Crap used buy uf a boat with a K&B 13cc Outboard

[jacob]

I just recently bought a used boat from an online ad, the boat was supposed to be used only once, but i soon noticed differently after i had payed the money and recieved the boat...

Let me put it like this, the Only good thing about it was that it was big (ca. 1.50 m), and that it had a supposedly strong engine (one of the main reasons why I bought this boat, the engine is a K&B Outboarder with a bore of 13cc (0.84 cu.in.) and 4.0-4.2 horsepowers...

The hull was cracked in the front and was scratched considerably on both port and starboard side, but I didn't so much bother about this because I had prepared myself for there being scratches, and I was in any case intending to fix all minor damages to the hull using fiberglass-filler (fiberglass-putty?) and sand the hull and repaint it.

But anyway I noticed not so long after that that was not the only problem, first of all the servo and radio-equipment mounting was a complete mess. Mounted with hot glue, Styrofoam, and pieces of bad wood in an old "Tupperware" container... I was disappointed by this but decided that as long as it works, it will do for a start.

I then decided to mount the engine, but here came the next unpleasant surprise... Almost all screws and "screw-sockets?" were stripped... After battling with the screws and loctiteing them I finally got the engine in place. Now I was going to attach the steering cords, and so I did, but then what do you know, another surprise... they were lose and the overall steering capacity of the system was Insufficient. I tried my best to adjust it to an ok setting.

And so I continued to the throttle cord, and when I draw it out from the boat I find Another little surprise, the end of that cable was missing. And the cable end was stripped, after battling with that trying to attach it to the throttle-arm I notice something about the carburator and throttle. It had no return mechanism, i.e. that the throttle arm would return to idle when you let go of the gas. I with a temporary solution fix this with a spring and some other things, then decide to go to the next step… Attaching the fuel line and exhaust pressure line to the fuel tank, but yes indeed another surprise, where is the fuel tank???

I had a spare new tank for a buggy so I decided to use that…

Next I was going to start the engine and see if it would run at all. So I fill the tank and follow the starting procedures, and after a long time of unrewarded tries the engine fires, but immediately shuts off. I then try it again and it fires for a second and then dies, I then noticed that the throttle arm, attached to the “high-speed needle?” had jumped out… I then screw it back in and try once more, again a one second fire but after this one I hear a very disturbing “clonk” on the ground… I look down to see the propeller and everything else attached to it except the cable drive itself lying on the ground. I now get down to re-attach it, and so I do, but now I notice what to me was the final strike… The propeller shaft itself was disfigured; it was uneven in such a way that when the propeller was turned it would itself turn in a circle and not be still…

The person who sold it to me sent it from a company, and i dont have his adress so i can't pay him a visit... and he has yet to reply to emails...

Is there any point in trying to fix the boat to a working standard? if so how much would it cost, an estimate will do... Or is there more point in concentrating my money on a completely new boat instea...?

I am fairly new to rc boats, so i have no idea how to fix proper linkages to the throttle so that it will return to idle when you let go of the gas. I have just found out that the engine isn't supposed to have such a function from the start, but you are supposed to fix it with the linkages, but i have no idea of how to do that, so... Any ideas? Pictures would help

I appreciate all answers from people who actually take the time to read the full post... Thanks...

Edit- Ps. I live in Stockholm/Sweden, so i didnt buy from ebay (or likewise with a rating system for the seller) since we dont have any thing like that here... And when you do deals between private-persons then basically its the buyer that gets screwed if something goes wrong, and there isn't much to do about it then...

 

[izitbrokeyet?]

I'm sorry to hear this has happened to you.

I dont know of anyone who lives near you in Sweeden, but there are several good guys who live down in the Netherlands, Denmark and Belgium that might help. I'm hoping some of those folks will speak up in here.

 

[duc]

My parents left for there vacation yesterday. To Sweeden. I have a good 13 cc K&B lying on the bench which I would sell for a reassonable price. Maybe they could have take it to your place. If I heard it earlier.......

Oscar

 

[topfuel443]

Jacob, welcome. can you post some pictures of the described damage? it may not be as bad as it seems. it doesnt sound like anything MAJOR, just alot of small things. I understand you didnt get what you expected, but it is probably salvageable for much less than the cost of a new boat.

give us some pics so we can help point you in the right direction. ~ James

 

[wswatzell]

The throttle servo should return to its natural position when you let go of the "gas". If it doesn't, you have something wrong with the servo.

