1955 CC Hurricane Restoration

Mark, good to see you again last weekend and glad you made it home safely. here's what I've found so far, after discussing this with Dave Van Ness who rebuilt the water pump we're pretty sure we've got it figured out.

It is simply a bad thermostat. Inside that thermostat housing there is of course a stat and a pressure relief valve. With the raw water pump functioning correctly there is sufficient water pressure in the loop to bypass a small amount of it to the exhaust elbows to keep them cool while the engine is warming up.    The stat in this motor is normally open. In the open (cold)state, water is redirected back down to the raw water pickup and recirculated back into the engine. This recirculation occurs until the engine gets up to 135 degrees, the stat closes and allows hot water to exit via the exhaust elbows. The stat will regulate how much water exits opening and closing the recirc loop to keep the engine temp constant.

With the stat frozen open the hot water never exits the motor and is only being recirculated back into the engine so the temps continue to climb. The pressure relief valve has 4 small openings that allow just enough water to exit to the exhaust elbows to keep them from over heating that's why I was getting a fairly normal temp reading on them with the gun even though the system was not functioning properly.

A quick fix for last weekend would have been to simply take a pair of vise grips and clamp off that recirc line, that would have forced the hot water to exit the motor via the pressure relief valve. The result would have been like running with no stat at all and we may have run cold but better than the situation we had.

Van Ness has rebuilt several of these Hemis and says there really is no issue with the pump sucking air from that return line because that stat when operating properly closes that recirc line off. Biggest problem I have now is finding a new stat, they don't exist. van Ness has a few old ones he is testing to see if they still function and I should find out today, worst case scenario is I install a shut off valve on the return line and force the motor to run a little cold until we get the proper stat in it.

I'll post a photo of the thermostat later, it's not a typical spring type stat. It is a wax filled coil that will expand when the wax gets heated, mine must be leaking and can't hold pressure.

We're real close now and the boat will hit the water again next weekend down at Lake Clinton and will run this time, I think.

Alan you are the man. Even though I saw it pull away from the dock I can't wait to see videos of her under a load.

8122pbrainard wrote: 81nautique wrote: It is simply a bad thermostat. I'm very happy you found the problem!!    Have you called Hurrikain Marine for the T stat?

They don't go back that far Pete, mid 60's seems to be their limit for parts.

I think for now the boats going to get a shut off valve so we can run it. Van ness has gone through a dozen stats and still hasn't found a good one.

If I have to I'll have a new housing machined this winter that can accept a modern thermostat.

Alan have you called up Anthony Keats? They are crazy Canadians that love their marine Mopars. I was going to mention that to you at GL but forgot. Just for reference.

I had a BIG SMILE on my face, just watching the video. Can't image how you both had to feel!

Made all those hours you invested worth it!!!

WOW....that thing sounds great....and what a great wake for skiing! I would have been nervous as HELL the first time out with that thing!!....

All that fuss over a failed thermostat... glad to hear it was something simple after all! Looks and sounds great, Alan!

Be cautious about loading the motor up with a big prop- that'll cause more stress than spinning it too high. Hopefully you can get that tach functioning so you have some data to go by soon. I assume the end goal would be to end up with a 12" wheel? I was admiring your prop clearance at GL... wow!

67nautique312 wrote: I would have been nervous as HELL the first time out with that thing!!....

I have been a bit nervous but the butterflies are gone now Paul, now I just need to get it dependable so I can trust it a little more.

Well...i'm right there with ya alan....just worked out all the bugs in the yello promo and gonna make a splash(wheather permit)on Friday...

Great to see and hear it on the water.

Great to see it cruising the waterways Alan.

That ski wake looks good. Maybe take some bags next time and see what the surf wake is like.

Awesome to see video and sound of her run Alan,what can one say that has not already been said? I saw in the thread that you said it had been in a barn since 75,any idea of when it was last on the water?

My favorite was in video 2 when Dana panned across the starboard side and for moment you could see Alan's face, only for a moment, but there was a big ole smile pasted on that face! Very cool, congrats guys!

Where's the link to the video? I must be missing something?

81nautique wrote: The thermostat problem is still not resolved as we haven't located a good one yet. I installed a shut of valve to divert hot water out of the engine, temps got to about 120 and stayed there so a little cool but better than the opposite.

Have you tried opening the valve to allow some hot water back into the pickup line. You maybe able to find a sweet spot that gives you the correct operating temperature till you can locate a good thermostat.