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  #1   IP: 24.180.146.81
Old 08-05-2012, 09:01 PM
cygnus x1 cygnus x1 is offline
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Atomic 4 meltdown

Lost oil pressure, alarm when off, shut engine down, bildge was filed with oil. I got it back to the dock, tried to add oil, ran straight through to bildge. Could not see where leak was from. Engine turns over, not locked up? Pulling engine to have a look-see? Any ideas, seals, etc? Block damage? Rebuild (short block replacement)?
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  #2   IP: 71.253.200.29
Old 08-06-2012, 07:30 AM
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Oil pan may be rusted through.
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Old 08-06-2012, 09:57 PM
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I can't even imagine what else it could be.
You 'll need to pull the engine to replace it.
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Old 08-06-2012, 10:21 PM
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May be the valve cover?????
How about all the oil pressure take off points.

I would keep looking before you pull the engine. i would think that a pan leak would start out small. You seem to have a huge leak, that should be easy to find.
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Old 08-07-2012, 12:23 AM
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If you're pouring it in and it's going right through to the bilge with the engine at rest there's a 'hole in the bucket', gotta be. Your quick shut down may have saved you.
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1977 Catalina 30
San Pedro, California
prior boats 1987 Westsail 32, 1970 Catalina 22
Had my hands in a few others
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  #6   IP: 166.20.224.12
Old 08-07-2012, 08:01 AM
cygnus x1 cygnus x1 is offline
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Thanks All. I talked with Ken (THANKS Ken) at Moyer Marine and he said the same thing. I could not find anything by a good look see with a mirror or feeling around with my hand. Very little working room in a Catalina C30. I'm having it pulled so I can get a better look. It has 3000 + hrs and was smoking badly (tried the MM oil treatment over the winter layup) so I was planning on at least a ring job this winter. I guess it was more tired than I thought!
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Old 08-07-2012, 08:51 AM
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Thumbs up

Nah...it is just your motor telling you to get on with the ring job!

Welcome to the forum!

(sidebar) - Is the name of your C-30 "Cygnus"? That was the old name of my boat, before a proper renaming ceremony.
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"Holiday" - '89 Alura 35 #109
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  #8   IP: 166.20.224.12
Old 08-07-2012, 03:20 PM
cygnus x1 cygnus x1 is offline
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Actually boat name is MAHAHO, which is Cree Indian for water spirit. My user name comes from a Rush song, but is also a black hole, kind of like a boat "hole in the water where you throw money". So maybe I should have named it that way? I will have to figure out how to add my info, '80 Catalina C30 TRBS, hull number 1704, out of Douglas, Michigan.
As far as the leak, the engine was pulled today at the marina, and they said they could not see any hole in the oil pan??? I won't get a chance to get over there until the weekend...so??? I said to add oil and see where it comes out (rocket science?). I guess it just disappeared into that black hole.
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Old 08-07-2012, 07:53 PM
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Are you certain you didn't overfill the engine with oil and it leaked out of the front air seal on the crankshaft?

Which isn't a "seal" at all...just a gap.

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Old 08-08-2012, 07:49 AM
cygnus x1 cygnus x1 is offline
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Dip stick showed no oil...it was all in the bilge. Added two quarts, so it would not have overfilled. I let the marina know that exact thing.
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  #11   IP: 206.125.176.5
Old 08-08-2012, 10:19 AM
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Thumbs up

Stop paying the marina.."thanks for yanking it guys, I'll be over in a few days".
They usually charge by the hour!

To add a signature and other data, click on the "User CP" (User Control Panel) in teh upper left corner of the forum. Avatars & signatures can be set up there.
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"Holiday" - '89 Alura 35 #109
"Twice Around" - '77 C-30, #511 with original A-4 & MMI manifold - SOLD! (no longer a two boat owner!!)
http://www.moyermarine.com/forums/signaturepics/sigpic3231_6.gif
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  #12   IP: 8.19.13.19
Old 08-09-2012, 12:53 PM
JOHN COOKSON JOHN COOKSON is offline
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Catastrophic Failure Of The Rear Oil Seal?

Quote:
Originally Posted by cygnus x1 View Post
As far as the leak, the engine was pulled today at the marina, and they said they could not see any hole in the oil pan???
Is this possible???? With no hole in the oil pan I can't think of anything else.

