I Have an Addiction!

[JUPITER PULSARE]

After frying the #6 piston within 1.5 hours after the 1st rebuild, my Mercury Pro XB250 is back together! Thanks to Diamond Marine for cleaning up the block (twice) and Nick at Nick's Creative Marine for getting the powerhead put back together and on the boat (twice)!! (I'm getting pretty good at pulling this powerhead off myself! lol) The 1st overheated #6 hole was due to a stripped oil gear from the prior owner. (I bought the motor knowing 1 hole was down on compression) The second time the #6 hole overheated I may have cold seized the piston by getting on the throttle too soon before the new piston was allowed to cycle or it may have been a faulty fuel pump...We're taking no chances this time; new fuel pump, new .15 over piston, new head, oil pump bypassed and running premix. I'm hoping to get some break in time next week. If all goes well I'll have this Checkmate Starflite at River Ranch along with my Checkmate 2800SX Outboard!

[JUPITER PULSARE]

Piston

[FUJIMO]

Piston

Don't think I've ever seen an outboard piston get to that point, ever. Surprised you have a block thats still useable. Congrats on get'n it back together & on the water Jup.

[JUPITER PULSARE]

Don't think I've ever seen an outboard piston get to that point, ever. Surprised you have a block thats still useable. Congrats on get'n it back together & on the water Jup.

Block was fine. Diamond marine bored the one hole .15 over.

[JUPITER PULSARE]

After a few hours breakin time, Nick ran my Starflite to 78mph turning a Trophy Plus 27 at about 5800 rpm. There definitly room in the setup to get the boat into the 80's! I'll be on the water this sunday at Stuart's Lock Park if the weather is good!!

[JUPITER PULSARE]

Finally got a good day on the water with the Starflite. Seeing solid GPS speeds of 76+ with 11.5" of setback turning a Trophy Plus 27 @ about 5700-5800 rpm with the prop shaft dead even with the bottom of the boat and a full tank. I need to raise the motor on the jackplate and change the helm to a Sea Star Pro 2.0 helm. At speeds over 70-75 mph the check valve in the helm is allowing the fluid to pass through and I have to constantly steer right instead of focusing on balancing the boat on the pad. I feel with some more setup (helm, nose cone, raising motor, better prop) the boat will run well into the 80's.

[JUPITER PULSARE]

Getting the boat dialed in for River Ranch. In the past week with the help of Nick from Nick's Creative Marine we raised the motor 2 bolt holes on the clamp (I should now be 1.5" above the keel with 11.5" of setback), tapped and plugged the top three holes on the sides of the gearcase), installed a brand new fuel pump in the VST (Nick himself!) and yesterday I swapped out my SeaStar 1.7 helm for a SeaStar Pro 2.0 helm. (the boat was impossible to steer straight at speeds over 75mph with the 1.7 helm). Easter sunday my wife and I decided to to do some sandbar hopping in Jupiter and give the motor some more break in time!

[H20WKD]

Always liked the 'Vintage' Checkmates....quite a few here in WNY.

BTW....what's going on with the sideways pic's? Seems to be pretty random.

Bob