New owner, so many questions, so glad to be here!

[majbach]

Hi everyone! Someone from iBoats suggested this site in response to one of my many inquiries. I don't know how I missed this place before.

A little about me: Love the water - of course. Been on it much of my life, mostly on Georgian Bay, Ontario. 'Have a 17' Sylvan Adventurer with a 90HP Honda and explored most of the great lakes with it before being posted to Great Slave Lake in the NWT. I now live in Quesnel BC but am on the Vancouver Is. frequently. Last fall I went to a motorcycle show in Seattle and returned home (more or less) with a Maxum 2300 SC with a 5.0L Mercruiser Alpha 1 with 170 hrs.

I am not new to boating or navigation as my job is dependent on being on the water in a variety of vessels.

For reasons I won't go into right now, I STILL haven't heard this thing run nor have I had it on the water. I paid decent money to have it serviced and tested before taking delivery. However, I have many questions regarding it's operation and I will touch on a few priority ones right now.

I 've spent several weekends now buffing the gel coat, equipping all my equipment on board..the usual proud new owner stuff. In preparation for today's voyage, I went to check fluid levels and found a few things mechanically that concerned me. Many of these things I anticipate I will be able to comb through the posts here and determine the answers on my own.

First, I cannot find an owner's manual to it. I purchased the shop manual for the engine but am not 100% I even got the correct one. The Maxum site for some reason doesn't even list the 2002 2300 SC (which I think is identical to the 2003 2400 SC). Some say the supplements and manuals are useless but I don't even know the proper starting procedure or how to use the integrated porta-potty.

Secondly, (this boat has a heat exchanger for salt-water use) there is a large tube that is transversely mounted to the V-8 and the engine cover has an easy access panel to check the rad-cap that is placed dead center on this tube. There is a placard that says check coolant level daily but doesn't state what level it should be at. The stamp on the rad cap (it's obviously NOT a rad but is the same type of pressure cap found on a pressurized cooling system) says "check coolant level on plastic container" or something to that effect and there is a tube attached to a large plastic white container - an overflow container - that is half full. Ok, inside this heat exchanger tube there is no liquid, it is bone dry. Should it be? Or does this get filled with water or antifreeze and if the latter, what ratio of coolant to water AND is there a special type of coolant?
Perhaps more importantly is IF this is supposed to be filled with antifreeze and the dealer water tested this engine prior to delivery, where did all the coolant go in the last month since I took possession?

Thirdly, for a few reasons I will again withhold for now, I have reason to worry that the shop that performed the service on the boat took a lot of short cuts (and may have taken me to the cleaners). I am very concerned that they may have not changed the impellor as requested and charged for. Does an I/O engine have the equivalent to a pee-hole on an outboard for ensuring water is being circulated? Is there a quick way to check the stern drive to see if the impellor is new? Without ripping the paper gaskets?

I think I will leave it there for now. Thanks a heap in advance for the advice.
MajBach

P.S. One more quick thing. It appears the Mercruiser engine was changed in 2002. Is there any way of determining the year of the engine?

[pascavone]

motor cycle show, came home with a boat?

1. there is a PDF link to all the maxum manuals on this site... some where.
2. put the boat in the water and run it. The raw sea water will not fill the heat exchanger unti, you do.
3. potty, ither is a vac-u-flush, like and air plane, or has a hand pump, to move your "products" in to the holding tank.
4. Under the presuruzed cap, you will fill with anit freeze like your car, this is the freash water, fill it to the top, the water will go into the expansion tank when it get hot.
5. Check your oil on the dip stick, make sure its not milky or has water in it.
6. the engine is a typical 5.0 chevy engine basically, so nothing to crazy about it.
7. Run the boat in the water, and feel the mainfolds to see if they get hot, like your car would. If they are cool to the touch, then you know the raw sea water is flowing thru them and the impellor is working. Same goes for the heat exchanger, by your temp gauge on the dash.
8. As far as getting screwed by the repar guy, they are very good at blaming problems on existing conditions. They might be right, with a new boat to you.
9. Every one buys some other guys problems.... kinda like a ex-wife....
10. Sea trial and report back....

