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

HT32BSX115

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


Well, it sounds like the problems started AFTER the manifold replacement.


Sure makes me think the "new" manifolds/risers are related to the problem.....
 

Philster

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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!

UPDATE:

I hauled the Scarab out of the boatel/marina that did the work. They were not happy when I told them I was coming to get the boat and to not touch another thing. One side of the exhaust was off. I had to gather the bolts and other pieces.

I talked to a friend who is a high performance marine/car engine builder and he told me to get the boat to him ASAP. He is so far out of the way that I can't deal with him for routine stuff, but this was worth the haul. I drove five hours round trip and got the boat there to him and got my first chance to really crawl through it with him. This guy is very well respected/experienced.

First of all, there is salt at the mani/riser joints (yes, exhaust is all new stuff and work!). Clearly leakage. I took pics. He is taking pics during the tear down.

The joints were put together with wet gaskets/sealant , not the dry gaskets.

There is enough evidence that the manis/risers were done wrong that I am going to pile up the evidence and see if the marina is willing to work with me, and I will involve the NJ Dept of Consumer Affairs. If they are unwilling, I have already mapped out the procedures for filing a suit, and have been in contact with a surveyor do review and backup what the engine builder is seeing and saying, too.

Inside, the engine is hurting and screaming rebuild. I will have a real leakdown test and full diagnostics done, but right now the marina appears to have botched the mani/riser job, which has caused considerable damage to the 502.

I have maintenance records galore, and some pretty darn good details around the problem and how we got here pointing to shoddy work by the marina merc techs.

I will keep you updated. It is very sad that I took the necessary steps (the kind recommended around here) to prevent water intrusion by getting a fresh exhaust (manis/risers/etc), only to get burned. I did the right thing, and the marina and merc techs failed me miserably. I could not work on the boat and be on top of things because she is two hours from my home, but a consumer should be able to get basic stuff like this done right.

Wow... it'd be one thing if she was neglected, but I got burned doing the right thing.
 

rodbolt

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

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

wasnt done by mercruiser techs,perod.
a mercruiser factory supported tech,like myself, would NOT have used after market sheet but would have used genuine mercruiser stuff.
that way if there is a problem mercruiser gets a call from me and usually with a few pics or a visit from a field rep the issue is resolved at no customer cost.
I dont know if your setup used the dry stack manifolds as OEM but I dont think GLM offers them.
when using the OEM merc gaskets no sealent is required nor reccomended.
however the volvo steel shim type gasket its now reccomended to use copper cote on them.
my experience in the past 30 years or so with aftermarket stuff hasnt been good nor has been dealing with them on defective parts ad damage claims.
its also why I wont install customer supplied parts.
good luck with it but usually if water leaks out it also leaks in.
 

Philster

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

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

Merc certified techs. Biggest shop in the area. Woefully disappointed.

Regardless, they did work and damaged my engine as a result of poor workmanship.
 

Don S

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

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

Merc certified techs. Biggest shop in the area. Woefully disappointed.

Regardless, they did work and damaged my engine as a result of poor workmanship.

If they are a Merc certified dealership, why did they install GLM manifolds and risers and not OEM parts?

PS: GLM says to use sealer "Liberally" on their riser to manifold gaskets, at least on the kits they sell for SBC engines. I don't think they change gasket materials or methods for BBC engines.

If I installed GLM and did it per GLM specs, then if it fails, it's a GLM problem not mine. Mechanics are not responsible for the parts they install, especially if installed properly.
 

Philster

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

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

They used GLM because they said the Merc stuff had been inconsistent in quality.

Fair enough on the liberal use of sealer.
 

Don S

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

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

They used GLM because they said the Merc stuff had been inconsistent in quality.

And they thought that the cheaper junk imported by GLM was more consistant than OEM ????? They need to be fined for stupidity more than anything else. Oh, wait, stupidity is not illegal.
 

Philster

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

Salt visible @ multiple joints. All new stuff.
 

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Fishermark

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

I see by the pic that they also used the cheap green paper gaskets. I've learned the hard way to never use those. :eek:
 

krisnowicki

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

did they replace the 3 or 4 inch space too? Such a waste of a 502 if the salt got in side.
 

BAproject

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

They should be paying for a re-build (but not doing the rebuild), or better yet a replacement!

Also, I wouldn't be surprised if they used the GLM parts but charged you Mercruiser prices.

I mean, this is not a difficult job...I think it's harder to screw it up then it is to do it right

That blows though. sux that you did the right thing and got burnt....hopefully it will work out for you in the long run. Good luck.
 

Philster

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

Spacers were part of the job, too.
 

rodbolt

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

couple years ago I installed a 496 mag HO in a 24 carolina classic.
16 months and 249 hours in the customer, good friend and where I buy and the shop buys vehicles from, call me.
says water is spraying out from the riser to manifold joint.
I told him no way its a dry stack exhaust.
he said way.
I said bring it in asap.
he did.
the factory salt water cooled aluminium dry stack manifolds had corroded so bad it was spraying water out.
mercruiser paid up and the service replacements were cast iron.
myself I try to convert any and all I can to dry stack.
however since then if the manifolds are raw water cooled I wont install them if the are aluminium.
its also why I use OEM parts with OEM manuals and OEM updates and service bullitens.
that why when something like this happens OEM usually steps up and replaces all damaged parts.
try that with aftermarket.
they didnt by chance use silly cone as a gasket sealant on the riser joint did they?
 

Philster

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

Riser joint is a squeeze sealant type product.
 

a70eliminator

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

A little exhaust scavenging from cam profile maybe? could that be the source of the saltwater reside, it's just showing up because the gasket didn't seal 100%, but it's always there? I'm probably way off in my thinking though.
 

JustJason

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

I bet you'll find that if you remove the risers and scrape off the old gaskets either the manifold surface or riser surface isn't flat enough using a machinist straightedge and some feeler gauges.
 
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