I don't know where my brains were at. Having done all this before I just assumed I knew what the hay I was doing. It, once again, brings me back to an old saying an ex-boss use to say all the time: "How do you spell assume? Ass-u-me. Or don't make an ASS out of U or ME."
From the very beginning of the torquing process something just didn't seem right. In the back of my head something was bugging me. The reason? Because almost none of the head bolts were torquing down any further. I just blew it off as no big deal. Even though I knew in the back of my mind that it wasn't right. The bolts should have been drawing down.
So there I was yesterday thinking the head was torqued RIGHT and decided to do the pre-sea trial. I started the motor, got it up to temp and engaged the prop. Mind you I was tied to the dock. About 30 to 45 minutes had passed. I'm watching the gages and all is good. I pop the top on the beer in the cockpit and sit back with my smoke and watch the ripples from the prop behind the boat. A little bored at this point I walk down into the cabin for a close look at the A4. What is that? No!! That isn't water coming up around that bolt?!?!?! Aww heck, it cant be. Go back to the cockpit and check on the gage readings and sip on my beer some more. Engine sounds good. Sip sip.
Life just may be looking up. I go back down into the cabin. *** ?!?!?! No Way !!!! Almost every single bolt has water coming out of the threads. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. Upon further inspection I notice water seeping out from under the head gasket in a couple of spots, carb area, aft area, forward area. At this point I was just flabbergasted. I kill the engine and proceeded with the head scratching routine for about twenty minutes or so. The fact was there, square in my face. The head gaskets had not seated right anywhere. The entire damn thing was leaking.
So I pulled out the Moyer Marine Manual/Bible and started reading. I had done something wrong. There it was! Jumped right out at me.
Now I must admit that I toyed with the idea of just not mentioning this at all and avoid personal embarrassment. But it didn't take long to kick that idea aside. I'm to old to be embarrassed anymore. Do do happens! Get over it! Plus that is the purpose of the great forum anyway........share the knowledge.
What I did WRONG:
I, the dumb arse I was, torqued my head down completely opposite of the way it should have been done. I had originally done the original start up and killed the engine and let it cool down, then re-torqued the head. And like I mentioned above the nuts did not move. That should have been my SIGN.
Moral of this story and How To Do It Right:
You MUST torque when the engine is running as soon as it hits 150 degrees, just like the manual says. THEN cool the motor and repeat.
I am ordering new gasket. And yes, now the onslaught of laughter can begin. Bring it.
From the very beginning of the torquing process something just didn't seem right. In the back of my head something was bugging me. The reason? Because almost none of the head bolts were torquing down any further. I just blew it off as no big deal. Even though I knew in the back of my mind that it wasn't right. The bolts should have been drawing down.
So there I was yesterday thinking the head was torqued RIGHT and decided to do the pre-sea trial. I started the motor, got it up to temp and engaged the prop. Mind you I was tied to the dock. About 30 to 45 minutes had passed. I'm watching the gages and all is good. I pop the top on the beer in the cockpit and sit back with my smoke and watch the ripples from the prop behind the boat. A little bored at this point I walk down into the cabin for a close look at the A4. What is that? No!! That isn't water coming up around that bolt?!?!?! Aww heck, it cant be. Go back to the cockpit and check on the gage readings and sip on my beer some more. Engine sounds good. Sip sip.
Life just may be looking up. I go back down into the cabin. *** ?!?!?! No Way !!!! Almost every single bolt has water coming out of the threads. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. Upon further inspection I notice water seeping out from under the head gasket in a couple of spots, carb area, aft area, forward area. At this point I was just flabbergasted. I kill the engine and proceeded with the head scratching routine for about twenty minutes or so. The fact was there, square in my face. The head gaskets had not seated right anywhere. The entire damn thing was leaking.
So I pulled out the Moyer Marine Manual/Bible and started reading. I had done something wrong. There it was! Jumped right out at me.
Now I must admit that I toyed with the idea of just not mentioning this at all and avoid personal embarrassment. But it didn't take long to kick that idea aside. I'm to old to be embarrassed anymore. Do do happens! Get over it! Plus that is the purpose of the great forum anyway........share the knowledge.
What I did WRONG:
I, the dumb arse I was, torqued my head down completely opposite of the way it should have been done. I had originally done the original start up and killed the engine and let it cool down, then re-torqued the head. And like I mentioned above the nuts did not move. That should have been my SIGN.
Moral of this story and How To Do It Right:
You MUST torque when the engine is running as soon as it hits 150 degrees, just like the manual says. THEN cool the motor and repeat.
I am ordering new gasket. And yes, now the onslaught of laughter can begin. Bring it.
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