 

[jacob]

duc- Heh ok, but im not to keen on spending more money on this boat since i already spent a fairly large amount on it. But you never know, if it doesnt work with the engine i have, ill take your offer in mind...

Topfuel- Thanks. I can't post any pictures right now since the boat is at my summer-house... But ill be going there this weekend, so ill take some pictures then and report back here to see if you can aid me... I also hope that it's not as bad as it seems, this is my first ever rc-boat so what i think is messed-up might be as it should be... If it is salvageble, is it something i could fix myself or would i have to take it somewhere?

wswatzel- The servo returns to its original position, but the throttle lever on the carburator doesn't... The linkage is only a wire going from the servo to the throttle lever, so when i let go of the gas the wire only becomes slack. I've never used wires for linkages before, so i don't know how it's supposed to be rigged up, could anyone explain to me, would be grateful if someone did...

Another thing i noticed was that the engine seemed to leak fuel from the engine , i noticed i got some fuel running down the side of the engine, dont know where it came from, but the only place i saw that was supposed to spit a bit out was the exhaust on the flat part over the prop. could there be a crack somewhere?

Thanks for the answers, this weekend i will further inspect the boat and report back with pictures... Any more advice/tips is still gratefully accepted...

 

[topfuel443]

Jacob, Most people do work on there own boats, its part of the fun However, sometimes things can be a little overwhelming when you are new to the hobby, thats why we are here.

It sounds like you dont have anything holding the cable on the engine end of the throttle linkage, you have to have a way of mounting the outside "sheath" to a stationary part of the engine, that way only the inside cable moves in and out. Its much easier to show you some pictures of what im talking about so I will post some pictures of mine tonight, and maybe someone else will do the same, to show you different ways of doing the same thing. Its actually pretty simple, just requires some thought.

as for the eninge leaking.....K&B engines do tend to leak a little fuel. lets get everything else sraight before we start worrying about cracked cases, it most likely just fine. when you rotate the motor over with you hand does it have compression?

that thing over the prop actually picks up water and pushes it through and around the head when its running in the water to help keep it cool. If and when you do get it cranked, dont let it run too long without letting it cool, because it is a water cooled engine. I would say 30 - 60 seconds is as long as I would let it run until you get the hang of it.

Dont worry, we will get you straightened out. I will post a few pictures tonight.

~James

 

[topfuel443]

Ok Jacob, here is a picture of the clamp that I use to hold the throttle cable to the engine.

 

[topfuel443]

heres another of the clamp.

 

[topfuel443]

heres a good picture that shows how the "thing" above the props feeds water to the head. this is a "cut out" lower end and may look different than yours, but it does the same thing.

~james

 

[Ian Webster]

Hej Jacob

Normally lurk on IW but had to try and help here.

Sorry you didn't get what you expected...... was this off "Tradera"?

Help is available in Sweden (sorry I'm down south) a number of guys log in here.

Here is a link to the Stockholm club

Stockholm

Try to contact these guys, they should be able to help with basic rigging and setup.

Also the Swedish model boat society has a site and forum at

SMBF

This guy used to sell K&B and may be able to help you as well

Ellerts Hobby

Between IW and help in Sweden I'm sure you'll end up with a running boat you're happy with.

Good luck

Ian

 

[jacob]

Thanks for all the replies, really appreciated....

This weekend i will try to fix the throttle linkage and see how that works, i will also take photos so that i can show you what im talking about...

Topfuel- Like i just said, this weekeng i will try to sort out the throttle linkage... You asked if the motor has compression when i turn it around, it seems like it because it is hard to turn and becomes considerably easier once i remove the glow plug...

Ian- No, it was of "www.blocket.se". and thanks for the links, ill be browsing them within short... "ellerts hobby" is where the hull was bought according to the person who sold it to me, but he said he bought the engine somwhere else...

Thanks allot for all the quick replies, this has without doubt helped allot, before i was practically ready to sink the boat and never care for it again... But now, thanks to you people, i will be giving the boat a second chance....

//Jacob

 

[XtremeRcBoats]

Hi Jacob,

don;t give up that easy, tunnels are the coolest boats there are. Once it's on the water you'll get hooked.

Hmm my parents also left for sweden a week ago, again too bad you didn't post it earlier. I don;t know anybody in sweden that might be able to help you.

Post some pics maybe we can hekp you out.

