Welp got water in the oil. Took a valve cover off and have milkshake all over the rockers and wat not. Is it pretty easy to suck water in through the headers when running water through them while idling? I also have to install the timing cover/ waterpump plate myself. Is it possible to get water in the oil through there? On sunday we acidently had the header valve open when we started it to check the timing and it seemed to kinda have a hard time cranking and ran boggy for a few seconds kinda how a jetski runs when it sucks water in. Now i dont have a valve on the water inlet from the pump. My buddys dad said they never ran one during the 20 years they had the boat and never had a problem.

You should have a valve on the pipe from the jet. If one of your water lines were to break, and your in the middle of the lake, you would have no way of stopping the water from coming in the boat. It's not likely, but possible. I've had to replace some of my water AN fittings because they were so corroded or worn from rubbing the floor of the bilge.

Does that REX valve up front control water to the headers or water to cool the motor?

As for the water in the oil, when I have my inlet valve (ball valve on the pump inlet) open all the way I get a milk shake. I closed my valve a little and haven't had water in the oil since. This isn't the best way to control it. I need to balance the outlet or go with a pressure relief setup. Do a search about controlling temperature, it has been discussed ALOT.

Definetly put the ball and spring back in the tee valve for the headers. You should have either a fine mist or no water at all at idle. If you see water running out of the headers at idle, it's too much. I think REX has restrictors you can put in the water injection lines to get less water to the headers.

BOAT means "get a second job sucker!"   Good luck.

The valve off the pump will not lower the pressure but it will lower the volume and in turn change engine temp up or down.  The pressure will change depending on how water exits the engine(hose size, fitting size, amount of water dumps).  I just increased the size of cooling lines on my engine last season due to a bit high water pressure on my block, now it never gets too high that it causes concern.

What about alternators? I spun the + post on mine and broke a little diode thing on the back side of that plate. Its a motorola 35a 3 wire. Do they still make those? What can a replace it with? Should i get
It rebuilt?

You can get one of those from just about any auto parts store, just take that one with you to match it up.  Is it a marine alternator?  I have a 3-wire in mine but it's wired to work like a 1-wire and I think it was about $40.  Since you are running and open engine most auto parts will work but keep in mind that a sealed compartment will require marine grade components.

Here's the mock up of mine.

I used to have a one wire on mine, after start I'd have to run the throttle up to 2000rpm or so to excite it which was kind of annoying. It also didn't work very well and I ended up with low voltage at the battery quite often. I switched it out for a three wire gm alt off a late 70's model truck. Cost me $15 at the junk yard rather than $100 for the 1 wire. The 3 wire allows you set up a low voltage light if you want as well and it automatically excites itself when you turn the key to on. Wiring it in is really easy as well.

77 Chevy c10, 350 will get you a three wire.

My one wire was just wired right to the battery through a circuit breaker.


Life is uncertain. Don't sip.

It sounds like it.


Life is uncertain. Don't sip.

I heard that too. I soldered in a diode on mine and it seems to work fine. I've never had my batteries die either however I do disconnect mine when I store the boat. I drew up a quick diagram of how mine is set up. Got the diode at radio shack for like a buck. Part number 276-1661.


Life is uncertain. Don't sip.

In your diagram isnt the #2 wire just for the charging dummy light and doesnt need to be connected?

It's the voltage sensing wire. Lots of people just jump it to the back of the alternator. That however creates the problem I was talking about earlier with the voltage drop.


Life is uncertain. Don't sip.

Haha no problem, if you want I can send you some pictures of my set up later.


Life is uncertain. Don't sip.

Shit idk why my phone keeps posting everything twice

It looks like the old one is set up close to the same way. Post on the back goes to the battery. Find out which wire is the switched 12v on the old set up.


Life is uncertain. Don't sip.

The yellow wire is connected to my purple ign wire at the ballast resistor