New owner 1987 Martinique questions

Trying to post photos of my 87 Martinique.  I have tried the buttons at the top: Insert Image and Copy and Paste.  The 5 photos are saved as jpg files in my dropbox.  Help anyone?

Thank you for the referral to Discount Inboard Marine for my parts, and thanks to them for referring me to Gene Zobel in Chapin SC.

Thank you!

Sure, change the fluid.  It is cheap peace of mind.  I myself don't buy into the fluid-change-hurts idea.

Ethanol gas OK until it breaks down after several months.  Stabil helps but it is best not to store many gallons over the winter.

Plus 1. 

Burb.......glad to keep you amused and distracted from work.

You'll have to check with Pete to see if he's glad to keep you amused

Since you're logged on right now, get back to work and earn your paycheck, quit surfing CCF till later 

Send a PM to Nautiquehunter who lives not too far from you and ask him what he does to winterize every year.

Maybe he'll see this post and give an answer here, otherwise send him the PM 

This was a classic case of not probing the drain hole due to a drain cock without a removable stem. The location of the drain is behind the RWP and it's so close that a removable stem will not fit. I now remove the stop completely. Would getting some RV anti in it have helped? I don't know and I don't what to see if it would have. Drain and probe si key and again anti freeze is an option. 

But.........has it ever popped one of those plugs in the block whatever they're called? 

On steam cleaning/degreasing, I would probably wait until I got it running right first.  You get water in the distributor, or carb and it can really throw you off in trying to track the problem down.  I would start by doing a complete tune-up (new plugs, wires, points, condenser, etc.)  The condenser's can really cause issues, and it is a real easy fix.  My '68 Ford tuck kept blowing them out, and it ran like s#%t until I put in a Pertronix electronic ignition.  But, I have had no trouble with the boat points/condenser.  On the points, you may want to take a thin piece of cardboard and run between the points to make sure there is no oil, or spray on them.  Heck, just throw some new ones on.  

Is your timing set to ~10 deg BTDC?  Check that.

Your carb may need a rebuild too.  But, I would do the tune stuff first to see what fixes things and what doesn't.  You may have a vacuum leak, or may have some jets plugged up.  That could be a fun little winter project for you.  Plus, there is a guy on this site that keeps every part you can imagine for these carbs, and is always very helpful.  He is the Correct Craft Answer Man!  

You may want to do a compression test too to make sure all cylinders are close to each other in compression.  Do this test with all the plugs pulled out, and your carb at WOT.  Make sure you disconnect the distributor cap wire so it doesn't get spark to the plugs.  

This should give you a few things to chew on to get you going.  

Congrats on selecting one of the best boats CC ever built!!  ;) 

Thank you all for your Martinique pre purchase answers to all my questions.  Very helpful!

Thank you 3mile for the craigslist ad link from WV.  I bought that boat this weekend and would not have known about it if you had not shared that link.

I am now a Newbie owner of a 1987 Martinique with a 351 PCM.

I have several post purchase questions for any of you willing to share your knowledge and expertise.

1)  What could cause this engine to have a steady miss consistent with the RPM's?  I did not notice it at the water test buying the boat.  It is not an inconsistent miss, skip or sputter.  The miss stays the same frequency as the motor rpm's and causes very minor vibration in the boat in nuetral if that makes sense?

2)  A good online source with good prices for PCM parts?

3)  Is replacing the distributor points with the module a good idea to avoid having to set points gap and dwell?

4)  Should I replace the spark plug wires and distributor cap if the previous owner has not replaced them in 12 years and doesn't know when they were replaced last?

5)  Is it ok to clean the motor with a degreaser like GUNK spray and water spray covering the carburetor and distributor?

6)  Replacing spark plugs needed if it has been 2 seasons?

7)  Good idea to replace the PCV valve if previous owner doesn't know when it was replaced last?

8)  Previous owner added a peacock to the water intake line when he noticed it was running a little warm and didn't replace the water pump impeller.  Not the right way to do this I think?  I am tempted to eliminate the peacock, replace it with a water hose connection to be able to run it out of the lake and certainly replace the impeller instead.  Good idea?  Bad idea? 

9)  The interior wood (or is it faux wood?) panels need refinishing.  Should I sand these and what should I refinish them with?

10) What viscosity of motor oil should I use in GA?  Marine oil only?  Brand of oil?  Change oil every season regardless of hours put on the boat each season?

11)  Change the screw on fuel filter every season?

12)  Ok to use 10% ethanol fuel if I use the Sta-Bil marine ethanol fuel additive?

13)  How often should I caulk behind the transom exhaust ports?

14)  Ok to winterize by just draining all the water out of the manifolds, motor block drains and water pump elbow drain?  Low 20's is normally our coldest winter temps in GA.

15)  A fiberglass shop recommended I have him repair some places on the keel where the gel coat is chipped off exposing fiberglass.  He says that could cause the gel coat on the bottom of the hull to delaminate.  Sounds extreme to me.  My marina owner says he only agrees with this if I was going to leave the boat in the water for weeks at a time.  Boat will be dry stacked and in water for long weekends or a week at the most.

Thank you!!