1990 Bass Boat. Can We Fix It? 

Mustie1 “escalating the situation” and talking to me (all of you too) on camera is why I love his channel. Really like the format of dropping videos on Sunday mornings - really makes my day!!

I'm only 27, but disabled, and I empathize with this man greatly. It's so frustrating when our bodies don't let us do the things we want to do. Sometimes I just sit and stare at my projects, just trying to find some enjoyment in it still.

I had a neighbor who did car repairs on the side. He mounted an aftermarket inline fuel pump to a small board and attached several feet of hose to the inlet and outlet side. He had clips on the electrical connection. He used this to drain fuel tanks before he dropped them. It worked great. Put the inlet hose down the fuel filler and the outlet into a jerry can. Connect the wires to the battery and watch it drain the tank. Something like this would be a good addition to your shop considering how often deal with old and dirty fuel.

As a big guy who struggles with health problems, I can commiserate with just not being able to get around like I used to when I was younger, thinner, and healthier. I really hope Mustie can coax him into that boat for one last ride, even if he has to physically help him into the boat. No video, no pressure, just a pleasant cruise with two great guys...

Considering how much good advice you've given me over the years, let me try to return the favor. I own an 89 Black Max 200 hp and it is without a doubt one of the greatest engines I've ever owned. Few things to keep in mind however. First off, never start without the leg in water or on water muffs,. The impeller can literally get chewed up in seconds when it's dry. Secondly, these beasts hate ethanol fuel. Run pure gas with no ethanol and you will have no problems whatsoever. Third, the oil injection system is a common failing on these as the drive gear is made of plastic and when they get older they eventually break. Either preemptively replace the oil pump, or better yet switch to premix 50 to 1 and you'll have no worries about oil. Overall it's one of the best high horsepower, 2-stroke outboard engines ever made, if you take good care of her she'll treat you right forever. Love the channel, keep up the good work.

Mustie, I got an old bass boat last year with a stuck steering system and I had to do the same thing that you did. I had to clean out the tilt tube with a shotgun brush and solve it. I had to go a step further and use some emery cloth to clean out the rust. But it works good as new now. Good luck with your new toy.

Happy Father’s Day to all. Nobody’s up yet and having my coffee watching Mustie. It’s a great Father’s Day already.

Disable the oil injection asap. Black Max's had plastic gear drives for the injection pump, and they were not good. Other than that, bullet proof motors.

When you said "I wish machines would just understand that I'm going to keep escalating things until something breaks or it gives. Might as well give up now"... I felt that in the core of my being, all my jury rigged, mickey mouse and BFH "repairs" over the years felt that too. Nicely done, Mustie!

And now we wait for part two, didn’t realize this one was over an hour long, you kept us on the edge of our seats and never lost our attention….good job.

Who is crazier? The guy talking to his audience as if they were in the room with him when making his video...or the guy who talks back when watching it? (me)

Your garage needs a resident cat to keep a check on all those pesky varmints

That steering cable was expertly handled. Well done, Mustie 🙌

Dang it Mustie, I am now 100% invested. I have to see how this turns out . I was yelling "no !!" at the computer 1:15:00 in , knowing I am not going to see how this turns out today. Please revisit this soon. And thanks for everything.

what a fun project. thanks for sharing your video. I love how you showed what you were doing, brought us into your work space, and how you tackled issues/problems as they came up. Iwould love to see this boat float and run again. I want to see that video!!

1/4” rod. Cut a slot on one end. Slide in emery cloth. Chuck it up in the drill.

This looks like just my kind of series. Don't know why, but this one got me riveted.

Sunday morning coffee and watching Mustie1 work on a boat, 100%

The owner did an excellent job in preserving the boat. It was well covered, not in Weeds and he remembered the history of it. He did an excellent job in preserving it with the resources that he wanted to allocate to it.

Mustie I never get tired of watching your video's. You amaze me how you figure things out. You're lucky you have the tools to get the job done. And if you don't have the tools, you improvise. Can't wait to see it run and hit the lakes. Thanks again for the video.

When “resistance is futile” combines with “just need a bigger hammer”, put your money on Mustie! Happy Pappie Day everyone.

I was trying to imagine Mustie, Bass fishing. But it kept turning into a "Freedom Factory" jet boat style experience.

me: looks at title, 1990, and thinks, "wow thats like new", then you realize 1990 is over 30 years ago..