[seapuppy]

Originally Posted by majbach

Hi everyone! Someone from iBoats suggested this site in response to one of my many inquiries. I don't know how I missed this place before.

A little about me: Love the water - of course. Been on it much of my life, mostly on Georgian Bay, Ontario. 'Have a 17' Sylvan Adventurer with a 90HP Honda and explored most of the great lakes with it before being posted to Great Slave Lake in the NWT. I now live in Quesnel BC but am on the Vancouver Is. frequently. Last fall I went to a motorcycle show in Seattle and returned home (more or less) with a Maxum 2300 SC with a 5.0L Mercruiser Alpha 1 with 170 hrs.

I am not new to boating or navigation as my job is dependent on being on the water in a variety of vessels.

For reasons I won't go into right now, I STILL haven't heard this thing run nor have I had it on the water. I paid decent money to have it serviced and tested before taking delivery. However, I have many questions regarding it's operation and I will touch on a few priority ones right now.

I 've spent several weekends now buffing the gel coat, equipping all my equipment on board..the usual proud new owner stuff. In preparation for today's voyage, I went to check fluid levels and found a few things mechanically that concerned me. Many of these things I anticipate I will be able to comb through the posts here and determine the answers on my own.

First, I cannot find an owner's manual to it. I purchased the shop manual for the engine but am not 100% I even got the correct one. The Maxum site for some reason doesn't even list the 2002 2300 SC (which I think is identical to the 2003 2400 SC). Some say the supplements and manuals are useless but I don't even know the proper starting procedure or how to use the integrated porta-potty.

Secondly, (this boat has a heat exchanger for salt-water use) there is a large tube that is transversely mounted to the V-8 and the engine cover has an easy access panel to check the rad-cap that is placed dead center on this tube. There is a placard that says check coolant level daily but doesn't state what level it should be at. The stamp on the rad cap (it's obviously NOT a rad but is the same type of pressure cap found on a pressurized cooling system) says "check coolant level on plastic container" or something to that effect and there is a tube attached to a large plastic white container - an overflow container - that is half full. Ok, inside this heat exchanger tube there is no liquid, it is bone dry. Should it be? Or does this get filled with water or antifreeze and if the latter, what ratio of coolant to water AND is there a special type of coolant?
Perhaps more importantly is IF this is supposed to be filled with antifreeze and the dealer water tested this engine prior to delivery, where did all the coolant go in the last month since I took possession?

Thirdly, for a few reasons I will again withhold for now, I have reason to worry that the shop that performed the service on the boat took a lot of short cuts (and may have taken me to the cleaners). I am very concerned that they may have not changed the impellor as requested and charged for. Does an I/O engine have the equivalent to a pee-hole on an outboard for ensuring water is being circulated? Is there a quick way to check the stern drive to see if the impellor is new? Without ripping the paper gaskets?

I think I will leave it there for now. Thanks a heap in advance for the advice.
MajBach

P.S. One more quick thing. It appears the Mercruiser engine was changed in 2002. Is there any way of determining the year of the engine?

Welcome to the zoo.....well...lets try and touch on a few things..first off..the owners man. such as it is...is really just a book on here's your boat...play safe and that's about it...someone should have taken the time to walk you thru the boat systems.....so...the maintenance manual will serve you much better....

2nd..is the boat on a trailer...what you can do to run it while on the trailer is to attach a hose to the drive holes at the bottom of the outdrive...there's a cup assy. that attaches to the garden hose and the drive and pushes water up to the impeller...the way to tell if your pump is working properly is that the water will come out the exhaust of the outdrive....attach what is commonly called muffs....to the outdrive...start the flow of water rather brisk flow....then start the engine....water will flow into the heat exchanger and keep the engine cool..the thermostat will prevent it from over heating or not....

to properly start the engine..start the blower ...let it run for about 4-5 min..then start the engine....this is to clear the fumes out of the engine bay to prevent explosive danger....