TRUE GRIT
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Old 08-09-2012, 01:51 PM
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Put more oil in and see what happens

Quote:
Originally Posted by JOHN COOKSON View Post
Is this possible???? With no hole in the oil pan I can't think of anything else.

TRUE GRIT
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Old 08-11-2012, 09:38 PM
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Do you have the 2 to 1 reduction gear? I believe it has a drain plug and if it "fell" out it could dump oil. Dan S/V Marian Claire
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  #15   IP: 206.125.176.5
Old 08-13-2012, 09:37 AM
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Dan, Catalina 30, so almost 100% sure he's got a direct drive. The prop shaft heads under the floor at the aft end of the engine compartment...not enough room to bolt on a reduction gear.

But, it never hurts to make suggestions and ask questions since none of us really know what is wrong yet.
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"Holiday" - '89 Alura 35 #109
"Twice Around" - '77 C-30, #511 with original A-4 & MMI manifold - SOLD! (no longer a two boat owner!!)
http://www.moyermarine.com/forums/signaturepics/sigpic3231_6.gif
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  #16   IP: 166.20.224.12
Old 08-14-2012, 07:18 AM
cygnus x1 cygnus x1 is offline
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We found I had two problems. The rear main seal was bad...chewed up, pieces laying in the oil pan, and somehow the front oil drain plug in the front of the engine came loose. It didn't come all the way out because there is no room when installed, but loose enough to leak, so two leaks, go figure? Not all the oil drained out, but most of what I put in.
I've got another problem, not engine related (sort of). The glass the surrounds the wood engine mounts (in the front where the drain plug was) has de-laminated (from the oil leak?). I will have to clean all the oil out and maybe cut out the glass (soaked with oil) and re-glass the wood/hull.
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MAHAHO '80 Catalina C30 TRBS # 1704
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  #17   IP: 206.125.176.5
Old 08-14-2012, 11:03 AM
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Jeff...Since you have three problems underneath the engine, I think I might remove the motor at this point..at least out of the engine hole onto the floor. I've taken my galley completely apart more than once now, and it is not that hard. Stove comes out first, and then start pulling screws. You can remove the counter top without removing the shelf & slidy compartment, but it is almost easier to remove those! If so, keep pulling screws to facilitate removal of everything aft of the first mini-bulkhead that separates the galley from the "salon". There are a couple 'hidden' screws in the cleats at the bottom edge of the cabinet (below the sinks) that hold the cleats into the fiberglass settee. Once I got those out the counter top slid out from under the slidy cabinet...but now I almost always just remove the other stuff to make my life easier.

Here is a thread starting at page 12 , where I did the rear main seal..I linked to the page where I actually got to the seal part of the job. After you peruse that thread, I think you'll find the job much easier with the engine out..especially since you need to get that drain bolt sealed up and the fiberglass rails fixed. I had trouble with the couplers..again, a much easier job with the engine not in its normal spot.
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"Holiday" - '89 Alura 35 #109
"Twice Around" - '77 C-30, #511 with original A-4 & MMI manifold - SOLD! (no longer a two boat owner!!)
http://www.moyermarine.com/forums/signaturepics/sigpic3231_6.gif

Last edited by sastanley; 08-14-2012 at 11:06 AM.
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  #18   IP: 166.20.224.10
Old 08-15-2012, 08:12 AM
cygnus x1 cygnus x1 is offline
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Shawn,
Thanks for the info, but I already pulled the engine, so I got a crash course in galley removal. Really wasn't that hard and may just refinish the galley top while I'm at it.
I'm going to have to clean, epoxy and screw the lifted glass, back to the wood engine mount. About a 6" piece has lifted. Wondering if this is normal (if anything is normal in a good old boat)?
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MAHAHO '80 Catalina C30 TRBS # 1704
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  #19   IP: 206.125.176.5
Old 08-15-2012, 10:53 AM
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Jeff..roger! Most things with GOB's seem to be a crash course!

I replaced just the plywood & formica on the counter top when I had it apart, the first winter.

I finally got around to replacing the rest of it (over by the icebox) last year.

I've never had any trouble with the fiberglass engine rails..The holes got 'soft' where the lags went in, but stuffing them with thickened epoxy seems to have helped that a lot and gotten the lags to bite again.
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"Holiday" - '89 Alura 35 #109
"Twice Around" - '77 C-30, #511 with original A-4 & MMI manifold - SOLD! (no longer a two boat owner!!)
http://www.moyermarine.com/forums/signaturepics/sigpic3231_6.gif
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