Enchanter test n tune

[fbpd227]

Ok, I'm sure those of you who have been following my SLOOOOW buildup are chomping at the bit to see how if I have the combination right yet or not......well...... keep chompin! LOL

The set-up:
24p Stainless Precision Turbo prop
10" set back/ jack plate- set on the middle motor bolts to the jack plate, lowest holes on the plate to transom ( approx. 3" below the pad )
200HP 2.4 carb motor- unknown gear ratio on the older lower unit?
Myself, wife and gear, with a full tank of gas ( heavy load of tools as well )

Lake and conditions:
Lake Hartwell, SC
Light chop
rain at times

The results:
50-52 GPS trimmed up till just before losing water presure
54-5500 rpms
20-24 psi water
52 speedo
BAD PROP HUB!!!!!!

bastage first started "blowing-out" on hard take off's...then once or twice after running hard and pulling back on the throtle and stabbin it again it blew out until I finally realized the hub was lettin go and backed way off. After partying on an island for a few hours I went to leave and tucked the motor all the way in ( also tightned the prop nut a bit more to make sure I got all I could get from it ) and feathered it up till on plane, then trimmed her out and again hit the throtle - same performance- 50-52 GPS speed- So I believe I need to find another prop while I get this one rehubbed. I have NO idea of lower gear ratio- seems to me like this setup should be ALOT faster!?!?!?! So for those of you that have been following my "adventure" and offered advice and asked for more info to help me figure out what to do next- I HOPE YOU FIND THIS POST AGAIN!!! LOL! Seriously I KNOW theres "issues" to work on now- just trying to find out my lower gear ratio, and next step. I want to try to find a 25 ( maybe a 26 ) pitch prop to try/ test- then a 22- 23 to try and test...to give me a few more base lines- then I need to find out WHAT TYPES of props work best on the Enchanter hulls. Alot of questions- I know- but I tried to give as much info as I could to help those who are helping me tune er in....
One other thing- I can almost trim my motor all the way up before I lose water pressure- does that mean I can raise the engine to the bottom holes on the motor to jack plate bolts ( @1- 1.5 inches or so ), and/ or raise up the last 3/4- 1" of adjustment on the jack plate as well- Whats a typical x dimention with a 10" setback? I thought 3" below the pad was "dicey" to start- but I have tons of presure- and I'm NOT even running scoops?!?!?

THANX GUYS!!!!! ALL OF YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[fbpd227]

Also- where do you guys send your props to get re-hubbed? Approx how much?

 

[illMATTic]

given those numbers it looks like you have a 2:1 lower on there. I have spun a hub before. Never checked on the cost of repair. I would just look for a new used prop. I am sure it will cost less.

I would go for a 23P. You need to get those RPMs up to about 5800 to 6200 at least.

Your numbers do seem a bit low. I bet if you runa 23P and get that 200 spinning a bit higher you can see 60 mph without gear and beer.

 

[fbpd227]

I thought the '87 200hp 2.4's were only rated to spin up to 56-5700? Or at least that's what I thought I remembered from the book? I may be wrong. Thanx- I'll start looking at 23p props- see what I can find.

 

[chrispallen]

Raise the Motor... you have the water pressure gauge, keep going up until you can't anymore.

here is a side view of my predictor...

 

[boatn70]

agreed, 56-5800 i believe.
the lower on my 87 200 was 1.87:1 if i remember correctly.
as said before, raise the motor until its close to even with the bottom and check water pressure as stated above. i would say when compared to what i had you should be running in the 66 mph range.

 

[yellowfiero88]

Also- where do you guys send your props to get re-hubbed? Approx how much?

Try here. Great guys to deal with and only 5 minutes down the road from me.
http://www.deltaprop.com/index.asp

 

[yellowfiero88]

You should see way better than what you are out of that 200. With a bad prop hub, I would not go off any numbers that you got. I would get a good prop and then get numbers. The enchanter hull runs great in light chop, I have seen 66 gps with mine. However that was a 1 time deal and every time I have run, the average is 64, +/-1mph. Tho different motor types, the hull is the same and I will say you will love running mid 60's. I will let you know how they handle above 70's here in a few weeks!

You coming to the owners rally in july? Its not that far of a drive for you!!!

 

[fbpd227]

OK- so first- I'm going up on the mota- then sending my prop off and looking for another prop- maybe a 23p to run and test, then light'en my load a bit ( crying.....hate to leave good cold beer on the beach! LOL) then after I get some good usable numbers- making plans to get directions to the owners ralley!!!!!!!!!! You guys are a true wealth of knowledge!!! LUV IT!!!!! ALOT of good ideas to work on to get those numbers up! I really HATE that you think I have the 2:1 lower!!!! That sucks! Especially since my older mota doesn't run in the 6-7K range of the newer motors- so REALLY leaves me limited on prop choice- speed, etc.... I guess I will need to start hunting down a 1.87 or lower gear ratio lower unit....maybe a low water pickup style to let me jack it up even higher and run a surface prop....more speed? I have ALL summer to get this baby right!!!! I can do IT! Hell, I waited a YEAR to get her wet!!!! LOL!!!! Thanx again guys, and keep the great sugestions comming!

