Big time engine problems

[zimm17]

My brother had the boat out- it lost power and died. Then starter wouldn't engage. Towed it home for me to fix.

First problem- gear lever was in reverse. So that fixes the starter.

Next problem- oil on dipstick is about 5 quarts too high. Hmm... maybe the remote oil cooler drained back into the engine. Then the closed loop cooling is empty- I start filling it- 5 gallons and no stopping. Then I hear a trickling noise. After I investigate- the dipstick housing is loose at the block and leaking...anti-freeze! I pulled it out and my cooling system comes out through the dipstick hole.

Now I'm sitting here on the porch looking at the boat. I'm thinking it's time for a top end tear down: exhaust, blower, intake, heads. But I can't help but think my reman engine block might be cracked. Would it be worth it to pull the whole motor instead of working in the engine bay the whole time? Although I'd hate to pull motor to find out the intake manifold is leaking. But even then, I've had it out over 5 times with water in the oil after almost every run- so I'm sure the bearings and rings have taken a beating.

Also, I'm only here with the boat at my parent's house until Sunday. Then I'm off to Florida for flight training for 4 months and then Hawaii for 3 years. I was going to leave the boat here for storage.

Maybe I should pull the motor and tear it down so at least I know whats wrong with it- then put a new one in when I get back from Hawaii?

What do you guys think?

[Barry Eller]

If it has that much water in it, you need to pull the engine and pickle it. Don't let it set for 3 years and then think you can salvage anything.

Sorry, good luck.

[zimm17]

If it has that much water in it, you need to pull the engine and pickle it. Don't let it set for 3 years and then think you can salvage anything.
Sorry, good luck.

What's a pickle? I'm thinking you mean tear it all down and store it so it doesn't rust up and seize.

I'm also going to need to start a thread on how to pull your own motor... Can a rental cherry picker car engine puller get that high? Or do I need to find a boat shop that can do it?

[Barry Eller]

Yes, pickling is tearing down, cleaning, oiling and storing parts...crankshaft, camshaft, pistons, rods etc. I put a chain hoist on a overhead beam in my carport to pull my engine.

Here is the thread I did on pulling my engine.

http://www.donzi.net/forums/showthread.php?t=48605

[ky-donzi]

IMO Pull the block.... I would hate to do a top end rebuild only to find out that the block was cracked. Plus if you have had the bottom end wet that many times, the bearing are probably shot.

If you pull the engine to store it for a while, fill it with diesel or used motor oil, because it three years if it is left wet it will be a booger to get apart later. I have seen engines that have sat very short times and siesed up due to a very small amount of water.

[zimm17]

Since it's a 454 and I want to replace it with a 502 crate motor long block- maybe I should pull the dana exhaust, blower, intake, and get my crane gold roller rockers off the engine- then just fill the rest of the block up with oil and let her sit.

I can use my electric fuel pump to get my 50 gallons of fuel out of the tank and fill up my truck a couple of times.

[ky-donzi]

Oil (or better grease) the items you pull too, when you said blower, do you mean supercharger, cause I would be sure to oil it real good. If the engine oil had water in it so does the supercharge now.

[zimm17]

Oil (or better grease) the items you pull too, when you said blower, do you mean supercharger, cause I would be sure to oil it real good. If the engine oil had water in it so does the supercharge now.

It's a whipple- has it's own oil supply.

I'm now thinking, screw it, the roller rockers aren't worth tearing the exhaust and blower off for. I'm going to drain everything, fill it up with varsol and fresh oil, run it for a minute, drain, and refill with fresh oil again, run for a minute and fog everything with oil. That should keep it okay to store for 3 years.

When I get back I'll have to figure out if I want to do a new long block, full crate motor, or heck- maybe just sell the whole thing for a big loss right now, but that's my emotions talking. Plus, if the boat is gone, my wife will probably never let me get another one.

[ky-donzi]

I would take care of the whipple for sure (oil it). The rest would probably fair just fine in what you said. More than likely the items inside the engine will be replace in a rebuild anyway. Hate to do any damage to the whipple from setting and rusting. Condensation in its oil supply. Just something to think about.

