Buster Skiff Restoration

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DaveD
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Joined: 11 Mar 2009, 22:25

Re: Buster Skiff Restoration

Postby DaveD » 24 Mar 2018, 12:12

I wouldn't think there are too many old race boats running closed system & heat exchangers, adds weight and complexity to the cooling system. Many don't run water pumps either. Jayme II runs raw water through an oil cooler first. However if you think it'll help with saving the Pug motor from cracking.

Will
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Joined: 21 Nov 2015, 14:04

Re: Buster Skiff Restoration

Postby Will » 24 Mar 2018, 13:46

A lot of helpful info from you guys - thanks for input.
DaveD guess you mean use an oil cooler as a raw water preheater? , at one stage while racing cars I used one of these as a water cooler - it this similar to what you refer to?
https://www.merlinmotorsport.co.uk/p/la ... -m-c43-180
It is a much simpler solution and should work

Reklaw
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Joined: 17 Nov 2014, 14:35

Re: Buster Skiff Restoration

Postby Reklaw » 24 Mar 2018, 14:05

The oil cooler is essentially just that but, on the way through, the water will be heated a bit by the oil thus preventing absolutely cold water entering the engine. This link from eBay shows what's available locally.
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Transmissio ... Sw-4BXY5-Z
I run a bypass system on my skiff. When the engine is cold and the thermostat closed, water still passes through the oil cooler but then gets dumped instead of going through the engine. When the engine is hot, the water, obviously, goes through the engine then gets dumped. Remarkably, the engine stays at a constant temp, whatever the thermostat rating is.You can buy this system for a Chev, but you'd have to make something up for the Pug.

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DaveD
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Re: Buster Skiff Restoration

Postby DaveD » 24 Mar 2018, 16:26

Yes Will, as you and Bob said, preheats the water before the engine and cools the oil too. Jayme II is dry sumped as well, very basic system, cam driven scavenge pump and uses the original oil pump to get the oil from the tank back into the engine through a pipe in the side of the sump. Was like that when I bought it and I suspect it's always been like that as I've seen similar era race boats with the same setup.

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WoodRay
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Re: Buster Skiff Restoration

Postby WoodRay » 26 Mar 2018, 16:05

Will wrote:Hmmm not only do your SUs work well they really look the part!
My problem is that I have the weber (s) left over from race car days and also a Lynx manifold. It seems I should try to make the weber work because the plan is to only have the holden in there for a few months (maybe!)
I see you are using a heat exchanger system - if its not a rude question - roughly what size is the heat exchanger? In Buster the holden would probably work ok with raw water but the Pug engines are very susceptible to head cracking and a stable water temp is desireable


Will the exchanger is sized to suit a 350 Chev. It's a bit larger than I needed but I got it cheap so couldn't knock it back. I'm only using the original 1/2" raw water pump to circulate fresh water through the exchanger. It runs a fairly constant 75-80 degrees at full noise.

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Will
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Joined: 21 Nov 2015, 14:04

Re: Buster Skiff Restoration

Postby Will » 13 Apr 2018, 14:55

I will be going with a system similar to DaveD am accumulating the parts. Have a 'vintage' ( old) dry sum tank scavenge pump heat exchanger and pipework with a bypass system of sorts similar to one suggested by Bob
a couple of questions for the more learned !
1- The holden head has a 7/16 hole drilled in the back of the head into the water jacket - no thread- Ive looked at other heads but see nothing like this - any clues??
2 - I have acquired a set of triple SUs (complete set up manifold ram tubes etc ) Checking the forum pages I see there are several Greys in boats running triple SUs was wondering is the a trick to 'squaring up' the float bowls to compensate the drive angle? I could m/c up tapered spacers and use a bent stud to 'verticalise' the bowls but is this necessary?
3 - Buster needs propulsion which at the moment she doesnt have - Bob told me to start looking for a prop from research something like a 9 or 9 1/2 x 14 - 2 blade ? any suggestions?

Reklaw
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Joined: 17 Nov 2014, 14:35

Re: Buster Skiff Restoration

Postby Reklaw » 13 Apr 2018, 16:02

I think you'll find that the "hole in the head" would be at the high point to allow better water flow through the head. Don't know why it wouldn't be threaded. Those with Holden motors should be able to elaborate.
The prop also needs to be 7/8 shaft and right hand.

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WoodRay
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Re: Buster Skiff Restoration

Postby WoodRay » 16 Apr 2018, 12:29

I'd tap the hole for a tapered thread fitting. It may have had a pressed in fitting prior. Any SU with a side mounted bowl is going to suffer with changes in fuel level at the jet much like a manometer effect. I have a left hand and right hand float bowl set up with twins which sees the fuel height in the jet alternate between carbs as the boat dives forward and so on. Open plenum manifold sort of negates any lean out between the two as one goes rich and the other leans out. I would get the bowls as vertical as possible and also canter each carb on its mounting unless the manifold is arranged so. HIF SU's dont suffer from this issue as the jet is central to the fuel bowl.

Will
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Joined: 21 Nov 2015, 14:04

Re: Buster Skiff Restoration

Postby Will » 17 Apr 2018, 08:45

Yes Bob the high point bleed seems the obvious reason but the lack of a thread is odd - will fix that
Re SUs - yes I think I had a bit of a mental block about the triple SUs - canting each carb is the most sensible solution and relatively easy with an adapter and remote throttle actuation

habits

Re: Buster Skiff Restoration

Postby habits » 21 Oct 2018, 08:48

Good Morning just wondering how the resto is progressing any recent photos of how its going Regards Phil


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