I'll write more as I have something else going on....so....hang tight...

SP

[majbach]

Originally Posted by pascavone

motor cycle show, came home with a boat?

1. there is a PDF link to all the maxum manuals on this site... some where.

I've looked and seriously, can't find them.

2. put the boat in the water and run it. The raw sea water will not fill the heat exchanger unti, you do.

I've received 3 different replies to the same question: one saying it should be full of coolant, another stating it needs to be only half full as it expands and still another stating this part fills with sea water, not coolant. Help!

3. potty, ither is a vac-u-flush, like and air plane, or has a hand pump, to move your "products" in to the holding tank.

See the picture of the potty in-line. It's a porta potty with its own holding tank BUT there is a hose attached to the side of the boat for emptying. What I'd like to know is how does one suck the crap out - no pun intended.

4. Under the presuruzed cap, you will fill with anit freeze like your car, this is the freash water, fill it to the top, the water will go into the expansion tank when it get hot.

Ok so related to question #2 above. To clarify, the sea water is totally in a closed loop with no access to the operator? What kind of coolant should I use? The over flow tank looks slightly orange. Is this the Dextron? Ratio?

5. Check your oil on the dip stick, make sure its not milky or has water in it.

Done. Looks fairly new.

6. the engine is a typical 5.0 chevy engine basically, so nothing to crazy about it.
7. Run the boat in the water, and feel the mainfolds to see if they get hot, like your car would. If they are cool to the touch, then you know the raw sea water is flowing thru them and the impellor is working. Same goes for the heat exchanger, by your temp gauge on the dash.

Boat MUST go in the water tomorrow so I can take trailer in for import inspection. Will do this.

8. As far as getting screwed by the repar guy, they are very good at blaming problems on existing conditions. They might be right, with a new boat to you.

We shall see. If I did in fact get screwed, it will be a court case. I did go through the work invoice and compared other worked claimed to be performed. I did get a new rotor and cap. The new power steering pump is questionable. Again, we will see.

9. Every one buys some other guys problems.... kinda like a ex-wife....

I've had a few. Like boats better

10. Sea trial and report back....

Thanks again!

[seapuppy]

well..the first pic of the heat exchanger is good...the second one is in serious need of antifreeze...make sure you get marine grade...

SP

[majbach]

Originally Posted by seapuppy

well..the first pic of the heat exchanger is good...the second one is in serious need of antifreeze...make sure you get marine grade...

SP

Thanks for that advice. I took the boat for a 3 hour trip today - but didn't top up the anti-freeze. Will do next time. Is there a level to know how high to take it?
Also found a manual for the potty on-line and others figured out the other pic.

So a bit of a break down on todays trip that I would appreciate some feedback: I was quite surprised at the performance. I did manage to get 42 mph in humid conditions without really fine tuning the trim etc. The boat had a full tank, two people, plenty of gear and an old prop that is in need of replacing. I only have the 220 hp engine.
All the gauges seemed to indicate normal readings but there was an unusual problem with the trim gauge. I was quite surprised at how quickly the trim cycles from one extreme to the next plus there is not a lot of movement either. I guess I am used to an outboard. The trim on this goes from max-to-max in like three seconds (compared to at least 10-12 seconds on my outboard). the trim gauge however seems to bounce all over the place when the trim is being adjusted and takes a second to settle after you release the button. Does anyone have the same issue with the trim gauge? Where is the sensor on the stern drive?

Most of the other issues I have raised are working themselves out however, two issues I still need help on are what are all the ACCY toggle switches on the dash for (one works the wiper, the other 3 i dunno) and does anyone know how to program the through hull sonar readout on the dash?