Remanned Engine Puked last night...ARRRRRGH!

[KaGee]

Less than 30 minutes of run time in the back yard, getting it all tuned, shaked down and tidied up, was planning on putting back in the water this weekend. <br /><br />While running at around 1200-1500 RPM it starts spitting and starts to idle real rough. I shut it down. Pulled the plugs, all Starboard cyl (1, 3, 5) have water! Pulled the exhaust manifold, water runs out. Turn the engine over to blow out the cylinders, and NO compression on #1! Took off the valve cover to check for valve movement on #1, noticed a small trace of water in the oil which was not there on Saturday, when I sealed the valve cover gaskets. <br /><br />Calling the shop today. <br /><br />Any thoughts here as to what may have happened? I'm thinking head gasket maybe? But I'm not taking it down any further till I talk to the shop.

 

[MooseHootie]

Re: Remanned Engine Puked last night...ARRRRRGH!

Head gasket or exhaust manifold mabe.

 

[ron7000]

Re: Remanned Engine Puked last night...ARRRRRGH!

I'm guessing the setup is a v-6?<br />if the exhaust manifold has a separate riser on it, water may have leaked past that gasket between the manifold and riser and back into the cylinder. Check the exhaust manifold before you go any further. Have had this happen to me a few times.<br /><br />With the reman'd engine, are you reusing the old exhaust manifolds (and risers) ? If so, then how old are they and are you sure they are good?<br /><br />if you are mechanically inclined enough, you may try checking the torque on the head bolts. If the gasket failed, maybe it was from an improperly torqued head, which was done by the shop? If that's the case, and you can find a head bolt that's loose or torqued way low- like only 2 passes were done on it and not the final 3rd, then you would have a leg to stand on when negotiating for repair. At least watch the mechanic pull the head, and look for this.<br /><br />It probably sucks to have this happen with a new engine, but there's good news, I recently saved a bunch of money on my car insurance.... <br />Seriously, there probably isn't any damage to the engine. If you shut it down, and it did not shut itself down by hydrolocking, it's fine. Figure out where the water came from, put on a new head gasket and do a compression check, and you should be good.

 

[KaGee]

Re: Remanned Engine Puked last night...ARRRRRGH!

Called the shop....very helpful and wanting to make sure all is well. So at least I feel comfortable about dealing with them.<br /><br />Yes Ron, the manifolds were from the old engine... They were replacements I got from a boatyard earlier. The originals were cracked, you vould physically see those cracks.<br /><br />U R correct, OMC 3.8L SBC.<br />Old engine was replaced with a longblock due to a cracked block. Everything was installed by them, I just replaced the tin and manifolds from the old engine. I have been into several engines in my time, so I'm not inept there. However my oldest son wanted to help, so I let him. He torqued down the intake, I watched out of the corner of my eye, but maybe I should have done it myself.<br /><br />I checked out the manifold before, but I will redo again... I know, S**t happens, and Hoyles law always works for me... if it can happen...it will!<br /><br />The shop owner gave me a laundry list of other things to do before resorting to pulling the engine again. That list included rechecking the exhaust manifold, then the intake. So, I'll be about doing it.

 

[f_inscreenname]

Re: Remanned Engine Puked last night...ARRRRRGH!

I say it is the exhaust manifold. You will not soak a bank of cylinders from a head gasket. Most of the time the only cylinders that get wet are next to where the head gasket failed. As for the intake. You will get water in your oil that way and maybe a cylinder but again not all of them. Sounds like you have a crack in the manifold that opens up when it gets hot or a failed manifold gasket that leaked when water pressure got to much for it (“While running at around 1200-1500 RPM“) . Did these manifolds sit around dry for awhile before you installed them? If so I would look at the gaskets first. Working with (installing, etc) them also may have loosened them up a little and that is all it takes.

 

[KaGee]

Re: Remanned Engine Puked last night...ARRRRRGH!

Yes F_in, The boatyard I bought them from had them on the shelf, so no telling how long they sat. I installed them in June on the old engine and had no problem.<br /> But, like you say, could have just let go.<br />We'll see.

 

[cc lancer]

Re: Remanned Engine Puked last night...ARRRRRGH!

KaGee:<br />My condolences, it sure makes life interesting to hang all that metal on a block and have to do it over again.<br />Another thought, hair line crack that did not show with up with magnaflux, after the head got hot it opened up.<br />Lost compression on number one because the oil was washed off the cylinder wall.

 

[KaGee]

Re: Remanned Engine Puked last night...ARRRRRGH!

Thanks for the condolance CC.<br />i took a break from it all tonight and went to the hospital to visit my brother who just had the stomach reduction surgery. My schedule is such that I won't get back to the boat till Friday or Saturday. Maybe by then I'll have a better outlook. <br /><br />Ya, I did alot of work.. mostly by myself. The engine shop I bought the motor from Is going to work with me to try and find the fix without sending the motor back. So I will get it fixed... just a matter of time.

 

[steve n carol]

Re: Remanned Engine Puked last night...ARRRRRGH!

are you going to pressure test this exhaust manifold?<br />and you could pressure test the block too, least ways before you change the oil...sl

 

[steve n carol]

Re: Remanned Engine Puked last night...ARRRRRGH!

if you pressure check the block w/water, you may be able to find what cylinder gave way, if it was in fact a cylinder...sl

 

[KaGee]

Re: Remanned Engine Puked last night...ARRRRRGH!

Took it down to the block and cleaned out the residual water remaining in the cylinders.<br /><br />I,m puzzled as to exactly where the water came from as the manifold jacket held 20 lbs of pressure for over 2 hours. <br /><br />Head and intake back on now. Letting the silicone cure. Will be a couple of days now before I get back to it. Got to go out on "bidness". When I get back I will pressurize the block before going any further.