Maybe today???

[Cuda]

I'm hoping to finally pick up the Minx today. I just got off the phone with the mech. He said he is just waiting on a new shift cable and it should come today. I'm pumped up. Especially since I have to take the Formula to the boat doctor today. :frown:

[Cuda]

Went by this morning, he has the cable. He was just putting the drive on, and said to call back. I just called back, now the drive will trim up, but not down. He had just started trouble shooting it. He sounded confident. Let's hope so.

[Tim Morris]

What about that new steering wheel? I got mine last week, but haven't picked up the boat yet. Do you know if there are any tricks to the install?

[McGary911]

Good luck cuda. Hopefully that drive thing is just a solenoid\wiring thing. Hope you get on the water this weekend....

[EricG]

I'm hoping that since you haven't posted otherwise you have picked up the boat and are out testing it as we speak? :biggrin:

Keep us posted. I can't wait to see pics of that Minx in the water again...

EG

[Cuda]

The trim problem is the switch went bad. I can jump the wires until I get another switch. He was surprised to find that Merc still made this switch. That's no big deal. What is a big deal it seems the engine builder (me) has done something wrong. It's only firing on four cylinders. The mechanice suspects an intake valve that's stuck open. We pulled the valve covers to check it I had overtightened a valve, but didn't find one. On one side there was water in the oil, which indicates to me a valve open. Any ideas on what is causing this?

[MOP]

Cuda important so no more damage occurs pull the plugs spin it over get the any water out that may be in cylinders, then oil the cylinders well turn it over again. This should keep things OK while you investigate. Guesses leaky riser blown head gasket, hopefully not worse like something cracked. 99% of the time water comes from the top end and leaks down past the rings so oil it good.

Phil

[Rootsy]

ok first things first on a BRAND NEW ENGINE...

1. did you seal the head bolt threads properly?

2. did you TORQUE the head bolts properly in sequence and to specified torque...

3. what head gaskets did you use? and are you SURE the heads and block were FLAT and clean?

4. do you have the plug wires on right... port is 1 3 5 7 starboard is 2 4 6 8... clockwise rotation on the distributor cap

5. firing order is 18436572

6. where is initial timing set at idle? what is idle rpm? set the initial timing first and then rbing the idle up via the carb.

7. what did you gap the plugs at?

8. are you sure the distrubtor is NOT installed one tooth off?

9. did you prime the motor before installing the distributor?

10. what oil is in it right NOW?

11. how long did you run this thing before this happened?

12. did it get hot?

13. there isn't a bunch of shiny metallic stuff in the pan is there?

generally if you pull a valvecover on a fresh motor and there is water around the valve springs and rockers on top of the head you better begin checking head bolt seal on a sbc... if you pull plugs and find water on them then it is quite likely a head gasket leaking...

for whatever reason.. i ONCE saw an engine *sbc* that was assembled properly... head bolts torqued in 5 steps, backed off individually and retorqued.. using proper sealant and moly lube... it sat for a month before it was run and the bolts lost their stretch for whatever reason... the guys caught it right away and ended up replacing head gaskets and doing the torque thing over... fired it immediately, broke camshaft in and then retorqued heads before the sealant could setup. these were brand new FELPRO blue headgaskets and ARP bolts.. engine never had an issue after that and went well over 100,000 miles...

hope you get her whipped...

[BUIZILLA]

On one side there was water in the oil, which indicates to me a valve open. I don't agree with this scenario..

J

[Cuda]

Okay, the mech decided it was number 8 that was bad. Pulled the plug and water in the cylinder. No compression in the cylinder. He got a leak down tester and connected it to the cylinder. It started holding pressure. Tightened the rocker arms bad down.... no compression. Backed off the intake rocker are....no compression.......backed off both rockers........compression! Here's our theory. The leakdown checker pushed something out of the valve seat, or just pushed the valve up and we made compression. When the rockers were tightened, they were still holding the valves open. So the two lifters are bad. They think they are collapsed, but I think they didn't compress. I believe I could see the difference in the number of threads if it were tighten all the way to the bottom travel of the lifter piston, which to me this doesn't appear to be the case. He said it would be faster to install two new lifters than dick around with it. I told him to set the valves as if they were solid lifters with 30 thousandths clearance and let's see if it runs. I'm hoping the lifters will either pump up, or leak down whichever it needs. In either case, it shouldn't damage anything. If the lifter pumps up, it will just take the clearance out. If it leaks down, I'll hear the valves clicking and I'll readjust the valves. I stopped back by the shop, but I couldn't find him. He had the valve cover back on. I'll call later and see what happened.

[Scott Heidt]

Sorry to hear about your troubles! It just turns my stomach just reading about it! Your not alone! If it is not one thing it is another! Keep us updated!

