AQ170 + 280 drive unit

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Refueler

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Weather warmed up a touch - so onto boat and check out a few things ...

I know I had tine leak on trim tabs ... so first is to cycle those a few times to ease them and see whats up ... port tab pump does not stop - but tab rises lowers ok ... stbd tab pump makes different sound when at limits .. rises lowers ok ... I have feeling that reservoir may be a touch low ... will top up later.

Drive leg VP 280 .... has always been reluctant to lift more than about 10 - 15 deg from down position. A nudge would usually get it to start again and lift up fully.
Now she only goes to that 10-15 deg spot and no more ... if I put a strap on and lift the leg - the lift motor engages and lifts till strap slacks - stops. Lift on strap more - motor engages and lifts till strap slacks ...

mmmmmm looks like a trip to service yard and have them have a look ...

With the new trailer - I can truck it to them .. I'd already planned a new canopy ... which they want to measure up etc.

Job before she goes : Change starter motor .... I have new in box.
 
Removing the lift motor is a fairly straightforward job. It might be worth doing that in order to give it a clean and check the brushes. (Assuming you have the electro-mechanical type lift mechanism and not hydraulic)
Beyond that, removing the rest of the lift drive mechanism and gearbox can be an absolute nightmare as it can corrode and seize into the transom shield. It may even require an engine out, just to get better access! A risk of yard costs increasing very rapidly!
 
Electrolux vacuum cleaner motor (allegedly) mechanical lift or .....280T (Trim & Tilt) with hydraulic rams. ?

One will be easier to fix than the other.
 

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OK ... was introduced to another English guy living out here ... he services VP engines and gear as well as all sorts of other stuff from farm machinery to fishing boat engines etc.

Long chat about the VP170 and AQ280 ..... will be transferring boat from the short trailer - to the new correct road trailer ... tow boat to guys place and he can then work through 1. Outdrive lift gear, 2. Replace starter motor with the new one I have and also check ring gear. 3. Look at modifying the water intake cooling to allow winterising while still afloat.

👍🤞🤞🤞🤞
 
Its an old boat ... but being a one-off and handy size ... I think its worth the work ...

She needs a good clean and scrub down of course after winter. Once she's on the new trailer - will move her to suitable place in the garden to 'Oxalic' clean her ..
I can't do it on old trailer where she is ... I need to be closer to water supply for the pressure washer. Moving her on old trailer is not so easy as she tips back if not still connected to car or stern blocked up. I can move her to launch - then recover her onto the new trailer.
 
So 'Steve' a fellow English guy came to house to work on the engine / outdrive lift .... he took one look - I hit the up / down button ...

Aye Aye ... hang on .... off to his car ... back with a can of Harkers Fluid ... sprayed the lift arms .... Try that Nige .... WOW.

As suspected - crud build up defeating the weak motor ... he gave it more spray and we worked leg up and down and it now moves a treat - BUT I have to replace the Bump Stop at top - as the leg now moves too far up and drive defaults OFF ... needs a push down to get drive working again. Need to fit a piece of rubber to stop leg at max point.

Starter ... I showed what happens .. turn key and sometimes starter just keeps turning even with key off ... needing turn battery power off. My idea is that the new solenoid guy fitted last summer is not working properly.
Steve got down there and when starter stayed turning - pulled the ignition key lead off - starter still stayed turning - so that meant it was not faulty ignition switch. Definitely solenoid.

Steve went to remove starter .... one securing bolt missing ... so starter was likely slightly out of alignment and probably reason it failed to engage ring gear 3 out of 5x ...

Steve wanted to turn engine by bar and check ruing gear ... but I decided that we could fit the new starter anyway ... see what happened ... if it still had problem engaging - we'd pull it and lift engine for ring gear.
Oh dear ... starter is correct pattern for that engine ... but bolt size is slightly different and would not go through engine block mount holes. Bench ground the bolt shafts down and bolts through ... BUT starter motor holes are just a few thou out of true ... obviously because of the change to metric bolts on the new starter.
One bolt was fine - but other was just so close - we decided bolt up hard with the alignment tabs making sure starter motor was correct position ... then instead of the 12mm bolt - we'd secure with a 10mm bolt and nut for the second .... Starter was perfect alignment ...

Hit the key - perfect ...

Last job is to create the 3 way cooling water intake .... time was getting on ... BBQ was ready ... beautiful late afternoon by the river .... so close up - highly successful day ... cooling water is simple job - can be done during the week ....

Magic.
 
Pipes are all connected .. bit Heath Robinson at first - to prove concept ... valve unit is not strapped to engine bay side yet ,,,

Basically the idea is :

For normal use - Seawater IN valve is open, Antifreeze IN valve is closed. This then allows engine to draw raw water ...
When lifting out for winter - I can now close Seawater IN and open Antifreeze IN ... I have a bucket with pipe fitting in the bottom that I then mate to that pipe and pour AF in while engines running.

Previously I had to lift boat out of water first as the Seawater IN pipe was jointed to Engine In pipe .. disconnect would have allowed boat to flood as joint was in the bilges.

Later I am planning to design a better looking unit that also has pipe unions that are all correct size !
 

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Why not adapt the antifreeze inlet pipe to act as an emergency bilge suction pipe.
Will those plastic pipe unions have enough flow rate.
I fitted similar to 130hp turbo inter coolerd diesel but used 1inch flow valves.
 
Last edited:
stelican said:
Why not adapt the antifreeze inlet pipe to act as an emergency bilge suction pipe.
Click to expand...

At present its KISS .....

Obviously as the system evolves - ideas will pop up .. maybe used .. maybe not ...

'Steve' who solved the outdrive and starter motor - was talking about converting to Heat Exchanger cooling .... but I think that may be a step a little too far for me.
 
OK ... metal valves / pipe spigots / T piece bought ... all to reduce the number of joints and to have what I feel a more safe setup than a plastic valve unit. I'm sure the plastic unit is good .. but its that nagging little voice in back of head ...

I do intend at some stage to venture out of the river to the Baltic ... calm day of course ! ... so feeling safe is important.
 
OK - valves temporary fitted ... need to fit washers etc to get valve handles correct place before permaent mount .. I am not a fan of teflon tape and just turn valve to position ...

Before anyone comments on the fittings ... river is freshwater and even Baltic is only brackish at best ... so SW corrosion is negligible ...

Saturday is launch day ...
 

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My present setup .... boat launched ... tested ... all good.

Boat now sitting alongside pontoon at home waiting for next outings ...

Will be changing spark plugs and fuel filters on her next few days ...
 
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