[zimm17]

Thanks for the advice, but the blower has it's own oil tank and everything- it doesn't see engine oil.

I'm so depressed. :(

[ky-donzi]

One thing you can try is a product called Dyke.

I have seen it seal leaking head gaskets, and cracked blocks. It adds to the cooling system and seals cracks. I had a student use it in his boat that froze over winter. I sealed the crack in the head. It will only work in a system that is closed like yours, but it might be worth the small investment of $10.00

[BigGrizzly]

Get the blower off and whatever else you want and oil it. after meeting you
i am sure you will spring for a 502 or better when you have the time-good luck.

[mrfixxall]

Thanks for the advice, but the blower has it's own oil tank and everything- it doesn't see engine oil.
I'm so depressed. :(

Fill it with atf,my gto has been like that since 83 and all looks good:)

dipstick loose at the block? are you sure he didnt kick a rod out if it ans mabe knocked the dipstick out? or now that i see you have a whipple you may have blown a head gasket..if thats the case make a stroker 496 out of what you have,would be cheeper then a 502/502 crate motor..:)

[zelatore]

My brother had the boat out.........
What do you guys think?

I'm thinking if this was my brother I'd be testing the limits of 'brotherly love'.

I also think you should abandon the whipple. You should probably sell it to some poor sucker out on the west coast. Really cheap too, 'cause you don't want any bad karma from selling such an awful product to a fellow board member.

I'll see if I can find anybody to offer you a few sheckles for it.

[Donziweasel]

Pull the engine! I messed with mine for 3 weeks in the bildge and ended up having to pull it anyway. A car cherry picker should work, you can also deflate your trailer tires for another 3-5 inches of clearance. It is soooo much easier to work on them on a rotisserie stand than in the bildge. You can have it out in a day if it is your first time. I am down to under 4 hours.

[glashole]

sink the boat

collect the insurance

let chaz get one and borrow it

[gcarter]

Ittlfli says he can get his engine out in a little over 30 minutes!!!!:smash:
I've never been there to see if he can, but he's pretty competant. You could make him an offer to find out!!:eek!:

[mrfixxall]

Ittlfli says he can get his engine out in a little over 30 minutes!!!!:smash:
I've never been there to see if he can, but he's pretty competant. You could make him an offer to find out!!:eek!:


Yep it can be done,had mine out under a hour and i have a volvo drive:)

[zelatore]

All this talk reminds me of when my brother and I bother were driving/drag racing cars with Ford 302's; he had a Mustang II and I had a Maverick. We had a stock 'beater' motor we kept around to swap in while we worked on our good motors so we could still get to work and school. We could change a motor out in about 2 hours.

Of course, that was with no smog, no injection, no electronics, etc....

Zimm, sorry to hear about the motor and the timing problems. I agree with most of the people here - pull off the good stuff like the whipple and store it safely, then pickle the motor for storage.

I think you're in SoCal, right? I'm a little far away up in the bay area, but if I can help you with something let me know.

[zimm17]

I did drain the water, refilled the crankcase with mineral spirits and oil (to evaporate the water), and fired it up. Oh man, it sounds like gravel in there- I shut it down after 2 seconds. Must be pistons and rods in pieces. I drained it all out- but I'm not wasting the money to add fresh oil. Motor is done.

Today I'm draining the tank and emptying out all my stuff from under the bow- tools/lifejackets/etc.

While on deployment in hawaii I'll start an engine slush fund. Maybe by 2011, merc will have a new lightweight all aluminum 500HP crate motor...

Thanks for the advice, but can't pull the motor yet- no time and my parent's don't have a place to store it. At least the boat is covered by an awning.

[cutwater]

When you drained the oil, what did it look like?

[zimm17]

When you drained the oil, what did it look like?

2 gallons of antifreeze, then water, through the vacuum pumper, then I just pulled the oil plug and it was grey oil mixed with water. No metal parts though. I don't think it ran long enough to get metal bits into the oil- it just quit running. then after getting home and firing it up- all the gravel noise in there. I mean it was a really ugly sound- I was worried about the engine exploding.

[margo]

Pull the tires off the trl. and lower it down on some small blocks will make it a lot easier to work on JOE