Brand new First Time Owner C27 Key Largo 1986

[millra]

First off, thank you in advance to all for anticipated answers and responses.

I'm a new first time C27 owner 1986 that I purchased yesterday in Key Largo. Survey was great all things considered. I live in Ft. Lauderdale, and intend to sail her up in a week or so.

Many nit-picky items and probably a whole bunco of dumb questions, please indulge my newness

1. How long should I "hold" the glow-plu button prior to starting my Universal 14HP inboard? Cold only?
2. Fuel Guage doesn't work - likely causes to look at first?
3. Water pump inopertive - likely causes items to check first?
5. I have a holding tank, Im assuming spent water and lag dump into this, also have a macerator?sp? how do I pump out this holding tank?

Thanks in advance for help

Regards Robert

... more questions likely forthcoming as I discover her

 

[Calif. Ted]

1. Count to twenty whenever engine is cold
2. The Teleflex fuel gauge and the level sender are designed to operate on 240 ohms (empty) and 33 ohms (full). Most other manufacturers build a marine fuel level system of the same resistance as gauges and senders may be mixed at the boat builder level.
There are only three components to the system-gauge, level sender, and the connecting sender wire. The sender wire should be inspected for breaks in the copper or corroded connection to the terminals.
The fuel gauge can be inspected in the following manner. Turn the ignition on. Remove the sender wire from back of gauge. Pointer must go below the empty mark. Next, connect the gauge sender terminal to ground. The pointer must go above the full mark. If the pointer moves past both E and F, the gauge is functional.
To check the fuel level sender remove wires from sender terminal. Connect volt/ohmmeter to two sender terminals (digital ohmmeter will tend to be jumpy). Ohmmeter should read approximately:
240 ohms @ empty
100 ohms @ 1/2 and
33 ohms @ full.
If the sender is not sized properly for the tank, errors in gauge reading can also occur.
3. Does it make noise?
4. Should be a PUMP OUT fitting on deck.

 

[millra]

Thanks so much for that reply, very helpful

 

[jrowan]

If 20 seconds of glow plug usage isn't sufficient, Universal I believe reommends 60 seconds to impove starting response. My diesel fires up immediately after 1 minute, & not at all without glow plugs. PS. I'm jealous that your sailing in Key Largo! Cheers.

 

[Tim C350 April IV]

A little late in getting back to on this......The 1986 catalina holding tank pump out fitting can be found in the bottom of the anchor locker. Go Figure. I had to unload the anchor and rode each time I needed to pump out.

There should be a "Y-valve" in that system with the macerator, toilet, overboard discharge and holding tank. The Y-valve controls whether the "lag" (interesting word, never heard that before) goes to the holding tank or toward the macerator/overboard discharge. If you are in an area where it is legal to pump overboard, move the Y-valve to select that leg, open the seacock valve, turn on the macerator and let 'er rip. Otherwise, keep the seacock valve closed, never use the macerator and find a convenient and working pumpout - getting used to moving your anchor gear.

Good Luck!
Tim Brogan
April IV C350 #68 (Ex-Inamorata C27 #6911)
Seattle