GTR 35hp Maintenance & Surface Drive General Info
Let me preface this by saying I am by no means a FE but I am trying to have an all encompassing maintenance post specific for the 35 GTR. Please correct me on any misinformation I may have posted and add anything which I failed to mention.
See
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=41 for detailed part numbers that may apply to the GTR 35. I am trying to not reinvent the wheel but simply am documenting several posts worth of information into one reference post.
**GATOR-TAIL Maintenance**
FUSES (what is on my CC):
25A blade fuse on motor
5A & 25A blade fuse in battery box
5A inline fuse
40A manual reset circuit breaker
2 trim relays (can get cheap, spare replacements at autozone part # 19272- better to get the replacements from GT)
OIL CHANGE:
1st oil change at 20 hours and 50 hour intervals thereafter
2 Qts of any 10w-30. The FE's are recommending oil with a high zinc content (boatdr?)
Oil filter Briggs part # 492932. wix oil filter 47035
TRANSMISSION:
Change at same time as each oil change and with same oil
LOWER UNIT:
Change every 15 hours with AMSOIL Synthetic Water Resistant Grease per GT
VALVE LASH:
1st check at 10 hours and regular intervals at 25- 50 hours - set at .004-.006 intake and exhaust
SPARK PLUGS:
AUTOLITE APP3923 or AP3923- gapped at 0.35 according to Deadbird8 and others....
Champion-RC14YC
NGK-ZFR5F-11
BOSCH-7527 or FR8 DC
Briggs advises that the plugs be gapped at .030
GAS & AIR FILTERS:
Inspect every 50-100 hours. Change air filter as needed. I would change gas filter at 70-100 hours.
GENERAL INFO:
Add a fuel-water separator as a good precaution
Sand will fukk up a prop in a short time. That's why they are not called sandmotors.
Normal RPM'S in water should be at 3600 and higher. (3700-3900 is a good range for stock - correct me if I'm wrong)
Typical stock top speeds can vary from 26-30+ depending on the rig your pushing and weight. My GT 1860 with a Stage 1 will run about 29-30 with just me and a light load. This will drop to 26-28ish with 4 people and a full bowfishing assortment.
DIFFERENT STAGES:
Generally speaking -
Stage 1 (decked heads, exhaust and cam) is a good reliable mod to help with load carrying. Good mod for a guy who hunts and fishes but is not out to set speed records.
Stage 2 (carb) & 3 (the works, pistons, rods, intake, etc) diminished reliability over the long haul (some have had hundreds of hours on these mods while others have just a few). These mods are more risky for a guy who depends on his rig. The common denominator for disaster is usually stress on the motor running at high rpm's. The guys that are experimenting with these mods are carving the path for MM manufacturers future motors and are speeding up the learning curve for all of us.
Someone please define what goes into the different stages. Hell, I can't keep track of the different versions or what people are calling stage 1,2 or 3 mods. I think that is a frequently asked question for new guys to the site which would help with guys decision making process. There is a search feature on the site that will take you to untold threads on most of the info I am covering.
MMT SOAPBOX TANGENT:
A quick education for guys thinking about getting a surface drive:
GATORTRAX does not make motors, they make BOATS
GATORTRAX has nothing to do with GATOR-TAIL!!!!!
Gator-Tail has Instant Reverse with neutral (a lever or pedal which reverses the prop when in neutral) Belt drive
Prodrive - Full Power Reverse with neutral (either hydraulic or manual 180degree turning of the lower unit for reverse)
Gear driven
Muddbuddy - Neutral and NO reverse. Belt driven
GoDevil - no neutral (pick prop out of water) Belt driven with universal joints
Copperhead - same as GoDevil. Belt driven
There..... I hope I saved some of you the agony of the search function and gave you the cliff notes surface drives 101 and Gator-Tail maintenance 105.