Bearcat #6 arrives home

[Helmar]

The video was pretty cool.
Didn't realize you were getting so gray (like me
Good luck on finding other props as I know of no other prop that will interchange with them.

For the tach, any four cylinder tach will work.
The one I am using switches from 8,6, and down to 4 cylinder and works fine.

I am quite sure it will spin a larger prop with no issues.

Did you have prop chart for the 55 that shows some of the prop sizes ?
Even if you had the buggered prop, that outfit over in Clackamas on Hwy 224 can build up a prop to whatever you need.
That sucker should fly on that boat

[Super Sportster]

Sea Trials

Sea Trials today and we made it back with limited problems. The engine runs fine but trolling was an issue. Those carbs are so sensitive to adjustment. I had to set them again to run smoothly and it would not seem to stay smooth. I finally had the idea it may be the cover so as I replaced the cover I noticed a change. Left it off and it ran great. Trolled at about 1.5 mph. I replaced the cover later and it seemed okay.

I could only get a "top" (limited) speed of 30 mph, just 3 mph faster than the 55. I have no tach yet so I'm not going to run it WOT but I'm sure it will be needing a different prop and I didn't attempt to set the tilt. It flat gets with it out of hole and planes very quickly, 29 mph at half throttle. It runs great. Did I mention it's British and all things British leak? Some more minor oil leaks to track down. It looks like the fuel pump gasket.

Here's another video link. I wish my camera man would have spent a little more time on the engine instead of the GPS
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSyWgp275aI

Dick

[Super Sportster]

Way Cool !!!
I hope you can tell everyone the difference between the two engines in performance once you take it out (Soon I hope)

Need to put one of those propeller things on it though

Looks sweet and once you get next to one of those older smokers, got to rub it in

My plan is taking it up to the lake in the morning so you should hear something about it tomorrow eve. Damn I knew I'd forgot something...........let's see where did I put the prop??:eek:

I want see how it will troll that's the part I like, when it trolls slower than the kickers. I'm sitting here looking at the 55 and how small it looks, it looks like a kicker now! So if the 85 works out I can cleanup this 55, probably paint it and getting it looking nice.

Dick

[Helmar]

So it's ready! Made the swap today and two hoists are better than one. It's a bolt on replacement. Had to change out the oil sender as my light wouldn't work.

Tim if I come up with something on the spring I'll let you know.

Dick

Way Cool !!!
I hope you can tell everyone the difference between the two engines in performance once you take it out (Soon I hope)

Need to put one of those propeller things on it though

Looks sweet and once you get next to one of those older smokers, got to rub it in

[Super Sportster]

Sea trials tomorrow

So it's ready! Made the swap today and two hoists are better than one. It's a bolt on replacement. Had to change out the oil sender as my light wouldn't work.

Tim if I come up with something on the spring I'll let you know.

Dick

[Tim McCrain]

Bummer about hitting the splash well, those 85's are huge ... If you figure out a good replacement for the lock spring I'll be your first customer!

Tim

[Super Sportster]

Thanks Tim, too bad it won't work though, the cover hits the raised part of the transom well before I reach the lock. So it looks like back to the drawing board. I'll have to make the wider part longer and move the lock slot up. I can use this one on one of the other engines. As far as the spring, The 55 has one which doesn't work so now that it's off I'll do some investigating on this. I've made springs before so I'll see what I can do.

Dick

[Tim McCrain]

Nice fabrication. Did you by any chance come up with a replacement for the spring on the tilt lock? Mine was toasted after persuading the bolt out of the casting with a torch and I haven't yet figured out a good replacement.

Tim

[Super Sportster]

Ready to mount it

Yesterday and this morning was spent fabricating some parts. The lock for the tilt was missing so I made one. One of the rear cover mounts was also missing so I made one for that also. Looking at this engine it "looks" like from the pan down it's the same as the 55 and the Coventry Climax powerhead was adapted to fit. The rear "V" in the pan is there but the cover design in the rear is somewhat squared off so the cover really doesn't fit. I asked Bill about this and apparently they are all like this.

Was tuning more yesterday and had it idling at 400 rpm fairly smoothly, it ran that way till I shut it down. My concern is trolling. Ed Zogg says his will troll at 1 mph. It should be fine at the 600-650 rpm it's to be set at.

[Super Sportster]

Charging system works

Uncharted waters on this, it's completely different than the 55's. I guess this is a center tap alternator which I'm totally unfamiliar with but got a crash course in. There are two black boxes on the stbd side of the engine and I was missing one of them. They are a rectifier and a regulator. I was missing the regulator. Ed Zogg sent some instructions for some aftermaket replacement parts. The rectifier he used is similar to the Radio Shack Bridge Rectifier I've been using on the 55's, the regulator works the same as many of the late '60's and early '70's Honda motorcycles. I just happened to have some laying around. Following his instructions for wiring the rectifier and going to the Honda manual for the regulator this system works perfect. Regulator cuts in a 14.8 volts as it should.
I'm getting closer
Dick

[Super Sportster]

I'll have to agree it's sweet and awesome! I left work early tonight and am starting my two weeks of vacation. Part of the plan is to have this engine on the boat and in the water. I almost hate to remove the 55 as it has been also running sweet and awesome, I was also concerned whether or not my boat would handle the weight of this so I've made some calls to dealers and others and everyone has said it should handle it no problem. I've never had anything close to the maximum rated HP on any of my boats so I'm kind of pumped up to try this. I'm really enjoying the 4 strokes over my 2 strokes. After I've tried this out Joe you might have to pry it out of my cold dead hands! Saturday I've got another idea to try to correct the hesitation in the carbs. I've never had carbs as sensitive as these, they change so quick with the slightest turn of the idle screw. Then I have to go on the charging system. Down to Radio Shack for another bridge rectifier I'm sure. My plan was to run the #2 Bearcat 55 which is on the boat now, pull the #1 Bearcat 55 apart as it has compression issues and replace the early block with the "A" block. The 85hp has put a cog in the wheel for now. I've also fired of the #3 short shaft 55, it needs some more work but should be a good one. The #4 has also been fired off and it's a sweetheart. I too am hooked on these, can you tell?

Dick

[Helmar]

Another Bearcat Lives

Way Cool Dick.
I got first dibs on that engine if you ever decide to sell or trade it off
Fact is, I have two boats to hang that engine on, no, make that three.

[Tim McCrain]

Awesome!

[Dave C]

Sweeeet

[Super Sportster]

Progress and video

Continued with repair and tuning this week, and it's been HOT in the garage. I've made new float bowl gaskets and a valve cover gasket. Today was test day now that the accelerator pumps are working. It's closer but it still needs a little more tuning. It idles at 600 rpm but has a small hesitation on acceleration. Overall it runs very well. Carbs are very touchy for ajustment. I did do a compression check today also, 165 lbs in all four cylinders. Oil leak is gone. I've been in contact with Ed Zogg who's been running one of these for at least eight years and he was kind enough to send me several pages of spec's and cross references for parts. I uploaded a video on Youtube of mine running: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3iWMU-9g4WE

Dick