I learned a long time ago that nothing stops mustie from rectifying something and either getting it running or performing the way it should. That’s why I love this channel because the enthusiasm is endless and the videos are amazingly informative. I’m looking forward to the next video mustie. 😉

The end of this video is exactly what I needed. I have the exact same problem with the steering and now I have an idea where to start. I'm not a boat guy and it's my first boat. Thank you

Completely respect Ken for knowing it’s time to pass it along. Too many people hold onto stuff and then it’s too late. Although sometimes they do end up in Musties shop.

Shame we have to get old and can’t do the things we love to do. You can hear the disappointment in his voice!

Poor Ken. Might be a nice idea to take him out for a trip once everything is done. You'd be surprised how powerful a memory that would be for him.

Just when you thought it couldn't get any better Mustie cuts a deal with Santa Claus on his old boat, brilliant 😎

Two things, always wash a boat that’s been sitting head to tail before you begin work, it will reveal what you wouldn’t see otherwise. Two, always run the carbs dry when putting the boat up. Bonus info, fog the cylinders and turn the engine over with spark plugs out to knock out any moisture or debris. Also, the bar in the back was a transom saver, I highly recommend one!

Well done from the Roberts family in England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

I see how you work, BOY, everything falls into place and works. Reminds me of an old Coast Guard motto,: "use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without." Lots of improvisation and DIY engineering. I just love watching you work.

I had a similar situation as this and I had the same purchase of a boat that just sat around not being used. You have the same problem I had or will have and it is all about the big D! (Deterioration). Everything on that boat is dry rotted and waterlogged and you will be replacing everything under the sun from now to the day your stranded on a lake. I got so tired of breaking down and all I needed to do was REPLACE EVERYTHING. My hat goes off to you taking on a boat that has been in hibernation. I never felt comfortable boating in mine and that takes all the fun out of it.

The done thing on all old 2 stroke Mercs is to take off the oil pump and run them on 50:1 premix! The pumps have proved to be unreliable. I believe that mercury even sell a blanking plate for the hole left in the block! Definitely worth looking into! Cheers from England!

At the end those snowblowers snapped to attention when Mustie approached like dogs in the window.

I really love the cassette player in it really shows what time period this boat is from!

I'm so glad you decided against drilling holes in the engine mount/ steering coupling shaft!

I would get rid of that stainless steel prop if you're going to be running this in fresh/brackish water. While they perform better than aluminum, if you hit something in the water you'll damage the shaft/seals before the prop. The aluminum acts as a sort of weak link between the gearbox. Stainless steel is of course better and won't flex, but you learn the hard way about these things!

Waited all week for this. Coffee time 👍

Bass boats are fast. When you’re finished, it’d been fun to see you take it out on the water and see how fast you can get it going.

Thanks for the series. Bought a 94 pro craft and used a lot of your video to learn. Especially with the steering components. Mine wasn’t seized completely but would barely steer. Used your methods and now it steers with one finger! Thanks again!

Yes.. a very Happy Father's Day to everyone.. I like watching (listening?.. lol) to you as you go through your self check troubleshooting diagnostics experience checklist.... lessons to be learned, my friend.. great stuff!

I know Ken said hes not steady on his feet, but it would be great to see him go out on it when its fixed up even if he has to stay seated !

Seeing the crap that was in the tank looks like someone was putting oil in with the gas which is a sign that the oiler wasn't working correctly.

I had a boat just like just a little older model, (1988). I loved my boat and caught tons of fish out of it. I recently sold it to buy a deep-v. If I could have kept it, I would have. Great job on it!!

Awesome guy who is selling the boat he is letting it go to be used again for fellow fisherman.than it sitting up and going bad .nice boat looking forward to seeing it run

That's a nice boat. I just picked up a 18ft 1987 bass trophy that's been sitting for years. First time working on a boat. Wish me luck.

"I wish machines would just understand that I am going to keep escalating the situation, until it either breaks or comes free" - I have been here so many times and it's comforting to hear someone else use that logic. Never let the inanimate objects win

Two best times for a boat owner: When you buy it and when you sell/give it away…

Holy hell. A Humminbird 4ID! I got one of those when my dad gave me his old boat. People still love those things.

Just bought my girlfriend a 1993 f150 for $500. She always wanted a truck to rebuild. OH MY WORD did she get more to rebuild than she thought she would. But it runs and drives but doesn't stop... yet. We attacked it the mustie1 way of not buying anything right away and she ran so smoothly. I love your videos and insight when it's worth saving or scrapping.

