UPDATED: PIC I have saltwater coming out at mani gasket @ engine?! All new stuff!

[Philster]

I have a great running 502 Magnum EFI/MP, 1996, turning a Bravo 1 and 23p Mirage Plus prop on my 26.9' Scarab. She runs up near 60+ with a fairly heavy load. Factory specs on the boat are 61 MPH at 4900 RPM on a 23p Mirage. I am right there. I am actually afraid to push it harder or trim it up more, but she ran 60 on my last WOT test run (just checking all pieces out). I had her a little higher before. She starts easily. She idles nicely at 600 RPM. I had her up above 61 before.

I replaced the Manis/Rises/Elbows as preventative maintenance, and since my exhaust on both banks was steamier than I like, and since I had no idea of the age of these pieces, it was the right (expensive) preventative maintenance.

Now, with about 6 hours on the new pieces, I do a basic check of the engine, and I see salt and water sitting right where the manifold/gasket/engine meet. I see salt spray. I tase the salt. It's salt/seawater on the starboard side of the 502. Look closer and -- presto -- light steam from starboard exhaust.

The pieces are GLM. Am I ignorant to something here? How does water get to this spot (where mani meets engine), with brand spanking new pieces?

Is there some other type of engine problem? But come on... she runs great, and what the heck else could it be???

 

[Bt Doctur]

Re: Why do I have saltwater coming out at mani gasket @ engine?! All new stuff!

Re: Why do I have saltwater coming out at mani gasket @ engine?! All new stuff!

Where manifold bolts to the head there are no water channels. Check the riser to manifold gasket

 

[Philster]

Re: Why do I have saltwater coming out at mani gasket @ engine?! All new stuff!

Re: Why do I have saltwater coming out at mani gasket @ engine?! All new stuff!

Right... there is no water channel there, hence the frusration. Darn, the manifold to riser gasker sure looks nice from the outside (I know,I know).

More info: The salt water is worst at the front of the engine bank. It's heaviest at the front, then tapers to nothing by the back of the bank.

I suppose it's just coming out the weakest part of the gasket? I mean, there might not be anything inherently wrong here, as it's not meant to deal with this condition.

I don't have time to wrench on this, and my merc tech is gonna have to handle it like he did the mani/risers/etc... but I have a feeling he is gonna try to squirm out of this one, so...

I don't see any other way for water to get to this spot. It can't be a head... The darn water is RIGHT THERE at the manifold/engine gasket. It's actually spraying. If they try to squirm out of this, I am going to court.

Who is my expert witness?? Please, someone check my sanity here and tell me that I am not nuts.

 

[Alpheus]

Re: Why do I have saltwater coming out at mani gasket @ engine?! All new stuff!

Re: Why do I have saltwater coming out at mani gasket @ engine?! All new stuff!

Is it leaking in the front around where the thermostat housing runners are connecting to the heads??? Because their is water that runs from your intake through your heads and into the block, and it could most certainly leak there...

Put a torque wrench on the intake bolts and make sure that they're tight...

Also check your oil to make sure no water got in there as well. If it can leak out of the top it could have leaked on the bottom.

 

[Philster]

Re: Why do I have saltwater coming out at mani gasket @ engine?! All new stuff!

Re: Why do I have saltwater coming out at mani gasket @ engine?! All new stuff!

Intake bolts? Let's say the intake bolts were loose, how does this get water spraying out the mani/engine gasket while the motor runs well?

Not arguing... trying to understand.

 

[Philster]

Re: Why do I have saltwater coming out at mani gasket @ engine?! All new stuff!

Re: Why do I have saltwater coming out at mani gasket @ engine?! All new stuff!

No water in oil. The only leak is right there as mentioned.

 

[Alpheus]

Re: Why do I have saltwater coming out at mani gasket @ engine?! All new stuff!

Re: Why do I have saltwater coming out at mani gasket @ engine?! All new stuff!

Intake bolts? Let's say the intake bolts were loose, how does this get water spraying out the mani/engine gasket while the motor runs well?

Not arguing... trying to understand.

Because water is running through your intake to open and close the thermostat...

 

[Philster]

Re: Why do I have saltwater coming out at mani gasket @ engine?! All new stuff!

Re: Why do I have saltwater coming out at mani gasket @ engine?! All new stuff!

Maybe I am missing something... but the water is coming out the mani-to-engine gasket. If the intake were leaking, where would it be leaking to?

 

[Bondo]

Re: Why do I have saltwater coming out at mani gasket @ engine?! All new stuff!

Re: Why do I have saltwater coming out at mani gasket @ engine?! All new stuff!

The pieces are GLM.
Maybe I am missing something... but the water is coming out the mani-to-engine gasket.

Ayuh,... Al is talkin' about the intake Manifold,+ you're talkin' about the exhaust Manifolds...

As noted, there's No water at that gasket,....
My guess the GLM thing has something to do with it...

I had a set that needed additional work to Fix 'em...

Only a close inspection is gonna answer this question....

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: Why do I have saltwater coming out at mani gasket @ engine?! All new stuff!

Re: Why do I have saltwater coming out at mani gasket @ engine?! All new stuff!

mani-to-engine gasket

That points to water leaking internally (possibly riser-manifold gaskets or casting flaw) in the manifolds and/or risers.......

 

[Philster]

Re: Why do I have saltwater coming out at mani gasket @ engine?! All new stuff!

Re: Why do I have saltwater coming out at mani gasket @ engine?! All new stuff!