 

[illMATTic]

You are fine to run that engine above 6 grand. The manuals say 5800 max. HOWEVER, with a premix between 32:1 and 40:1 witha quality merc oil, you can turn it to 6400 no prob.

Merc limited the rpms on these due to the oil injection gears being plastic. take off the injection, premix, and let it eat. I ran my 2.4 on the predictor for 4 years at 6400 and Buss has done it for 2 more years. It pulls hard the whole way up to 6400. I once ran for a good 10 miles straight above 6200 rpm.

Dont get me wrong, running higer rpms is deff. harder on an engine. BUT I feel you will be safe as long as you keep it oiled and watch your water temp/psi.

 

[fbpd227]

You are fine to run that engine above 6 grand. The manuals say 5800 max. HOWEVER, with a premix between 32:1 and 40:1 witha quality merc oil, you can turn it to 6400 no prob.

Merc limited the rpms on these due to the oil injection gears being plastic. take off the injection, premix, and let it eat. I ran my 2.4 on the predictor for 4 years at 6400 and Buss has done it for 2 more years. It pulls hard the whole way up to 6400. I once ran for a good 10 miles straight above 6200 rpm.

Dont get me wrong, running higer rpms is deff. harder on an engine. BUT I feel you will be safe as long as you keep it oiled and watch your water temp/psi.

Oil injection has already been deleted.....running @ 40:1 ( 30-32 oz/ 10 gallons) so hell yeah! I'll get a smaller prop and bang her ass up some!!!!!! Awesome! I would think I could get ALOT more speed with a 23 ( or a 22P ) prop at a higher rpm than trying to fight to spin a 25/ 26 at a lower rpm- so..... KEWL!!!!!! Let's see what she'll do! I still cant find scoops for my older lower- but as long as I have psi I will jack her up too.....maybe I can see a nice jump from my lack-luster first two maiden voyages!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[chrispallen]

so just from this picture i can see that you are over trimming

get the motor up where you can get some more rpm's and then only trim to lift the boat on to the pad... your rooster tail should be no higher than the top of the motor...

I know the big roost looks cool, but you are wasting revs and just throwing water...

bring the motor up and trim down

 

[fbpd227]

so just from this picture i can see that you are over trimming

get the motor up where you can get some more rpm's and then only trim to lift the boat on to the pad... your rooster tail should be no higher than the top of the motor...

I know the big roost looks cool, but you are wasting revs and just throwing water...

bring the motor up and trim down

I have been wondering about my trim. THANX! On my gauge the upper half is set to cover the tilt and the lower half covers my trim- at max speed ( with a bad hub ) my trim is maxed out - reads half of the gauge before I loose water PSI. "hold that elevator- GOING UP!"

 

[fbpd227]

What about prop selection? If I will be running the motor so high up- it seems to me like I would want a surface prop- like a chopper or cleaver rather than a round ear? Aren't round ears less efficient running on top, as compared to choppers and cleavers?

 

[chrispallen]

let's see what you get by lifting the motor first... i ran a Lazer II all last year and now have a Trophy Plus and it works way better than a chopper on my particular boat.

 

[illMATTic]

We need to find out where you are running the prop shaft right now. You can run a through hub prop where ever it runs best. I ran a LazerII an 1" below the pad on my predictor.

When you find the best setup, you will need to use little to no trim. Your engine should be level in the water when the boat is running at WOT.

 

[fbpd227]

Right now I'm @ 3" below the pad to the prop center line ( remember- I have no scoops- can't get them for my older lower unit with the plastic intake screens on each side ) I will raise the motor to the bottom mounting holes ( and maybe drop the jack plate an inch or so)- so that I'm not going up 2 1/2 " all at once. I just sent off my prop today to get it re-hubbed - $48 + $10 return shipping ( Soderbloom's ) so hopefully I will get it back fairly quick to get back to testing. I'm praying the hub IS blown- or I'm back to my "blow-out" problem and out $60...lol. It appears I do have the 2:1 lower unit- asked a merc mechanic today on Lake Chatuge- and he said almost all the older style lowers were 2:1- so I'm sure that's gonna knock down the prop speed a bit- THAT sucks! I will need to find a newer lower ( more in line with my '87 mota ) to stab on it- and sell off this lower. It's a damn shame too- it was JUST rebuilt and re-sealed- new water pump, etc...runs perfect- but at 2:1 isn't helping me at all..........maybe someone out there needs a lower like this one for their older inline 6? Get some boot back to put towards a newer lower for me! Well, I guess it's wait and see now.......maybe prop hunt a bit more in the mean time to have something to compare it against?.... Thanx again, guys!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[illMATTic]

I would only be looking to get rid of the lower if your rpms were too high. I bet once you raise the engine up it will get those revs up where they need to be.

 

[fbpd227]

I would only be looking to get rid of the lower if your rpms were too high. I bet once you raise the engine up it will get those revs up where they need to be.

correct me if I'm wrong- but even IF I had my RPM's where they need to be- wouldn't my prop be spinning just a bit slower than a "normal" lower unit for my engine ( 1.87 vs. 2: 1 )? or is that cancelled out by being able to swing a slightly BIGGER WHEEL? thus making all things equal?

 

[chrispallen]

you just hit the nail on the head... i have a 2:1 on my predictor and i am spinning a 26 four blade.