Incredible Performance

I test drove my 87 Ski Nautique yesterday after installing a Holley Trick Kit, a new power valve, and a new Acme 540 prop. I cannot believe how much improved the performance is. After driving it for a bit and making idle adjustments I threw on a wet suit and wet skiing. This boat rocks. All it needs now is a coat of wax and some warmer weather here in Virginia!!!

It's a 4160 Holley Trick kit from Vince at Discount Inboard Marine.

Well 79nautique, you're almost correct. You seem to know all the answers so whats different in the kit. You tell us!

If your engine is stock then there really isn't a need to spend the extra money on a trick kit. Which is a universal carb kit to start with and not a kit for a specific model carb. If I was racing and had to change boosters, accell pump to meet changing weather condition then ya but I don't think you'll be doing that on the lake.

64 Skier!
To be perfectly honest I really didn't notice any engine rpm change through out the skiing range, or at top end. However, for the same top end rpm (4400) I noticed an increase of 2 mph on the top end. Keep in mind that this is only indicated on the speedo's, and the speedo's are 17 years old, but this has got to be somewhat close. I calibrated my speedo's last year to 36 miles per hour (not top end) using a hand help (aviation) gps and there are certain speed errors above and below that speed. The 540 prop is probably the best single upgrade you could do for the 2001 hull. All hull vibration is virtually gone, and out of the hole performance is comparable to the 90's nautique line. I wanted to take a few stop watch accelerations readings from 0-36 mph for comparison but I forgot my stop watch. I can assure you accelerating through 36 mph seems less than 6 seconds, but I won't make that statement until I've actually performed the test.
Prop removal is always a struggle no matter what puller you use. I used an old OJ c-type puller and it was difficult. When istalling a puller first of all make sure it's on straight, tighten, tap with a hammer, use heat on the prop, any other trick to help out. If it won't come off reposition the puller and try again (I've done this several times).
My old prop was a federal 13x13. The 540 Acme is 12x13!   

64 Skier!
Good luck with the prop removal. Don't chip any teeth Leave a little bit of the prop nut threaded on to so that when it breaks loose it stays on the shaft with the puller somewhat intact.
The Marine Holley Trick kit and a standard Marine Holley overhaul kit are not the same. The old overhaul kits gave you all new gaskets and a #25 power valve. Conservative and workable.
The Holley Trick kit gives the same Marine gaskets, but you get a #65 power valve instead. Much more aggressive results from a dead start on acceleration. Much better for slalom starts. So the kits are not the same, as the power valve can make or break carburator performance.
Correctcraft also recommended throwing out the standard #25 that comes in most kits and replacing with #65. Thats for a 4160/351 installed on a 2001 hull with all else being stock. I haven't heard what power valve comes in the Holley RENEW kits, I suspect it's a #25, maybe someone out there has a kit on hand and can shed some light on these kits.

882001,
The prop helped out a bunch (I also put in a new shaft, coupler, and strut bearing) from nicking a rock while idling in a channel- it bent the tip of the tapered shaft ever so slightly.
This boat has had some serious carburator problems for the past 2 years that I have been putting off. Starting out for a slalom run last fall the boat would hesitate, cough, and slowly accelerate with what seemed little help from the secondaries. The carb was dirty with belt dust, had some badly worn parts inside. It really has the punch out of the hole now, but at least part of that has to be the carburator working for a change.
If the weather holds out I'm going to make some 0-36mph acceleration tests and time them with a stop watch, how fast are your boats accelerating to 36mph?

The holley renew kit I bought 2 years ago had the #65 power valve in the kit already. The only thing I had to buy was the choke stat which isn't encluded in brand of kit.

Jegs lists the trick kit on their website still. I got my kit from rex marine. I used holley's website to get the correct kit number first. I don't remember if the kit had the diaphram for the secondaries or not, my dad did the overhaul at his shop, he did have to get something that wasn't in the kit and maybe it was the diaphram. On me carb it doesn't have all of the interchangable cams for the accel pump and all of the other goodies that the double pumper models have. I have thought about getting one but what I have has worked well. I had to re-jet it after all of the engine mods I did so it wouldn't run lean. I just put on my new ACME prop and a shaft seal yesterday and should be able to take it for a spin this week-end to see if I got the right pitch and dia to bring back the RPM's to 5k-5.5k and I'm looking to top out around 65mph on smooth water. My buddy is bring up his bass boat this week-end so I can find out what the top end is. I killed him out of the hole last year and hope to still be able to with the new prop.

for those that want to replace your prop overtons has a prop puller 99.99 its well worth it to have if you ever ding your prop or need to change a friends.

Gotta Ski, that sounds backwards, the higher your power valve number, the earlier (and more often) it opens and enriches your mixture. You have high vacuum when you are idleing or holding steady RPM, but when you open your throttle plates and put your engine under load, your vacuum drops and your power valve opens. If you have a low number power valve, it will not open unless you put a HUGE load on your engine (like wide-open-throttle from stop) and your vacuum drops WAY down. If your have a high number power valve, it will open more often and under less load.

Yah, I think you're right I described it backwards, and probably experienced the same symtoms as you guys before I sorted it out..

Yes, the bowl and primary metering block has to come off, for a 4160 model. New gaskets are required.

If they are the blue holley gaskets you should be able to remove them without damage just be carefull. I pulled mine off about four or five times with no problem when I was change the jets last year.

Jim,

I recall you putting a HP cam in that rebuild...you may want to get a vacuum gauge and measure your engine vacuum from idle to Max RPM...dead starts with a skier etc and then talk to Holley before you buy.

I can't remember and maybe one of you guy's know, but under a hard start you may not want the secondaries flooding in more fuel to quickly so a lower # power valve may be better???

Isn't there some type of rule of thumb for the vacuum and RPM you want the power valve to unload more fuel???