4.3 4 Bl carb with snot under valve cover

iskiglass

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Sep 18, 2011
Messages
33
Hi this spring I replaced the engine block on my 4.3 after cracked block and now having all kinds of problems.

Engine was replaced before this season and ran perfectly all season, until hurricane Irene.

Before the storm I beached the boat and tied it to a tree. We are on a smallish pond and ramps are all private and decided to weather it out.
I had a cheap boat cover that blew around quite a bit but we really did not get much rain and the wind direction did not make much for anything of waves. Of course boats could have gone by and made big wakes...

A couple of weeks before the hurricane we had a lot of rain and my auto bilge did not work and the water was up over the starter.
But after that it had started right up though and ran fine a few times after that, no issues.

Parked the boat before Irene with all systems seemingly good. After the storm the engine would not start.
Starter cranked the motor once then seemed like battery went down. would click and sounded like it was engaging but motor would not turn.

Charged battery, same starter trying to work but nothing, no cranking.

Pulled plugs, took off belt, and could not turn the prop while in gear by hand at all. Not sure if should be able to.

Then I noticed the wires on starter looked a bit rusty pushed on them, cranked them, still nothing. Pushed prodded prop in/out of gear etc

About to tow to ramp to pull and gave it One last try and vavaoom, started right up. It ran seemingly ok but a little rough
but then under power realized had other issues. FYI, Now it starts every time.

So I suspect and am sure I have a fuel/carb issue.. After treating the very small amount of gas in tank, cleaning outside of carb from top, changing fuel separator, and adding a couple gallons of heavily treated fuel it ran a bit better, thinking like 70% of normal power. Carb seems like not getting secondary fuel and a bit of a misfiring sounding engine.

At this point there is definitely no water in oil dipstick and oil fill cap dry and clean. Looks good in there.

Then after a week and spraying the rest of the can of carb cleaner through the top and running it a bit I notice a bit of water and steam coming out of breather hoses to carb.

I pull off the oil cap and voila snotty oil on cap and seen on top of valves etc. Dip stick is still looking perfect but has only run about 20 minutes since all this started. And only a few minutes since noticing the steam from breathers. I pulled in to shore immediately worried about what is going on.

I am looking for advice and theories.

Maybe jumping the gun here but the motor is less than 6 months old. Bought from Center State Engine, Ocala FL and Providence RI and now looked at the warrantee which says you need to send in a card to register warrantee and proof of oil change after 10 hours or becomes a 3 month warranty. SO, since I am recently unemployed and broke this is a real stress test for me.

Thank you very much for any advice! I will be doing all the testing myself and likely don't have the testing equipment but have a lot of friends hopefully that might...
 

dollarten

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Jul 28, 2011
Messages
136
Re: 4.3 4 Bl carb with snot under valve cover

Hi this spring I replaced the engine block on my 4.3 after cracked block and now having all kinds of problems.

Engine was replaced before this season and ran perfectly all season, until hurricane Irene.

Before the storm I beached the boat and tied it to a tree. We are on a smallish pond and ramps are all private and decided to weather it out.
I had a cheap boat cover that blew around quite a bit but we really did not get much rain and the wind direction did not make much for anything of waves. Of course boats could have gone by and made big wakes...

A couple of weeks before the hurricane we had a lot of rain and my auto bilge did not work and the water was up over the starter.
But after that it had started right up though and ran fine a few times after that, no issues.

Parked the boat before Irene with all systems seemingly good. After the storm the engine would not start.
Starter cranked the motor once then seemed like battery went down. would click and sounded like it was engaging but motor would not turn.

Charged battery, same starter trying to work but nothing, no cranking.

Pulled plugs, took off belt, and could not turn the prop while in gear by hand at all. Not sure if should be able to.

Then I noticed the wires on starter looked a bit rusty pushed on them, cranked them, still nothing. Pushed prodded prop in/out of gear etc

About to tow to ramp to pull and gave it One last try and vavaoom, started right up. It ran seemingly ok but a little rough
but then under power realized had other issues. FYI, Now it starts every time.

So I suspect and am sure I have a fuel/carb issue.. After treating the very small amount of gas in tank, cleaning outside of carb from top, changing fuel separator, and adding a couple gallons of heavily treated fuel it ran a bit better, thinking like 70% of normal power. Carb seems like not getting secondary fuel and a bit of a misfiring sounding engine.

At this point there is definitely no water in oil dipstick and oil fill cap dry and clean. Looks good in there.

Then after a week and spraying the rest of the can of carb cleaner through the top and running it a bit I notice a bit of water and steam coming out of breather hoses to carb.

I pull off the oil cap and voila snotty oil on cap and seen on top of valves etc. Dip stick is still looking perfect but has only run about 20 minutes since all this started. And only a few minutes since noticing the steam from breathers. I pulled in to shore immediately worried about what is going on.

I am looking for advice and theories.