You'll still be on the water before me! :)

[Cuda]

On a happier note, as I said, I took the Formula in to find what the bad oil leak was. I dropped it off yesterday and told him I didn't expect him to try to get it done before the weekend. He already called and told me to come get the boat. The leak was an oil cooling line. They replaced both lines and steam cleaned the bilge and it's ready to go! You can't beat that for quick service! :D

[Rootsy]

do not run that boat with the lifters lashed like a solid... you'll beat the hell out of the metering valve in the lifter if it is a plate and fulcrum style... idle at most...

you should be tightening the rocker nut until the pushrod JUST SLIGHTLY drags when rotated with your fingers.. then 1/2 turn down on the nut from there.. the slight drag indicates zero lash...

follow a good procedure such as crane cams for determining when your camshaft is on the base circle for the valve you are adjusting...

if there is water in the cylinder you have bigger issues...

[Cuda]

Rootsy, I've done it that way in cars before. The only thing it can damage is the lifter itself, which obviously isn't any good anyway.

[BUIZILLA]

Cuda, do you have water in the oil? or water in the cylinder? i'm confused...

J

[Cuda]

Very little water in the oil, but quite a bit in number 8 cylinder.

[Cuda]

I talked to the mechanic at our boat club meeting tonight. He says it's running on eight now. I didn't get details, but I'll know tomorrow.

[MOP]

Cuda you may have had the exhaust valve screwed down to tight, if so you were sucking in water from the exhaust. But I would run it and pull that plug and make sure it is dry, you may just have a riser leak. A riser leak can hang a valve from rust on the stem, you may have unstuck it when doing the leak down especially if your guy was tapping on the valves.

[Cuda]

Brand new risers and manifolds. The heads are brand new as are the valves. Two bad brand new lifters is the suspect.

[Cuda]

Whoowaw!!!!!!! Just got back from the mechanic's. The engine sounds awesome! He went to lunch, and has to adjust the shift linkage when he gets back, then we're going to pick it up, and hopefully splash it this afternoon. :D

[1996Z15]

That's great news Cuda; we want pictures and a full report.

[Cuda]

She's home! We were headed to the lake to try it out. I went to put the plug in the boat, and it's the wrong damn size. :redface: I'm going to make a trip to Boater's World to see if I can find the right size plug. I need to pick up two salsbury flaps also, I pirated two off the Formula to run today.

This is the first time I've seen it with an outdrive on it. :cool: One thing I've noticed is that with the drive on it, there is about one pound of tongue weight on the trailer. :cool:

[Cuda]

Ray said I may have a carb problem. He said it loads up at long idle. I thought it might because it's jetted for a big block. Should that make any difference at idle? Q jet.

[Scott Heidt]

Very Nice!

[1996Z15]

What's the dark rectangular shaped thing in between the exhaust outlets?

[Cuda]

What's the dark rectangular shaped thing in between the exhaust outlets?


It's a stainless steel reinforcing plate. Inside the transom, there is a bracket bolted to it that has the bolt that goes through the deck for the stern lifting eye. I don't know if all Minxs had this. Apparently this boat was built as a tender for a yacht. It even came with stainless steel cabled lifting harness.

[gcarter]

I was wondering that myself.
Mine just has the large, fabricated, galvanized bracket inside, which is through bolted with SST stove bolts.

George

[Cuda]

I'll get some pictures in a bit.

[gcarter]

Joe;
If you don't mind, could you get a dimension of the height of the windshield material right in the center of the boat? And maybe a photo of the detail of the front corners of the windshield?

Thanks;
George

[Cuda]

Here you go George. Excuse the dirt, that's what we are doing now, a couple hours of good clean fun! :D

Let me know if you need any other pictures, I'll be checking here while we (she) cleans the boat.

[Cuda]

Here's the engine. :)

[Cuda]

Here's the inside shot of that stainless plate on the transom.

[Cuda]

Hey Madpoodle, next time you see Dale ask him if this was standard Donzi issue, or an option for Heineken drinkers. As I recall, he is a green bottle man. :biggrin:

[MXRoadster]

Cuda, didn’t you use Aqua Buff on the Minx? I was wondering how long ago it was you polished the hull and good does the gel coat still look.

Thanks, David

[Cuda]

Yes, we used the aquabuff on it, but after sitting in the sun at the mechanic's for three months it needs compounded again. :frown:

[Cuda]

Okay it wasn't three months. I just checked, took it in March 20th, picked up May 28th. Still way too long. :(

[MXRoadster]

Three months in the Florida sun… I guess that means it would last all year here in the N.W. :rolleyes:
Thanks for the info, when use up the 3M stuff I have I will give the Aquabuff a try.

David

[gcarter]

Thanks Joe!
I'll copy these photos to a file. Exacltly what I needed.
I see they also added cable brackets to the sides of the cockpit also. I don't have those, only the bow and stern brackets like yours.
Thanks again;
George

[Cuda]

no telling what green things you might find :eek: :rolleyes: :eek:

LOL, it would be brown by now! :biggrin.: