Bowen Island Paint Job

[Marty Levenson]

"conduit" in boat

Before I install my rebuild, I need to run a few wires from port to starboard. Thinking some type of flexible conduit would be a good idea: about 1"' ID or less is all I need. Needs to run about two feet aft of the muffler, so thought conduit would reduce heat exposure. Any idea what I could use?

Thanks,
Marty

[Marty Levenson]

brass

...still wondering if it's okay to use a plain brass hose barb instead of steel where the hot exhaust water gets injected into the muffler? Was told that's okay with dielectric silicone compound, but not so sure...?

Thanks,
Marty

[sastanley]

Marty, what's the other part of the 'injection area'..is it stainless? I have a brass/bronze single piece that looks very similar to the mixer unit Moyer sells.

[Marty Levenson]

brass?

Thanks, Shawn,

The pipe it connects to is plain steel....that's why thought of using the dielectric compound. ...

[ndutton]

I'd consider it a temporary installation even with dielectric compound. The act of threading it into place will starve the joint of the compound and then it's as if there's none. Since brass and iron are pretty far apart on the galvanic nobility scale there will likely be long term deterioration.

[jhwelch]

Google for engine shims. My boatyard used a few of varying thickness the first time my engine was put back in. The last time I had it out I used a large plastic wedge for one corner.

You will need to install your engine and tighten the bolts so they are not loose. Then you can see how well your coupling fits. Then you loosen the bolts, the aft ones probably quite a bit, so you can lift up your engine (I have used a come-along) and add shims and/or pry it left to right as necessary. Then you repeat the above steps until your alignment is good.

Fortunately in my boat the engine can be lifted straight up, so it is easy to attach the come-along to a wooden beam I place across the cabin entrance.

-Jonathan

[Marty Levenson]

useful

Thanks John and Neil!

[Marty Levenson]

WATER in the OIL!!

Opened my tranny cover to see about adjusting the reverse gear. Shocked to find the oil was milky. Dipstick, too. Engine has ran only about 30 minutes since the head went back on after fixing stud problems. I reused the almost new head gaskets (yes: two) as they looked good. No water/oil problem previously.

Hoping that blown head gaskets are the problem. Can anyone advise what else to look at before or after removing the head? Is the head gasket a likely cause?

help!

[Mo]

Hi Marty,
Sorry to hear of your on-going troubles. Just one question. Did you have water in the oil before you hauled the head off? If not, I would concentrate on head gasket as the issue.

Typically, head gaskets are not reused, once torqued that's pretty much it. My suggesion is to replace the head gaskets, suck out the old oil and top up. You may see some remnants of water in the oil but run the engine for a few minutes and try and see if there is still water going in there. Once you are relatively confident the issue is resolved, go ahead and do the multiple oil changes to make things right.

While you have the head off turn the engine over by hand and look at the cylinder walls. Look for breaches or staining...typically no. 3 cyl (I think). I probably wouldn't look too much further than that at this point unless you had water going in the oil previous to the head removal.

[Marty Levenson]

head gasket

Thanks, Maurice,

No water in the oil previously. I don't recall seeing any steam in the exhaust: would that have been present? It was a warm day, if that affects steams visibility much? Maybe it was there and I missed it.

[Mo]

Hi Marty,
I go for the head gasket replacement, torque it all down to spec, and see what happens. Have a look at the cylinder walls while you have it apart. It might just have been the fact that it wants a new gasket...

[Marty Levenson]

torque

First time these head gaskets were torqued to 35 lbs. After fixing stud problems, the second time I put the head on i torqued to only 30 lbs. Wondering if because the gasket was flattened the first time that 5 lb difference left a leak?

Anyway, yes: new gaskets going on. Nervous about re-torquing!

Thanks again.

[Mo]

I understand your concern but I'd go new, as you are, and go for spec. You can take them all to 25, then to 30, then to 35. Ensure you use the spec and pattern that MMI outlines.

Attached is a video with a few pointers.

[YOUTUBE]5WHBskK_F3o[/YOUTUBE]

[Marty Levenson]

head off: #1 wet

Just took the head off (getting fast at this!). #1 plug was wet, and sure enough cylinder #1 and both its valves were wet (water). Both head gaskets felt damp in general. No obvious break in the continuity of either head gasket though.

Anything I should look for in case that wasn't the cause, but rather the result of a bigger problem? Don't want to leap to conclusions. Don't see any cracks in the block or head using a magnifying glass. (it's a 2009 MM head). Hoping it was just a case of water forcing itself over, under, and or between the head gaskets.

Thanks!

[Marty Levenson]

video

Thanks Maurice - lots of good information there.

After 25 lbs, I plan to only torque to 30 lbs again, but with a pair of new head gaskets. The MM manual suggests that as an option when there are stud problems.

-Marty