Maybe jumping the gun here but the motor is less than 6 months old. Bought from Center State Engine, Ocala FL and Providence RI and now looked at the warrantee which says you need to send in a card to register warrantee and proof of oil change after 10 hours or becomes a 3 month warranty. SO, since I am recently unemployed and broke this is a real stress test for me.

Thank you very much for any advice! I will be doing all the testing myself and likely don't have the testing equipment but have a lot of friends hopefully that might...
Sorry to here about being out of work . At any rate you might still have some moisture in the engine that is working it's way Watch everything carefully and as long as the dipstick is showing the correct amount , you might be OK . One more thing if the intake manifold gasket is not position properly , you could get some on going moisture flowing into the engine , Good Luck
 

cr2k

Captain
Joined
Mar 19, 2009
Messages
3,730
Re: 4.3 4 Bl carb with snot under valve cover

And your starter WILL fail at some undesirable point. They don't like getting wet at all.
 

iskiglass

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Sep 18, 2011
Messages
33
Re: 4.3 4 Bl carb with snot under valve cover

So does running the boat to cook off the water sounds like the thing to do. COuld be condensation.

Oh yea big find. One of the PCV valves is missing and the hose was just looseley stuck in the whole, so this could be the source for the water, hopefully.

My plan:

Get theother pcv valve and install.
disconnect breathers from carberator side so steam goes elsehwere?
Run the engine, even if a little rough running and see if water shows up in oil, from dispstick. Or oil level rises. Hasn't yet...
After this run I should know if I have internal motor problems or an exhaust system failure. can you gat a wave to push water in without a failure of a flap etc?
OR better yet is it the lack of PCV valve that is likely causing my current froth?

BTW, running temp is reading 170 or so on 11 year old guage. Oil pressure is showing none and not sure if not getting a sinal or if no pressure..

Please advise - thanks you!!
 

John_S

Rear Admiral
Joined
Jun 21, 2004
Messages
4,269
Re: 4.3 4 Bl carb with snot under valve cover

Given it is 11 years old, it probably doesn't have PCV valves. They look like PCV but are hollow and only connect up by the flame arrestor. They are not connected to any direct engine vacuum sourse like a PCV.

Leave them attached to flame arrestor. Why would you mant the steam and blowby to vent into engine compartment?
 

iskiglass

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Sep 18, 2011
Messages
33
Re: 4.3 4 Bl carb with snot under valve cover

It is a new replacement motor so I'm thinking they might be PCV, correct? I will check them to see if they are just elbows. Maybe they are elbows and should be PCV? And my thinking on that would be to keep engine compartment cover off while running without breathers attached to carb and let the steam and water droplets fly as apposed to trying to burn it through the already gunked carb... Oppinions on this welcomed.

And where is the oil pressure guage sending unit? I am hoping it is disconnected. If it is a PCV system do you need them both in to have pressure build up?
 

oops!

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Oct 18, 2007
Messages
12,932
Re: 4.3 4 Bl carb with snot under valve cover

this could have been a hydro lock situation, due to waves slapping the transom....... i would check the exhaust shutters.

as for the lack of power....time for a compression test
 

John_S

Rear Admiral
Joined
Jun 21, 2004
Messages
4,269
Re: 4.3 4 Bl carb with snot under valve cover

If you have enough steam coming out to cause a misfire while it gets sucked down carb, there is way too much water still in your oil. It is either leaking back in or you need to do another oil change.

I assumed you got a long block and moved the items from your old engine to it. If it was a complete new engine package, including carb, valve covers, etc, there is a slight chance it has a PCV system. Marine carbs typically don't have a large vacuum port, so a PCV would be hooked into a vacuum port on the intake. Most marine intakes just have a plug there. Is one there? and a hose connected to the PCV? The opposite valve cover would just be a breather and would need to filter the air that is being sucked out the other side.

A PCV system has nothing to do with the oil pressure.


PS: I saw your engine pictures in the other thread. It looks to be the standard breather hose set-up, not a PCV system.
 

iskiglass

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Sep 18, 2011
Messages
33
Re: 4.3 4 Bl carb with snot under valve cover

Great info guys- thanks. I checked the breather elbow that was there and it was an open elbow. The other side is missing so I will get another elbow on that sucker. Confirmed not PCV.

There was a lot of water on top of the engine today after another recent rain so that points to earlier rain water easily could have got in through the open hole from a lack of breather elbow, and/or the carb. Fair amount of water sitting there on block today. Cover was on etc. but padded flip down cover may be saturated.

After I'm done cleaning and treating the connections, and get a new starter and breaker fuse on this thing, what is the easiest and/or cheapest way to check for oil pressure, starting with the fact that I don't have a test gauge? Can I test the gauge with a hot lead to the gauge first prolly. Then I can get the replacement gauge and just use that...