Hey man. NICE FIND! I have a word of advice on that Merc if I may. I have the same engine in Mariner flavor (everything is gray instead) on a 19 foot Procraft.. The oil system is a possible failure point which can cause the engine to run without oil. Mine has been removed and retrofitted to take premix gas only. Its a bit of a pain to fill, however the peace of mind is awesome. I use a 50:1 mix of high quality marine two stroke oil, with marine gas and a bit of Star Tron additive, and its good to go! I really love your videos man. Thanks a lot for all you do and share.

I loved your video on how you attacked going through the project cause I too got a boat that was unused for 10 yrs cause I wasn't quite sure where to begin but you took the guessing out for me. You should make more videos like this. Thanks it was one of the best videos I ve seen.

I kept checking how much time was left in the video and hoping it wasn’t close to the end. You my friend made it just right. Thanks 😊

You should try and avoid removing a engine cover in the garage. Do it outside so the critters go off into the woods. Couldn't help but laugh when Mustie1 jumped back. Mice always do that to me too.

This is really a cracking video but genuinely, what a lovely bloke you got it from. Please can you bring him on the occasional video? Even if it’s just a Christmas special! 👊

I just sold my 1989 1800fs ,(converted to a full deck) in southern az, wish I could have kept it but I bought it 2 month ago from the original owner, he had a picture of him and his son in a car seat sitting on the deck. His sons now a grown man with a family of his own. had a 115 on it and one of the best taken care of 32 year old boats I’d ever seen.

The extent of your knowledge never ceases to amaze me.

I wonder if Ken is sitting at home now, watching this video……

I was thinking drilling a couple of holes for grease zerks in the steering / motor pivot shaft.

Nice seeing the boat being resurrected. I'm also happy to see you're from NH. I'm right near Lake Winnipesaukee. ❤

The switch on the front navigation light is for the auxiliary light on the back, like a map light. Separate bulb for the navigation light. Have the identical light on my Nitro. Almost wish I was there to answer your questions as you went...lol! I have a 94 Nitro 180TF, this boat is the predecessor to mine.

The blue in the main tank, is most likely old oil that has separated out (- I've been there). That may indicate the auto-oiler is non-functional, thus adding oil into the fuel tank.

Great video as always Mustie. Just a reminder, turning an outboard backwards can ruin the water pump impeller, especially a dried out one. Thanks for all the fun entertainment and knowledge sharing!

Love your shows. Lots of knowledge and humor. That’s a win win.

Machines need to understand that I am going to escalate...laughed out loud.

Great video, Love your positive attitude! Just got a 17ft fishing boat to restore and already learned a bunch from this video. Keep up the good work and thanks again!

I love watching these videos! Very inspiring to me to get off of the couch and getting activated to cleaning my stuff up before summer starts!

Moral of the story: Turn bass boat steering wheel once every six months.

Great video! I was waiting for the “snap” at the press!! glad it all worked out!

Thanks Matt! I think you have some happy birds out there!

This actually reminds me of a bass boat that my parents and I drove by on the way back from my uncles Lakehouse that I assume used to say “Bass Tracker,” but either Mother Nature or someone else rubbed off the “B,” so it looked like it said “Ass Tracker.”

That is a fine little diamond in the rough you got there! I feel for that dear old fellow, you can tell he really loved that boat and he took the best care of it that he could; much respect for him loving it so much to let it go to someone else so it will continue to be taken good care of. And for that, it went to the best someone else! Now, off to watch the rest of the videos, to see, not IF you can make it run and putt around the pond, but how much or how little work you have to do to make it run and putt around the pond, because running and putting around the pond it will when it's in the more than capable hands of the legendary Mustie1 😊

Very interesting … cool seeing you problem solve the resurrection of that boat!

Bruh I love old guys that have classic items and take care of them even tho they can't use em like they want.. and when the right person comes along, they are willing to let it go to a good home.

I fully understand about the steering. Just finished mine. I'll be looking for more video's. Thanks for my new knowledge.

I just got off work, about to go to bed..... now I guess I'm not.

I just went over this with my boat that had sat for about 10 years. I disconnected the clamp that holds the two cable end rods together. Then took the nut or seal off the ends and slid about a foot of 7/8 rubber hose over the threads. Clamped it down tight then filled it with ATF. Then put a air valve on the end and put about 60 pounds on it. Left each one of them for like a week working the steering wheel everyday more and more. Mine is now about 80% better, it’s not perfect but a lot quicker and cheaper than $600 for new cables. I could barely move it to start with but it wasn’t quite as bad as yours.

