Water in Cylinders

Triple502

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Oct 22, 2016
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According to the history of the boat, based on provided documentation from the previous owner, the boat spent it's life in the middle of Chesapeake Bay. The boat is now moored off the Patuxent River. Boat is being pulled this week and I will yank the heads then. I will keep you updated.
 

Triple502

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Oct 22, 2016
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Pulled the intake and heads today. Didn't see anything obvious, but cylinder #4 (2nd one back on starboard side) is the obvious culprit. The top of the piston looks pretty rough. Looks like this has been going on for some time and got progressively worse. Going to take the heads and intake to a local machine shop and get his opinion. I will try and upload some pics later.
 

Triple502

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Here's some pics of what I found once the head was pulled.
 

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Lou C

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Looks like you had a stuck valve that made contact with the top of the piston....Id be thinking of a new long block at this point. There's a lot of rust in those cyls.
 

Lou C

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I had a similar problem, water in the #2 cyl. Have not taken the heads off you but all the water was blown out and all cyls sprayed with fogging oil. The engine turns over very easily with a socket on the crank pulley so I don't think its corroded inside. Of course when I get it apart it may be a different story ....
Prop going to go for a partial engine package from MM. 4.3 Vortec and going to add closed cooling.
 

alldodge

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Sounds like you have the skill set to rebuild it your self. Get everything cleaned up, have the cam bearings installed by the machine shop and put it back together. If something concerns you there is always the machine shop or us for questions
 

shaw520

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Sounds like you have the skill set to rebuild it your self. Get everything cleaned up, have the cam bearings installed by the machine shop and put it back together. If something concerns you there is always the machine shop or us for questions

It seems there are a lot of hrs on these engines,.. I think I'd want a fresh rebuild.
 

alldodge

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I think I'd want a fresh rebuild.

You have a fresh rebuild, just doing it your self, or do you want a new motor?

I'm seeing rust but not a lot of wear on the cylinders, a standard .030 bore would work.
 

Triple502

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Oct 22, 2016
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I think I could probably install the motor myself, as I have the alignment tool and fairly decent skills (Youtube and google are your friends). As far as a rebuild? Nah. There is a local guy I trust that did some head work on my old Willy's Jeep. I took the heads and intake to him and he said I should think about a new block and heads. He thinks the motor is pretty tired and it may be more cost effective in the long run. He will rebuild if I want him to, just not sure. I may buy new and keep this one and rebuild at a later time and have a spare motor ready to go.
 

Triple502

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Now I'm confused. You think those cylinders don't look that bad? I'm not engine guru by any means but it looks pretty bad to me.
 

alldodge

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Now I'm confused. You think those cylinders don't look that bad? I'm not engine guru by any means but it looks pretty bad to me.

There is rust showing but I don't see a grove. Your pics are not high enough res for me to see clearly, but if you can not catch a finger nail on a ridge, then its less then .010 wear. If you can barley catch a nail then .030 will fix it right up. An engine block can be bored to .060 over if need be.
 

Rick Stephens

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I did a rebuild on a engine that was left full of water. Tore it all the way down, bore out another .020, it was already at .020 so now it's .040. New pistons and rings. In my engine's case it was a fresh rebuild that the previous owner let fill up with water. A couple of cylinder's were so bad they looked 100 years old. Like new with 20 over. I didn't replace any of the bearing inserts in it, nor the cam. Had the heads done since they were pretty rusty. End cost was under $700, gaskets, machine work and all.

Your pics look a lot better than my engine did. I would not be afraid at all of having it redone. Be as good as a new motor and half the cost. You would want the heads done, bored, the crank turned and all new bearings, core plugs, pistons and rings. Gaskets and seals and good to go.

Rick
 

Triple502

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Oct 22, 2016
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I will pull it and have a second opinion. I never definitively found out where the water was coming from. Possibly a bad manifold or riser but still not sure. It's definitely on the starboard side cylinder #4 (I think). Could a bad manifold or riser that started failing make it progressively worse? To be sure I guess I will need to have the block and the heads checked by the machine shop. If I can get a rebuild for $700 that's a lot better than the $3K I was about to spend. Thanks for all the help guys, this gives me hope!
 

Triple502

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The intake is at the machine shop now and should have an answer on that tomorrow.
 

alldodge

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Rick rebuilt a 4.3, but you should be able to get by around $1000 so long as everything is reusable. Even if something needs to be replaced, a head or such, it would still be cheaper to rebuild.

Yes, an exhaust manifold/riser leaking can also do what your seeing
 

Rick Stephens

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Rick rebuilt a 4.3, but you should be able to get by around $1000 so long as everything is reusable. Even if something needs to be replaced, a head or such, it would still be cheaper to rebuild.

Yes, an exhaust manifold/riser leaking can also do what your seeing

Yeah, I built a 4.3. Howevr, my parts, like rings and pistons, were bought in sets of 8 for a 350. Cheaper that way than buying 6. Both the heads and the block cost me a bit less than a 350 block and heads to machine. Still, it is very cost effective rebuilding a small block chevy. Find a good machine shop and let them get your parts, other than gaskets. Get Felpro Marine gasket sets from Summit Racing.
 
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Triple502

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Oct 22, 2016
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I am getting ready to pull the motor. Other than the fuel line, starter wires and the obvious is there any thing else I need to worry about? I know there are the 4 motor mounts and I am assuming I should pull the engine coupler out with the motor (I think that's what its called). Once I remove the drive, and all of the above I mentioned, should that be it? This is my first attempt at an engine pull. I do have friends that are helping me and have access to a backhoe to lift the motor from the boat. Thanks for the help.
 
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