Twin O/B Sonic

Yep, I get it.

Im 2 yrs + into my project and it ran right for the first time a month ago!

A great bonus was the motivation it gave me to finish the project.

I hope the same happens for you guys.


BTW, forgot your boat was named Voodoo.
I am traveling now but when I get home I will load a picture for you.
I have one in my shop of a blown big block ET tunnel boat at full song and is one of my favorite racing pictures.

It was raced in Australia and named Voodoo!

kidturbo

Just checked in on VooDoo, and she's all tucked in awaiting Santa to arrive. So pack up your sleigh and head this way, I've ravaged enough hardware by myself over the past couple years. Ready to try out a passenger seat, and maybe just be in charge of serving drinks for a change..

Merry Christmas Everyone

RSCHAP1

Merry Christmas
Enjoy

Twin O/B Sonic

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all!


Oh, btw, I was wrong on the name.

It is Tattoo not Voodoo but was raced in the Land of Aus and is one of my favorite boat racing pixs.

RSCHAP1

Happy New Year

kidturbo

Back in Florida, where at least it's above freezing most days. Before the cold front hit, we got a few things wrapped up..

First, the charge cooler caps were waiting at powdercoating. For now, we went with a thermoplastic that I've seen used on other marine parts before. However it's a hot dip, and I forgot to mention NOT to coat the outsides. And that Red just wasn't gonna match our engine color scheme, so he blasted it off the outside.. Guess we'll see how well this coating holds up, while waiting for something conclusive out of the Banks camp.

Second thing waiting was the tiebar mounts. After looking at several custom setups, and pricing 316L bar stock, decided to just go with Latham mounts. However think we gonna need a bigger tiebar now to match.. Then because someone had previously upgraded our #6 mounting studs diameter, I had to find someone to drill said mounts to fit the new studs. But it's done, and after a little touch up paint around the pads, we should be ready to set the drive tow again.

More to share, but it's late here.

kidturbo

Quick update since I've really been slacking.

With tiebar installed and both engines back in action, we headed to the boat ramp a couple weeks ago to give this new drive setup a try. Had ran the engines through the gears, and up in the RPM range a bit with belts off on the trailer. No vibration from our new driveshaft angle. Am very happy with that outcome. Borrowed the same wheels we'd been testing previously so to have a good baseline for any noticeable differences with the new drive height.

So we get to the ramp, back it in, and fire em both up. I quickly noticed Port engine just isn't pumping as much water out the pipes as Stbd. But nothing looks out of place, and we'd ran both engines on a garden hose the day before. We idle out of the channel and attempt to get up on plane. First thing I notice is these props don't break loose as easy as they did before. The aeration tubes are on, but we removed the lower prop facing SS section because those haven't been cut to fit any prop rake yet. And figured why trim them before we find some props that we actually plan to run for a while.. But with a little trim tab turbulence added, I was able to get both props to break loose and she came up on plane fairly quickly.

The second thing I notice is Port oil temps start climbing much quicker than normal. Water temp isn't far behind. We get it up to about 45mph and shift into high gear. But it's not fast enough, or the props are hooked up much better now and the RPM drops down about 2000R after the shift. Not enough boost to accelerate in high gear. And by this time, port engine temps are above where they normally run by about 20F. Ah crap..

We stop to check the seastrainer. And par for the course, the top is seized on and nothing onboard will break it loose. But we can clearly see there is nothing out of place in there. Just the water isn't flowing like it should. Exhaust pipe temps are warmer than we've ever felt them before. So after our half mile blast in low gear, we decide to quit while we are ahead,, and idle back to the ramp.

Once back on land, the strainer top still refuses to break free. Until we removed it from the boat, mounted in a vice, and use a strap wrench while someone else beats it with a punch and hammer. That did the trick, and as suspected, nothing in there to block off the water supply. Next I break out the scope camera and start looking in the cooling system. Soon as I check the charge cooler cap, first unit after the pump, I quickly find the problem. Someone stuck a bunch of pump impeller blades in there... lol. Wasn't in there a few days ago because I just put that cap on after the new powedercoat treatment.

Sure enough the front impeller was shredded, and somehow half of it got sucked back out the intake side of the pump, and into the stage 2 and 3 sections that feed the charge cooler and main heat exchanger.. No idea how it did that trick, but answered the question about the oil temps. So we tear the pump apart, replace the impellers and mounted it back up. Fill the cooling system and pressure test everything. Hook it up to a hose and no leaks. Soon as I start the engine, seawater pump start pissing out the weep hole. Front shaft seal is now leaking.. Never leaked a drop before we replaced the impellers..

So tomorrow we pull the pump again, easy job, if your a contortionist. Hope to be back on the water by Wed and try this drive testing again.

kidturbo

Oh yeah 3rd thing I learned from this testing, Hardin Marine's 2 into 1 "hard anodized" aluminum pump manifolds are junk, after only 40hrs in seawater. I'd previously seen another pair pulled at just 100hrs that were leaking. But figured maybe they just never flushed out the system after running. Well I can safely say, that has nothing to do with it. These too will be pissing water out the housing in another 40hrs..

I contacted Hardin about this issue, and due to material cost, they have no intention to make these out of stainless or bronze. They do make a 2 into 1 that points straight down, which does us zero good. So next on the long list of projects is to make a few of these out of stainless. For anyone who needs em, I'll make a couple extras. I also received the drawing files from Banks to make my own charge cooler end caps. I can understand his situation however, as he's not looking to sell these intakes for mass production. And graciously passed along the drawing so I can cut a couple out of bronze after seeing my results on the aluminum version.

hoodoo

That sucks about the manifold, I took the stainless one off my strb duramax and replaced it with one of those for clearance, looks like I should’ve notched the stringer.

boostbros

i only use the globe blue impellers so that this does not happen they work awesome!