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De-rig the console and remove. (done)
Remove RPS (done)
Remove and inspect tank cover (done)
Replace all hoses (done)
Move battery and re-route all wiring to the console
Remove, seal and reinstall tank cover inspection ports
Install battery switch and re-wire console
Reinstall cover, RPS and console
For today we got the console removed, RPS and deck lifted. The tasks were straight forward and the cover came up after 3 hrs of work.
The tank cover appears to be in great shape. No soft spots. I am very happy about this.
The fill hose is close to shot, the vent is marginal and the fuel supply appears recent. All will be replaced.
The wiring in the stern compartment (with the battery) was not touched in my first rewire project a few years ago and is a complete mess. My hunch there was spaghetti was confirmed. After removing rolls of electrical tape and tracing wires, I have a pile of old wiring that was cut and left.
The battery switch had 3 positive wires that looped back to the same terminal post. Woa! that was weird.
I will be creating a project album to document the journey. For the moment there is a new album on my Picasa page called Deck repair (link in my profile)
I have a few questions. To keep track of the answers, can you cite the question # at the start of your answer.
Question 1:
There is a ground wire from the fill fitting to the tank and a second ground from the tank to the anode on the outside of the transom. Should I clean these up and leave as is, or should I run new grounds to the battery and remove the transom anode?
Question 2:
Someone sheathed the vent line with a section of PVC pipe (cut length wise) on top of the fuel tank and zip tied it to the cover. This is not OEM and don't know why it was done. Should I leave the PVC or remove it?
Question 3:
I will have 3 grounds running from the stern (nav lights and bilge). Should I tie them together and run a single ground to the console or keep separate
Question 4:
I only have 1/2 of the cover to the hole in the floor for the wiring to enter the console. Think U shape plastic piece with a flange. This part keeps water from entering into the fuel cavity. What material should I use to make up the missing part.
Thanks for the help.
Edited by Phil T on 05/11/10 - 5:50 AM
1992 Outrage 17 I
2019 E-TEC 90, Viper 17 2+
2018 Load Rite Elite 18280096VT
Phil,what a project! I left the ground wire system intact, just cleaned up all the connections and soft sealed them. I found a new grounding disc,it's not an anode, and reinstalled it. Currious about the pvc line, my vent is at the front just fwd of the console and was squished some comming back to the outlet. I put it back that way, with new hose, and the tank vents nicely,would not have thought so at the time. The u-shaped plastic piece, hmmmm... make a plug out off card board and use light weight fiberglass cloth to make the new one, of coarse use wax between the cardboard and resin. Just a thought. Keep posting on progress, pics.
Two trips to Hamilton Marine and $400, I now have all the hoses, wiring, connectors etc.
I have decided to replace the ground wires (fill to tank and tank to transom) and install a terminal block for the navigation wiring. Having 2 sets of wires running up the tunnel is silly.
The weather and free time has not cooperated but hope to get in a few hours on Friday.
There is a ground wire from the fill fitting to the tank and a second ground from the tank to the anode on the outside of the transom. Should I clean these up and leave as is, or should I run new grounds to the battery and remove the transom anode?
Question 3:
I will have 3 grounds running from the stern (nav lights and bilge). Should I tie them together and run a single ground to the console or keep separate
Question 4:
I only have 1/2 of the cover to the hole in the floor for the wiring to enter the console. Think U shape plastic piece with a flange. This part keeps water from entering into the fuel cavity. What material should I use to make up the missing part.
Thanks for the help.
#1 - I kept my original grounding scheme with the plate on the transom. Everything was in good condition and I could think of no benefit with doing away with it. That being said, I know of no detriment to running your ground to the battery, just make sure to keep the filler and tank bonded to the ground.
#3 - I run a ground for each accessory to the ground bus bar under the console. My reasoning is, if I suffer a failed connection in the ground between the transom and bus bar, I don't lose everything. I like separate circuits for each individual accessory.
#4 - I'm a big StarBoard fan. Super durable and easy to work with.
As far as your #2 question about the PVC on the vent line, do you think it was put in place to prevent the vent line from being crushed/collapsed and pinched off? I'm not familair with the tank layout in your version of the Outrage I since mine is the oddball setup with the rear deck and hatches.
Phil, I have a gas leak draining into the hull/storage area in back of the seat, and I think I need to remove the console and check everything like you did. How did you do this---just start unscrewing everything?
To pull the floor you will need to:
-shift console (requires removing steering cable, shift/throttle and electrical harnesses)
-unscrew the trim on the console angle bracket
-unscrew the bracket from the floor
-Unscrew all the deck screws and cut the caulk.
The floor is not super heavy.
Note - The floor runs under the baitwell wall so you need to pull from the forward end first.
We have replaced all the hoses, battery cables, ground wires and fixed some wiring "issues". Putting things back together is slower than removal.
I hope today we will prep the deck, removing old caulk and shifting the plastic "shroud" from the console onto the deck cover as well as reconnect all the wiring and cables in the console and install the battery box and new switch.
I don't expect we will be done today. We have to re-route all the wiring in the console. The neat and tidy re-wire I did previously is now a disaster. LOL.
Note to Outrage 17 owners: All holes cut and screws in this boat were never sealed.
- the cutout in the floor
- cutout in the console floor
- fuel fill on the gunnel
- stern light bracket
I am very lucky that the deck, gunnel caps and console floor is dry and not rotted.
We had a very productive day yesterday (day 4) that included:
- Soldering the battery connectors (did not like the crimping I did at Hamilton Marine) and threading them through the rigging hose.
-Cleaned up the floor caulk, caulked the inspection ports (see project album for details)
-Cut out floor for battery and installed battery switch in the electronics box.
- Drilled the rear rail, installed rubber grommet and fed the antenna wire through and into the rear compartment.
-Fabricated a full flange for the floor opening and reinstalled the floor. We left a pull rope for the future.
-Reattached steering, throttle and shift cables.
-Started re-attaching wiring to buss bar.
I expect one more day of work finishing the wiring and reinstalling all the loom. The interior of the boat is filthy so a heavy cleaning will be needed prior to putting the Dri-Dek back in.
The project album is now active with narrative added.