 

[jydracing]

hi jacob send me your email i will see if i can send you a copy of my set up instructions to you. i have quite a few pics on how to set up the radiobox and all fo the steering and throttle set up. it is fot the hornet but it is a basic set up for all tunnels but it will give you a general idea of how it works. jimmy eddleman

 

[jacob]

Jydracing- My email is "[email protected]", thanks, it would be great if you could send some instructions/pics...

Actually my boat is not a tunnel, it's a deep-V... but i suspect the linkage and setup is basically the same...

I couldn't take any pictures of the boat this weekend because i couldn't find my digital camera... But as soon as i do i'll take some photos...

//Jacob

 

[Propjockey]

Hey Jacob...Welcome aboard!

Here's another pic of the throttle linkage set-up on an outboard.

The outer 'sheath' is clamped to the crankcase and the cable slides inside. The other end of the sheath is anchored to the radio box and enough slack is left to allow the assembly to move as the engine turns side to side.

 

[jydracing]

hi jacob did you get the email i sent to you with the pics jimmy

 

[jacob]

Propjockey- Thanks- I just need to get a new wire and then ill try to fit it like that...

Jydracing- Actually, no i didn't... Could you please try again? my email is "[email protected]" without the "".... Thanks

//Jacob

 

[jacob]

I've finally gotten around to doing something about the boat, i've now fixed the trottle wire thingy, so that when i let go of the gas it returns to about a 2mm gap... and i can give full throttle and it still returns... So i think that will work...

Then i came about to fix the stearing cords, but that was also really poorly done, so ive re-glued the tube to the holes at the back in the hull and i will soon glue the other end of the tube to the radio box. I just need to get new "clip" things (no idea what they are called, but i mean those clamp things that you have at the end of the wire to attach to the trottle arm or otherwise...). Im going to buy new ones this week, and cut the wire to lengt and try with them, the old ones were not re-usable.. Hope it works out.

I also started another time-consuming part, which is that i have started to sand the entire hull to get off the old paint so that the new paint has something to grab onto... sanding the hull is NOT fun, VERY dusty and messy... the boat was yellow from the start, and when i stopped sanding and looked at myself i saw that i myself was very much yellow also.

One thing i'm wondering about though is the 'lsn' (low speed needle) in the engine specs it doesn't say what it is supposed to be set to, anyone know? Right now ive set it so that it is flush with the carburator body...

And another thing: On the engine specs paper it says som k&b 25% fuel is recommended, i have another type of fuel though: Sidewinder world champ 30%, will that work?

//Jacob

 

[jacob]

Ok, now i've come this far... I have fixed the steering, and i finished sanding the hull, i have also painted the boat in black and blue (fading from blue in the front to black in the back)... It took a LOT of paint, the boat really soaks the spray up...

And then i let it dry for a day and a half... Then i decided that it was time to try and run it... So i went down to the (dock, jetty or whatever its called) and started setting everything up, i changed the glow plug to a new os.A5 cold plug. And then i started to spin the engine with the starter and glow plug heater. And after a while it actually fires, but then it goes wild, so i quickly pinch the fuel line to kill it. I look down on the ground to see the prop, and the prop shaft assemply lying on the ground... So i try for about half an hour to screw it in there, and then i remembered that the engine runs backwards, and that logically the screw sockets for the propshaft assembly would also be backwards so that they dont unscrew themselves... So i try screwing it leftwards, and yes, it did work...

So i screwed it in, and tried again, but the same thing happened again... So i screw it in and try again, several times, all with the same outcome... I then look closely at the prop assembly and remember that before i thought it looked bent, and very so it was, so that when the propeller turned it actually opened up the socket where the propshaft is screwed in, so that it popped out...

I take the prop assembly inside, and after a long time of tinkering, i managed to get it as close as possible to completely straight... I go down again and refit it... I Start the engine, and YES! it stayed put...

After some attempts i finally got it in the water with the engine running... And now i was able to test it out for the first time (great feeling of accomplishment )

It turned and the throttle seemed to work somewhat ok...

So now to the fine-tuning.... The boat turned really odly, sometimes it didn't turn much at all and some times it turned very abruptly. I lowered the sensitivity of the steering, and hopefully that will have helped...

I could clearly notice the tuning of the engine is wrong, it shuts of if i give full throttle, along with other issues...

So, The carburator tuning... And im in need of help here... I Have set the high speed needle to 5 turns from closed, like the paper said. And i left the idle speed alone... But the paper doesn't say anything about the low-speed needle settings, it just says it will be explained later in the text, but there is no text later! :huh: Does anyone who has one of these engines know what it is supposed to be set to?

Thanks... //Jacob