Saving Old Seagulls

Greetings all,

Just received my "new" QB Kingfisher (KL 48 A9) imported from the UK to East Coast USA. Apparently it was used about 5 times and then sat in a garage for the following years. It looks to be in very good shape and was tested with a bucket run before shipping. I will be using it on a 19' West Wight Potter.

I've just ordered all the manuals (workshop, service, spares), new spark plugs, Miller's EP90, and proper marine two stroke oil. But since I will depend on the engine for some challenging conditions in my area, I plan on taking some of it apart to check the internals and address some very minor rust issues. Some of the fasteners are rusting - enough to warrant replacement. Especially the two studs that mount the shaft to the engine, which by the way are nearly impossible to access (sockets and wrenches don't fit the tight space). In my research on this forum, I see that QB fasteners may be a mix of standards - "metric above the water line, except the water fittings BSP, flywheel nut BSF & the carb and exhaust tube, BSF & BSA."

It seems that common Seagull part suppliers do not list QB fasteners specifically, unlike for other models. Can anyone provide advice for best source for fasteners guaranteed to fit the QB model? Also, would very much appreciate any general advice on QB ownership. This is my first experience working on an engine (I'm 16 yrs), but I would eventually like to completely recondition it so I have a full understanding of its workings and confidence in reliability.

Thanks in advance for your advice!

Hi, and welcome to the forum.

Most of the Kingfisher threads are metric M8.

All you need is some marine grade stainless steel nylock nuts.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/A4-Marine-Gra ... 53f86a7e1a

And some 13 mm spanners.

I would strip it to look at the condition, cylinder head and cylinder can rust badly, so remove head and have a look, clean out water passages.
Internal exhaust can be a problem as they corrode and fall off, removing the eternal exhaust from the cylinder can be impossible, so drop the gearbox and look inside the exhaust.

A good one will look like this.
Post some pictures, it will help judge the condition, If the cylinder is good you should be OK.

Gearbox can be a bit of a problem and is a very complex poor design, get it running first and see if it stays in gear.

H-A

Dear H-A,

Just wanted to send a quick note to say "Thank You!" Your advice is very helpful. I will be ordering some M8 lock nuts as suggested and check on the internals - your pictures are a great source. Will work on it this weekend and come back with some pictures.

Thanks again...