Is a generic or aftermarket marine store 50 Amp breaker gonna be as good as a mercruiser? In other words does it have to be engine specific or are they all basically the same or at least interchangeable with certain criterion? Was thinking of grabbing ne if they are not outrageous at a local store my buddy gets a significant boat dealer discount...

Out of curiosity if not necessity, can much be told from looking at the dipstick before during and after running for pressure?

Of course, as promised, the starter is looking dead (as predicted). I just get a click now. Does not seem to be engaging or anything like before. So, first things first is get a new or rebuilt starter on the boat so I can start and test this oil pressure!

My problems always happen in the fall. It is just so darn nice to leave it in the water when you live on the water. But man it is costly when things go wrong. I really appreciate this forum!
 

svxtech

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Aug 7, 2011
Messages
109
Re: 4.3 4 Bl carb with snot under valve cover

Great info guys- thanks. I checked the breather elbow that was there and it was an open elbow. The other side is missing so I will get another elbow on that sucker. Confirmed not PCV.

There was a lot of water on top of the engine today after another recent rain so that points to earlier rain water easily could have got in through the open hole from a lack of breather elbow, and/or the carb. Fair amount of water sitting there on block today. Cover was on etc. but padded flip down cover may be saturated.

After I'm done cleaning and treating the connections, and get a new starter and breaker fuse on this thing, what is the easiest and/or cheapest way to check for oil pressure, starting with the fact that I don't have a test gauge? Can I test the gauge with a hot lead to the gauge first prolly. Then I can get the replacement gauge and just use that...

Is a generic or aftermarket marine store 50 Amp breaker gonna be as good as a mercruiser? In other words does it have to be engine specific or are they all basically the same or at least interchangeable with certain criterion? Was thinking of grabbing ne if they are not outrageous at a local store my buddy gets a significant boat dealer discount...

Out of curiosity if not necessity, can much be told from looking at the dipstick before during and after running for pressure?

Of course, as promised, the starter is looking dead (as predicted). I just get a click now. Does not seem to be engaging or anything like before. So, first things first is get a new or rebuilt starter on the boat so I can start and test this oil pressure!

My problems always happen in the fall. It is just so darn nice to leave it in the water when you live on the water. But man it is costly when things go wrong. I really appreciate this forum!

1) you have run the motor, you have oil pressure- might be low (need a gauge to test) but you have it, if not your motor would sound like a blender full of marbles.
2) "click" is more of a solenoid sound "clunk" tends to be starter failure.
3) 50A is 50A if it fits use it.
 

mpdive

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Apr 23, 2011
Messages
567
Re: 4.3 4 Bl carb with snot under valve cover

Dont think your suppose to have a PCV in there. That is not a ported line but instead a breather line. Blow by is naturally funneled into carb for reburn.
 

iskiglass

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Sep 18, 2011
Messages
33
Re: 4.3 4 Bl carb with snot under valve cover

Sooo, I ran the motor good for approximately 45 minutes up to temp the whole time... After looks like maybe a bit less water but still can see snot under the valve cover... What next. Oh yea oil stick still looks perfect, level has not changed... I know I gotta check oil prssure etc. But what about the water? How big a problem is it? How to get it out. Keep running it? Thank you!!
 

Bondo

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Apr 17, 2002
Messages
70,458
Re: 4.3 4 Bl carb with snot under valve cover

Sooo, I ran the motor good for approximately 45 minutes up to temp the whole time... After looks like maybe a bit less water but still can see snot under the valve cover... What next. Oh yea oil stick still looks perfect, level has not changed... I know I gotta check oil prssure etc. But what about the water? How big a problem is it? How to get it out. Keep running it? Thank you!!

Ayuh,.... Is this out on the pond cursin' ,..??
Or in the driveway on the muffs,..??

If it weren't out on the pond, you ain't proved nothin'....
It ain't a Test, on the muffs...
 

iskiglass

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Sep 18, 2011
Messages
33
Re: 4.3 4 Bl carb with snot under valve cover

I had run it on the pond.

Actually I just looked under the oil filler cap and there is a lot less snot and water. Looking a lot better. I had cleaned the cap and it did not gunk up anything like before, even after that long run.

Looking for advice on the next steps to take (while of course being frugal)

I am thinking I will run it hard for another hour on the pond and see if I can cook off the rest of the water maybe...

Is it OK to run it hard even though it is running poorly from an apparent carb problem?
 

Bondo

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Apr 17, 2002
Messages
70,458
Re: 4.3 4 Bl carb with snot under valve cover

I am thinking I will run it hard for another hour on the pond and see if I can cook off the rest of the water maybe...

Is it OK to run it hard even though it is running poorly from an apparent carb problem?

Ayuh,... Fix the fuel delivery issue 1st, even if ya gotta run it on an outboard tank...

It'd be a shame to Waste yer motor from detonation due to a lean condition while cruisin' 'round steamin' the water outa the oil...
 
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