Good work you are getting there. Geez that steering cable was a bastard but you got it sorted. Thanks for sharing I'm looking forward to the next chapter.

Great to see another video. I hope you enjoyed the black and white framed VW picture I left in your house mail box last year

i like mustie. he does the repairs that are difficult. gives me alot of insight. not like the clips ive seen before there the repair man changed the whole, with brand new deluxe part. this is real!

If those people was throwing that out & you got those snow blowers and weedeater from the curb, wow 😲 that’s one heck of a find! Kudos to you 👏 , one man’s junk is another man’s treasure.

Dude! This freaks me out. Mice running around. EEEEWWWWHHH. lol Thanks goodness this boat found an expert such as yourself to breath the breath of life back into it. Outstanding!!

You’re unbelievably talented so happy for your RU-vid channel I’m a loyal viewer for years and years. Cheers from 🇨🇦

Boats are holes in the water that you try to fill up with money.

I had the same exact boat in blue about 20 years ago. Loved it. Mine had a Johnson 120 on it.

I'm having such a good time watching you play, sometimes I feel like putting my hand through the computer screen to hold the vice gip while you wail on an uncooperative bolt!

sooo lol. not sure if others have mentioned but the steering tube was stuck from old grease that turned into a rock lol. Also... THAT TUBE HOLDS THE ENGINE ON THE CLAMPS LOPL....Heat friend.... a torch over the tube would turn the grease into soft stuff again and you are set. They do make a wiper for the port side to keep the grease in and junk out. That too helps. I have a 2-foot long drill bit that I use at my shop when this happens to clean it out once the shaft is removed. Looks like you have a great find there. The oil system is like you suggested. The onboard tank gets fed from the big tank by air pressure pulses that then fill the small tank. Fill it up and then leave the cap loose until oil comes out. That small tank keeps your engine alive. I always run a small amount in the fuel on the older engines as well. Replace that fuel line and primer bulb before trying to run fuel to the engine.. It's a safety hazard and deadly when it is hardened. Also, the inner part of the hose is terrible and will crack into pieces and plug your carbs. Best of luck to you.

I had worked at a place just doing a part time job during high school...i worked hard, did a good job (even though it was a min wage job) and they seemed to appreciate it a ton, they said about always having a job for me there, that being a job working on outboards mostly, as the guy doing it is either over on work and or is getting a bit older and wants somebody to learn the trade and replace him or just help a bunch. Gonna go see what's up, love your videos, they've been helping a ton with just getting a brain that thinks of how things come apart and go together and whats good what's bad. Was doing car and truck mechanics for a little bit, but i figure i might go down this route and always can still work on my own stuff.

great video Mustie - watching it with my son on father's day !!!

Allan banks UK this was really grate, loved it , cant wait for part 3,Many thanks allan

I know its old, but in the future, you can make a simple siphoning bucket to such the fuel out of a tank. Put a length of hose from your tank to the bucket lid, with a nice tight seal. Bring that hose about halfway to the bottom of the bucket. Drill a second hole and affix an attachment of some sort to allow you to use a shop vac to suck the air out of the bucket. Do not extend any pipe of hose from this side into the bucket. Turn on your shop vac, and it will suck the fuel into the bucket, but the air gap will stop you from ingesting it into the vacuum.

Thanks Mustie1, Good to see you again Central California Watching

DO NOT TRUST THE AUTO OILER! THEY ARE NOTORIOUS FOR ROASTING THE MOTOR!

Nothing wrong with that gas. It's the new green energy everyone is talking about.

I'm an equipment mechanic for the museum where Dupont started. Lots of big equipment sits around for long periods. I've come across that odd green crap coming out of a couple machines that sat for a long time. I kept a bottle for shits and giggles. It's like Listerine and a separate tar-ie substance with it. Weird stuff. I surmised some stabilizer of some sort as well.

Really good watch. Can't wait for part 2!

I just love watching you get over problems Mustie.👍

Awesome Find We had the same Boat my dad picked up from a friend at work in Tennessee my Cousin Currently has it We have a 1986 Mark Twain with a Mercury 115hp Power Of Tower my parents have a 1986 StarCraft nothing like a nice day out on the water with family and friends

Clean unit for sitting for 7 yrs. Hope Ken still get to go fishing sometimes