sctbirdguy
Cadet
- Joined
- Jul 24, 2017
- Messages
- 18
I used to think I was smarter than average then I bought a boat, not any boat, but one that was known to overheat. How hard could it be to fix? I know nothing about boats…
So I have a 1992 Excel 18SX with a Volvo Penta 230 “Red Block” and a SPA-1 out drive.
Symptoms:
1. Idles all day at the lake just fine
2. Idles, revs runs perfect in the driveway dunked in a tub of water. Water level is just passed the intake holes.
3. Overheats on plane under load. Takes 20 mins or more to get hot. 230-ish? Temp gauge is not a precision piece of equipment. Temp immediately goes down after returning to idle.
Frustrations:
1. Oil is nice and clean and does not appear to have any water or coolant in it. It has been run a few hours while I have tested over the last month and the oil level stays consistent.
2. Antifreeze is clean and the level does not go up or down.
3. Antifreeze does not bubble while running.
What I have tried starting at the bottom working your way up:
1. Replaced the water neck and seal (removed the lower unit) + greased and tightened lower unit.
2. Checked and tightened the “S” hose, the exhaust bellows and the gimbal or PTO bellows.
3. Checked and tightened all clamps and bolts from the transom up to the sea water pump.
4. Replaced the sea water pump and all seals connecting the copper pipes to the brass pump housing.
5. Disassembled the heat exchanger replaced all seals and proved water flowed easily through the sea water core.
6. Replaced the exhaust manifold including the gaskets and the rubber gasket connecting the manifold to the exhaust down pipe and all copper pipe gaskets connecting to the manifold.
7. Replaced the thermostat.
8. Replaced the head gasket and inspected the heads and block visually as best I could. Looked clean and the surfaces appeared both flat, clean and crack free. (Used my very bestest steel drafting ruler!)
9. Replaced the inboard water pump.
10. Replaced the antifreeze, several times. Not by choice but who knew it would leak all over taking an engine apart!?!?
11. When replacing the head gasket I noticed the cam shaft and intermediate pulley alignment dots were not aligned so everything has been put together the correct way.
12. Timing has been set to 6 degrees BTDC at 850 RPM and timing does not exceed 36 degrees at 4000 RPM.
13. Dwell angle has been set to 62 degrees. (This seems like it will cook the coil, but what do I know).
14. For good measure I added permanent straps to the trailer and fixed all the old lighting, wiring plug etc. scotch locks should be illegal and anyone who uses them besides for an emergency fix should be publicly shamed. I do feel the trailer lights are not causing the boat to overheat though)
What am I missing? Maybe the pipe that runs from the water neck to water intake? It draws lots of water in the bucket though.
Could test for gas in antifreeze, need to rent that equipment.
Shot the motor with the IR and it didn’t appear to be that hot, however the engine had been idling for a few minutes also no water or antifreeze boils out of it but it goes back to what I would consider a normal temp after idle. And IR is susceptible to reflection and anomalies due to unqualified users such as me.
One odd thing is it really feels like the exhaust tube is filling with water and I am getting an exhaust restriction at high rpm under load. Also lots of water drains from the exhaust by-pass at the bottom of the transom near the sacrificial anode. I know water is supposed to come out there but lots does! Another strange thing is you can here glug glug from somewhere when turning off the boat…
I don’t can anyone help? Otherwise it might get a new home next to the Bismarck.
Thanks!
So I have a 1992 Excel 18SX with a Volvo Penta 230 “Red Block” and a SPA-1 out drive.
Symptoms:
1. Idles all day at the lake just fine
2. Idles, revs runs perfect in the driveway dunked in a tub of water. Water level is just passed the intake holes.
3. Overheats on plane under load. Takes 20 mins or more to get hot. 230-ish? Temp gauge is not a precision piece of equipment. Temp immediately goes down after returning to idle.
Frustrations:
1. Oil is nice and clean and does not appear to have any water or coolant in it. It has been run a few hours while I have tested over the last month and the oil level stays consistent.
2. Antifreeze is clean and the level does not go up or down.
3. Antifreeze does not bubble while running.
What I have tried starting at the bottom working your way up:
1. Replaced the water neck and seal (removed the lower unit) + greased and tightened lower unit.
2. Checked and tightened the “S” hose, the exhaust bellows and the gimbal or PTO bellows.
3. Checked and tightened all clamps and bolts from the transom up to the sea water pump.
4. Replaced the sea water pump and all seals connecting the copper pipes to the brass pump housing.
5. Disassembled the heat exchanger replaced all seals and proved water flowed easily through the sea water core.
6. Replaced the exhaust manifold including the gaskets and the rubber gasket connecting the manifold to the exhaust down pipe and all copper pipe gaskets connecting to the manifold.
7. Replaced the thermostat.
8. Replaced the head gasket and inspected the heads and block visually as best I could. Looked clean and the surfaces appeared both flat, clean and crack free. (Used my very bestest steel drafting ruler!)
9. Replaced the inboard water pump.
10. Replaced the antifreeze, several times. Not by choice but who knew it would leak all over taking an engine apart!?!?
11. When replacing the head gasket I noticed the cam shaft and intermediate pulley alignment dots were not aligned so everything has been put together the correct way.
12. Timing has been set to 6 degrees BTDC at 850 RPM and timing does not exceed 36 degrees at 4000 RPM.
13. Dwell angle has been set to 62 degrees. (This seems like it will cook the coil, but what do I know).
14. For good measure I added permanent straps to the trailer and fixed all the old lighting, wiring plug etc. scotch locks should be illegal and anyone who uses them besides for an emergency fix should be publicly shamed. I do feel the trailer lights are not causing the boat to overheat though)
What am I missing? Maybe the pipe that runs from the water neck to water intake? It draws lots of water in the bucket though.
Could test for gas in antifreeze, need to rent that equipment.
Shot the motor with the IR and it didn’t appear to be that hot, however the engine had been idling for a few minutes also no water or antifreeze boils out of it but it goes back to what I would consider a normal temp after idle. And IR is susceptible to reflection and anomalies due to unqualified users such as me.
One odd thing is it really feels like the exhaust tube is filling with water and I am getting an exhaust restriction at high rpm under load. Also lots of water drains from the exhaust by-pass at the bottom of the transom near the sacrificial anode. I know water is supposed to come out there but lots does! Another strange thing is you can here glug glug from somewhere when turning off the boat…
I don’t can anyone help? Otherwise it might get a new home next to the Bismarck.
Thanks!