Bond-O... and all... Ah, yes... this is all about me seeing saltwater coming directly out of the exhaust manifold-to-gasket-to-engine joint.

I am away from the boat, but I don't want these guys weaseling their way out of what seems to be a clear problem associated with the mani/riser replacement that was done a few weeks back. I need to be able to firmly say that the only way for water to spray out of the exhaust manifold-to-gasket-to-engine joint is for water to intrude into the exhaust gas runner of the manifold.

If this type of water worked its way from a head into the engine/combustion chamber, I wouldn't expect easy starting, normal running, and everything else that seems right with the engine (as described in the opening post). And, ahhh.... the steam... tell tale sign of mani/riser issue. I cannot imagine how that kind of water/salt would just get into a cylinder and then be blown by the gasket in question. The engine would have gone to complete crappola.

So, you guys are giving me a leg to stand on as I need to demand they must stand by their exhaust system work and get me back on the water by doing it right (or reimburse me to have someone do it right).

I don't want them to have any way to weasel out of this.

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: Why do I have saltwater coming out at mani gasket @ engine?! All new stuff!

Re: Why do I have saltwater coming out at mani gasket @ engine?! All new stuff!

It's possible that they weren't careful installing the riser gaskets and/or didn't closely inspect the riser-manifold contact surfaces ........they SHOULD be perfectly flat!!

If they're NOT, they may be far enough "out" that the gaskets don't adequately seal and you get some water running back into the exhaust when you shut down.

Don't let that go very long though......It's raw (salt) water..............

If you have an open exhaust valve, that water WILL run right in and sit on top of a piston!!

If it sits there long........it will be very bad.

 

[Alpheus]

Re: Why do I have saltwater coming out at mani gasket @ engine?! All new stuff!

Re: Why do I have saltwater coming out at mani gasket @ engine?! All new stuff!

Holy he!! I thought you were talking about the intake manifold. My bad...

Sounds like you got a bad from stock EXHAUST manifold...

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: Why do I have saltwater coming out at mani gasket @ engine?! All new stuff!

Re: Why do I have saltwater coming out at mani gasket @ engine?! All new stuff!

The pieces are GLM.

I think those are "imported" from somewhere aren't they?

I seem to remember someone (Bondo?) needing to have a set of GLM manifolds/risers milled flat before they would seal or something.

But if I paid a "professional" to install them, I would expect him, (or her) to absolutely ensure that they were flat and didn't leak.

 

[JustJason]

Re: Why do I have saltwater coming out at mani gasket @ engine?! All new stuff!

Re: Why do I have saltwater coming out at mani gasket @ engine?! All new stuff!

The other thing you can try is to unbolt the manifolds and remove the risers/elbows, and set the manifold up on the work table the flattest you can. Blow out all water and fill it up with acetone and see if it starts leaking out the exhaust ports or anyplace else.
Is it possible to snap a pic of the leak, it does sound odd.

 

[Philster]

Re: Why do I have saltwater coming out at mani gasket @ engine?! All new stuff!

Re: Why do I have saltwater coming out at mani gasket @ engine?! All new stuff!

Bond-O certainly mentioned the GLM pieces and the need to check/fix mating surfaces.

So, I have worse news, because I headed over to the marina, and now with my wits about me to look things over closer (after staring at the leak yesterday) is that I have blow by so bad the dipstick is pushed out and the oil is anything but proper looking. It's an ugly brown. Just chocolate milk brown.... the kind of bad brown I've never seen. Black would be better. Regardless, the blow by wound up as an ugly stew coming out the blow by tube (from crankcase obviously) and planted itself on my hatch, and pushed the dipstick out and oozed blow by down the engine.

Bingo.. I gots corrosion in a cylinder or more. Word around the marina is they are gonna try to pin it on a head leaking. The spray is at the exhaust manifold gasket to engine.

 

[JustJason]

Re: Why do I have saltwater coming out at mani gasket @ engine?! All new stuff!

Re: Why do I have saltwater coming out at mani gasket @ engine?! All new stuff!

The spray is at the exhaust manifold gasket to engine

Sounds more and more like you may just have a cracked head, and the new manifold thing isn't really related.

 

[JustJason]

Re: Why do I have saltwater coming out at mani gasket @ engine?! All new stuff!

Re: Why do I have saltwater coming out at mani gasket @ engine?! All new stuff!

Sounds more and more like you may just have a cracked head, and the new manifold thing isn't really related.
Worst case scenario would be the deck of the block rotted through.

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: Why do I have saltwater coming out at mani gasket @ engine?! All new stuff!

Re: Why do I have saltwater coming out at mani gasket @ engine?! All new stuff!

You know, heads and head gaskets don't "blow" all that often.....

How much running have you done since winter? AND Did you winterize last year. Did you do it or did you pay someone to do it?

When were those manifolds changed?


I would be wanting to isolate those manifolds, putting 10-15 PSI on the block and heads and see if it "hisses"!!

 

[Philster]

Re: Why do I have saltwater coming out at mani gasket @ engine?! All new stuff!

Re: Why do I have saltwater coming out at mani gasket @ engine?! All new stuff!

Professional winterization.

Exhaust manifolds are four weeks old today.

About 30 hours since winter and about 10 on the new exhaust manis/risers/gaskets/elbows/spacers.

Problems cropped up after the exhaust work/pieces listed above. I had them all replaced as preventative maintenance.