Re: 1976 22' Starcraft Islander Rebuild
Nice! Glad it may just be the pan!!
If you get the pan off, maybe you should pull the plugs and turn her by hand..
With the pan ON and it CLACKS..Pan off and no CLACK? Simple yes?
Well, like I mentioned up the way there I can turn by hand with one and feel the bottom of the oil pan being bumped out with the other. It's only being pushed out very little. But maybe that pan being pushed in like it is that might be all it takes.
Sooooo....
I'd be betting that once I pull that pan off there will be no thumping from the boat formerly known as "Thumper". I am nearly certain of that.
Now here is the question....
Was the knocking strictly from the oil pan being pushed in that little bit? Or, do I have something else going on inside with that rod? Is the rod coming down to far also????
Hopefully when I get that pan of and take a look at the rods under there we'll know, eh!
My own personal experience says the pan. My inline sat in the boat for 4 years through all 4 seasons without being touched. The water gets in the boat...it freezes...and in case not everybody knew water expands when frozen, pushed the pan up on mine and the bolt on the connecting rod cap slapped the pan, sounded exactly like yours does now.
I would pull the pan...loosen the motor mounts and wiggle it out, or if there is enough room in what you have left of thumpers bilge, bang the dent back down, put the pan on, start motor, with the oil drained you will see inside where the rod cap bolt is hitting the pan.
If you then find the problem gone, spend money on a new pan, if not gone, then send to the mech to figure the rest out. Seeing the condition of the hull when you bought it. I would bet this is the problem.
I certainly would not spend any money till I tested this out, and I would not run the motor with the pan off cause that starves if for oil, and doesn't prove enough, you could still have a bad connecting rod bearing and with the pan off for the short time you would want to run it (none IMO) you couldn't be sure.
10mm socket and a ball peen hammer that's what it took to fix mine.
Good luck.
And just a little small world thing...My boat came from Saginaw, like 10 or 15 minutes from Midland.
Actually windshield, this boat is from Saginaw too!
Hey, you make a great point that I didn't think about, water filling the bilge and pushing that up. Maybe that is what happened?? I have been rolling through things in my head of what might have happened to that pan but that one seems to be the best so far, buddy.
The previous owner threw a cheap $3 blue tarp over his beautiful Baja and , well that shredded. Water in the boat bilge, drain hole freezes up too, water collects, maybe all the way up to that pan, pushes it up?? Hmmm, maybe? But, if that was what happened than it seems like the lower sitting section of the pan would be crushed too?? I dunno?
I have been rolling through things in my head of what might have happened to that pan but that one seems to be the best so far man. Pretty reasonable theory for sure!
I'm still putting my money on that oil pan and nothing else. Chances are you only have ONE problem. It's always easy to speculate but until you start checking things off the list, it is only speculation. Get that oil pan taken care of, and you may be in hog heaven again, and not out much coin!!!
Gimmie a hammer, I'll fix that darn thing
Hoping for the easy fix Jas. Let us know!
I am with ya guys! If it's an oil pan only, wwwwooooooo baby, I'll be one happy dude!
Hoping for the best fellas! (reserved hope)
