast the fuel evaporated out of the float bowls. Even after rebuild and a new fuel line on port engine they don't start very easy if sitting for a week. Once started they fire right up for a few days. It's getting to the point where I'm considering putting an electric fuel pump on bulk head to prime float bowls but I think its a band-aid to another issue. I must say after replacing the port fuel line from fuel pump to selector switches, due to the outter rubber delaminating, that engine starts easier. In fact last spring that engine would not even start until I replaced the line which led me to belive air was migrating into fuel line and fuel pump was not able to create a vacuum to pull the fuel from tank. Thought being if it boat sat for a long time the small amount of vacuum in the line created when the fuel pump sucks the fuel from tank the cracks would allow vacuum to disipate to the point where the diaphram in fuel pump could not pull full up the line, it would just pull air.

Before I go through the trouble of piping in an electric fuel pump I was curious if others had this problem and what was done to correct it. I've rebuilt more carbs than I care to remember in my life and know the carbs are working as they should and know the fuel pumps work properly after testing them.

I have a sneaky feeling it could be related to the fuel lines having cracks in the outter rubber preventing pump from pulling vacuum and getting the fuel primed in float bowl quickly if engine sits for more than a few days. Thoughts, comments welcome.....

I think you're onto something, but I can't offer more than affirmation on the theory. I have a 7.4L in a ski boat and it behaves the same way. If it sits for a week it's harder on the initial start. But if I started it once every day it would fire off immediately. I haven't spent any time trying to solve the problem as it's not a boat we use as often as the 400EC. But air in the lines (from old lines or something else) seems like a very likely culprit.
 
Titan, I'll add your feedback as one for the "Hard Start" column. Thank you!!!
 
How do your 7.4L start after sitting a week?

This winter I rebuilt my 2 carbs and also did a float bowl fuel evaporation test while they were on the bench in the basement. Was suprised how fast the fuel evaporated out of the float bowls. Even after rebuild and a new fuel line on port engine they don't start very easy if sitting for a week. Once started they fire right up for a few days. It's getting to the point where I'm considering putting an electric fuel pump on bulk head to prime float bowls but I think its a band-aid to another issue. I must say after replacing the port fuel line from fuel pump to selector switches, due to the outter rubber delaminating, that engine starts easier. In fact last spring that engine would not even start until I replaced the line which led me to belive air was migrating into fuel line and fuel pump was not able to create a vacuum to pull the fuel from tank. Thought being if it boat sat for a long time the small amount of vacuum in the line created when the fuel pump sucks the fuel from tank the cracks would allow vacuum to disipate to the point where the diaphram in fuel pump could not pull full up the line, it would just pull air.

Before I go through the trouble of piping in an electric fuel pump I was curious if others had this problem and what was done to correct it. I've rebuilt more carbs than I care to remember in my life and know the carbs are working as they should and know the fuel pumps work properly after testing them.

I have a sneaky feeling it could be related to the fuel lines having cracks in the outter rubber preventing pump from pulling vacuum and getting the fuel primed in float bowl quickly if engine sits for more than a few days. Thoughts, comments welcome.....

I had a similar issue before my rebuild, during which I replaced the stock fuel pump with an electric. I also put new carburetors on both motors that have electric chokes. Further, I also replaced the fuel lines at the fuel manifold. Before the rebuild the engines would need to crank for sometime before starting. Now, it is much quicker. Air in the fuel lines could be a culprit, but I also believe mine was caused by a virtually non existent choke mechanism. The heat sink with the spring controlling the choke was shot on my old carbs. That is something I would suggest you look into as well.

The combination of the electric pump and the electric choke is making starting the engines a quicker process.
 
How do your 7.4L start after sitting a week?

This winter I rebuilt my 2 carbs and also did a float bowl fuel evaporation test while they were on the bench in the basement. Was surprised how fast the fuel evaporated out of the float bowls. Even after rebuild and a new fuel line on port engine they don't start very easy if sitting for a week. Once started they fire right up for a few days. It's getting to the point where I'm considering putting an electric fuel pump on bulk head to prime float bowls but I think its a band-aid to another issue. I must say after replacing the port fuel line from fuel pump to selector switches, due to the outer rubber delaminating, that engine starts easier. In fact last spring that engine would not even start until I replaced the line which led me to believe air was migrating into fuel line and fuel pump was not able to create a vacuum to pull the fuel from tank. Thought being if it boat sat for a long time the small amount of vacuum in the line created when the fuel pump sucks the fuel from tank the cracks would allow vacuum to dissipate to the point where the diaphragm in fuel pump could not pull full up the line, it would just pull air.

Before I go through the trouble of piping in an electric fuel pump I was curious if others had this problem and what was done to correct it. I've rebuilt more carbs than I care to remember in my life and know the carbs are working as they should and know the fuel pumps work properly after testing them.

I have a sneaky feeling it could be related to the fuel lines having cracks in the outer rubber preventing pump from pulling vacuum and getting the fuel primed in float bowl quickly if engine sits for more than a few days. Thoughts, comments welcome.....

I have the exact same problem. I have to pump the throttle 25-30 times to refill the bowls if I haven't started the engines for a couple of weeks. Big pain in the ass!!

My next big mod is converting over to EFI. Hopefully the conversion will correct the problem!
 
Great feedback guys. Seems we all have the same starting issue and think along the same lines for a solution. I can tell you even in the winter on the work bench in the basement the fuel evaporated out of the fuel bowls at an astonishing rate. If I remember correctly it took about 4 days and they were almost dry.

Talon, I would suggest pumping the throttle less in begining so it wont make your arm soar ;) because until the fuel float bowls fill with gas the throttle pumping does nothing. The plunger in carb that feeds the fuel into then intake manifold needs full float chambers to transfer any gas into the intake manifold. I find its better to just crank engine over for 15 seconds to allow fuel pump to get some fuel in the empty float bowls then start pumping a few times. The priming done by a properly operating plunger should not take more than a few pumps to squirt enough fuel into intake to at least fire engine.
 
2014 built engines.
Carbs. Electric choke. Standard pully run fuel pump.

After a week or more..
I go to WOT and back twice.
Set throttle 1inch forward.
Hit start 2-3 seconds is all it takes..vroom....
Heck, after winter storage they both started almost as fast...
I’m going to count myself lucky.....
 
Mark,
Interesting, I know my spring loaded chokes are working as they should so it shouldn't matter how choke closes via spring or electronic solenoid. Do you know what carburetors are on your 2013 engines?
 
2-3 pumps is all you need.

To test your fuel theory, next time it sits, spray some carb cleaner down the throat of the carb and see if it lights off.
 
I
Mark,
Interesting, I know my spring loaded chokes are working as they should so it shouldn't matter how choke closes via spring or electronic solenoid. Do you know what carburetors are on your 2013 engines?
I don’t recall the brand carbs but, they are the stock models swapped out for same remains from https://flyingfishcarburetors.com/
 
I wasn't able to locate a OEM Sea Ray cockpit table, and base, so I put one together myself. I bought a teak folding table, and went to work applying a finish.



After finding a piece of 1/2" plate steel, 20"X20" I had it powered coated, then drilled, and taped six holes to be able to screw down a base plate to except a table post,

and I found a OEM Sea Ray table base mount to secure the table to the post.


Cockpit table project now complete!
Looks Great!
 
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