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  1. Doc Stressor

    Transom Mount Side Scan Transducer

    If you can post a picture of your transom I can probably help you out. I have some experience locating transom mounted transducers and get it right the first time about 90% of the time.
  2. Doc Stressor

    Cracked block?

    Freeze cracked blocks has really only been an issue with inboard engines. There are some people who leave outboards down in the water during freezes in order to protect the lower unit, which doesn't drain completely when the engine is tilted up. Personally, I don't think that this does much...
  3. Doc Stressor

    Cracked block?

    You'll be fine. There is nothing on your motor that will freeze and as long as your freshwater tank is not completely full it won't crack even in the unlikely event that the water completely freezes. The only damage I ever had during freezes was to the water pumps in both the boat and my...
  4. Doc Stressor

    Anyone come up with tool to straighten anchors out?

    I anchor on hard bottom all the time when grouper fishing. I use an anchor puller ball, so I've bent a lot of shafts and flukes over the years. All it takes is a vise, a plumbers wrench and a blow torch to semi-straighten the shafts. I heat the point of the bend up until it glows and then...
  5. Doc Stressor

    Float switch

    How do you test that float switch Doc to make sure it's working?? There is an LED light on it that shows that it is getting juice. Once of twice a year I take it off the radiator hose clamp on which its mounted and turn it upside down. That lets the float ring slide down the center tube and...
  6. Doc Stressor

    Float switch

    Get the Ultra bilge pump switch and forget about replacing one again. Ultra Safety System Bilge Pump Switch I replaced the Rule float switch that came on my 226 twice over the first 4 years. The float kept sticking when running in a chop. The Ultra switch is very well engineered and...
  7. Doc Stressor

    Water pump on F250 4.2

    You should always see some water coming out of the tell tail. If there is no water flowing at higher rpm, you can overheat the rectifier. When the batteries are fully charged the excess current from the alternator is dissipated as heat at the rectifier heat sink. That's why it is water cooled...
  8. Doc Stressor

    Water pump on F250 4.2

    Water in the cooling system actually slows the rate of tripping the thermo-switch in the cylinder head. Aluminum conducts heat very well. In my experience, the thermo-switches work very well for preventing damage in the event of water flow interruption. When I lived in the Pacific NW, my...
  9. Doc Stressor

    Taxes

    The taxes and use fees in Florida apply only to the hull. If a dealer breaks out the outboard engines and all added equipment, you don't pay tax on that stuff.
  10. Doc Stressor

    Repower

    Those older hulls don't have as much wetter surface area as the SV2 models and don't require as much hp to keep them firmly on plane. Most came with 175-200 hp back in the day. Mine had a 200 hp 2.6 L Merc and would run at just over 40 mph at WOT with 3 people on board. As long as you won't be...
  11. Doc Stressor

    Replacement Bang Cap sealant?

    Grady told me to use 5200 when I replaced mine. And to work it well down into the wood leaving no voids. I am getting cracks in the gel coat after a 1.5 years. I put a jack plate on at the same time so that might contribute to flex. I don't see why a more flexible sealant such as Lifeseal...
  12. Doc Stressor

    Internal anodes

    It just involves taking off the valve cover. Here is a nice video on how to do it on 4.2 liter V6: Replacing Internal Anodes
  13. Doc Stressor

    F350 what motor oil do you use

    Any FC-W 10W-30 oil will work fine. That's what is included in F350 oil change kit. That same block uses 0W-20 oil in automotive applications, which are lighter duty than marine use. So there is no reason to use a heavier weight oil.
  14. Doc Stressor

    New VHF Options

    I replaced my non-internal GPS radio with a SH 1850G about a year ago. I agree with the recommendations above. The speaker is very load and clear. I can hear it easily from inside the electronics box so I was able to get rid of my external speaker.
  15. Doc Stressor

    1986 overnighter dash wiring

    I have to agree that the wiring on those older Gradys is beyond crap. Since the older hulls were pretty wet, saltwater would get splashed and aerosolized everywhere. Since the connectors were simply crimped, green corrosion would creep way into the non-tinned wiring under the insulation. I...
  16. Doc Stressor

    Identify this 'ducer?

    I don't think the Dragonfly supports side vision. It uses either the CPT-60 or CPT-DVS transducers that provide 2D CHIRP and downvision, but not side scan. The CPT-DVS is superior for downvision.
  17. Doc Stressor

    Identify this 'ducer?

    I have a CPT-60 on my skiff. They are under $100 to replace the whole thing. It's not a very robust design. I've had to replace mine several times. There are better choices for a Grady.
  18. Doc Stressor

    Ultra sound for checking hidden areas?

    Ultrasound is used for inspection of steel hulls on commercial shipping. It's a good way to detect corrosion since there is a big discontinuity in transmission between solid and voided corroded areas. I've never heard of its use on fiberglass hulls. Whether or not it would work would depend...
  19. Doc Stressor

    Simrad auto pilot pump rebuild

    Most can pretty easily be rebuilt as long as the case is not corroded. Just Google "hydraulic pump repair near me". New ones are not that expensive though. Octopus pumps are well regarded and the one you need (matched to your ram displacement) is under $500. Octopus reversing pumps
  20. Doc Stressor

    Question on Gimbal Mounts

    The problem is the Scotty gimbal mount, not the Grady rod holder. I used Penn gimbal mount on my old Grady and never had a problem. But I wasted money when I bought just a single Scotty gimbal mount just to be sure that they would work. It turns out that the mount will only work if the rod is...