Hoping the bad news doen't get worse

[FSUDave]

A few weeks ago while backing into a slip I hear a loud noise like to objects slamming into each other and then the port engine shut down. Did not think I hit anything with the prop since we were in a marina. Restarted the engine and when I would put it in gear the port trany would chatter. The boat went in for a scheduled bottom job and they checked the engines and tranny. Found very little compression in one cylinder and 2 cylinders failed the leakdown test. Nothing wrong with the tranny. I have been told that usually this occurs because of water in the manifolds. This can be fixed easily enough although another grand evaporates. The other cause of this could be a valve dropping and hitting the piston, in which case I am told is a new engine.:smt089 I should find out tomorrow which is the case. The thing that keeps sticking in the back of my head is the loud bang I heard, I keep thinking that it could have been the valve slamming into the piston, I hope I am wrong. So if anyone knows of any dances to the engine gods please let me know.

 

[Nehalennia]

Check your oil for water. I hope when the engine stopped it didn't ingest water. Best of luck, hopefully it's an easy fix.

 

[wkearney99]

Rattling from the engine is a bad sign, but not as bad as a hammering noise. But neither are indicators of anything inexpensive to fix. If it's valves and it didn't wreck the pistons then it might be less worse. But if it's a thrown connecting rod you're really screwed.

 

[capecodcruiser]

They are still just Chevy 350's guys. Any reputable machine shop should have ample access to these and depending on how it is built, it can go from a $3K upwards. But it doesn't have to break the bank. CHeck around, I think you will be surprised at the prices if you even need a new motor.
Good luck

 

[Kurt]

Rattling from the engine is a bad sign, but not as bad as a hammering noise.

:smt021

Pure Genius, how long did it take you to figure that one out?

But seriously, sorry to hear about your troubles. MM has been pretty good to me lately in their service department. Good luck.

 

[sprink56]

A few weeks ago while backing into a slip I hear a loud noise like to objects slamming into each other and then the port engine shut down. Did not think I hit anything with the prop since we were in a marina. Restarted the engine and when I would put it in gear the port trany would chatter. The boat went in for a scheduled bottom job and they checked the engines and tranny. Found very little compression in one cylinder and 2 cylinders failed the leakdown test. Nothing wrong with the tranny. I have been told that usually this occurs because of water in the manifolds. This can be fixed easily enough although another grand evaporates. The other cause of this could be a valve dropping and hitting the piston, in which case I am told is a new engine.:smt089 I should find out tomorrow which is the case. The thing that keeps sticking in the back of my head is the loud bang I heard, I keep thinking that it could have been the valve slamming into the piston, I hope I am wrong. So if anyone knows of any dances to the engine gods please let me know.

Dave,

If you have the "means" and they would fit, you might want to jump on I-4 and go check this out:

http://miami.craigslist.org/mdc/boa/1273586241.html

This would push that 320 along quite nicely.:thumbsup:

Be open minded.:grin:

In any case, if you ate the motor they are cheap and plentiful. My brother just did a 5.7 re power in his '83 formula 233 LS. He dealt with AJ's in Miami and bought a long block with a bit of a cam upgrade for about $1400 A~Z freight allowed to Tuscaloosa,Alabama. He did all of the work and spent another $200 on oil, gaskets, etc. He's put about 15 hours on it with no issues. Another CSR member in Atlanta did one in a 32DA reverse rotation, paid a mechanic to work it and spent about $2200. I think your exposure on a replacement A~Z won't exceed $2500.

You have to wonder though, with your diligent maintenance and care...what happened and why ?:huh:

 

[aquaholic]

hello, if they ran a compression check they should know the answer, if you droped a valve the engine would have no compression in that cylnder, also if you dropped a valve the engine would be hammering and while cranking the engine you would here a ton of noise. and it would seize up. failing a leak check, probly because your manifilds and rizers are bad and you have some pitting under the valves not letting them shut all the way, drain the oil and look for any metal in the oil. if you spun a bearing you need a eng, i dought you spun a bearing at such a low rpm, unless it was making noise while you were cruzing, good luck

 

[KayKook]

:smt021

Pure Genius, how long did it take you to figure that one out?

As long as it took to read an article in one of his boating magazines. :smt001

 

[FSUDave]

Dave,


You have to wonder though, with your diligent maintenance and care...what happened and why ?:huh:

I asked MM that same question and received 2 possibilities.
1. Risers and/or manifolds rotted and leaked. I just had those checked and my mech said they looked ok.

2. They had a situation where an 07 310 had water intrusion and MM had a mercury rep come look. The 310 had a small dinghy and motor on the swim platform. The conclusion was that there has to be a minimum of 18 inches between the water line and the bottom of the elbow so that water does not get sucked back up the exhaust. With the dinghy and motor on the swim platform the distance was only about 17" which the Merc rep said would allow for the water to be sucked back up into the manifolds. When they told me this they did not know I kept a dinghy on the back of the boat. I had pulled it of before I brought the boat in.

So my conclusion is that if my mech was correct and the risers and manifolds where ok then #2 is probably not a bunch of horse @$&^*. On the other hand if #2 is a buch of crap then my mech can't tell the difference between a good manifold and a bad one.

The engine did not make any noise other than the one time. And the engine ran fine after that, no hesitating, knocking, ratteling, rough running, though I thought it seemed to have a hard time planing. So I am hoping it is just a trip to the machine shop. But I do wonder about the noise I heard.

They are supposed to have it torn down today and let me know what they found. I will post as soon as I hear.

 

[Gunn]

I had an experience in a 350 small block where the retainers on the valve broke, it dropped down and hit the piston, which promptly forced it back up, bending the valve stem and securing it within the valve guide so it wouldn't drop back again. Loud noise, then rougher running, but that was it. No compression in that cylinder when checked.

I ended up having to replace the valve guide in the cylinder head, and the valve. Th e piston had a ding in it, but was not replaced. That was about 15 years ago and I'm still running that very engine today in my '66 Chevelle.

You can hope that if i was a dropped valve, the same thing happened and it's not a new engine. Decent amount of labor (I did it myself), but not much in machining and parts.

Tom

 

[fc3]

I had an experience in a 350 small block where the retainers on the valve broke, it dropped down and hit the piston, which promptly forced it back up, bending the valve stem and securing it within the valve guide so it wouldn't drop back again.
Tom

You must lead a charmed life, Tom. Never heard of that before!

 

[67vetteal]

Certainly Plausable. Especially with a Small Block Chevy. Al W.

 

[FSUDave]

MM finally got my engine torn apart and it is the best news possible. No water intrusion, no busted piston, just a tuliped valve .:smt038 They said most likely caused by a bad injector. It looks like our Keys trip is still on :thumbsup:. Thanks to everybody for their input.

 

[Nehalennia]

Congrats.

 

[Alex F]

I'm really glad they solved the problem with minimal cost. The theory about dinghy keeping the boat down a critical 1" lower than it should be sounded like a big time BS. If this was true every dances of that size with dinghy on the platform would be in the shop with similar problem. Have fun in the keys.

 

[sprink56]

That is great news and I am sure a great relief to you.:thumbsup:

Have fun and be careful in that "skinny" water.

 

[skolbe]

How do you store your Dinghy on your 320? I just set mine on the swim platform? Do you have Davits? My Dinghy barely weighs down the platform.

 

[barryg]

Just for reference, what is MM charging to do the fix? Glad it's the least expensive one!!

Have fun in the Keys!

Barry

 

[FSUDave]

I'm really glad they solved the problem with minimal cost. The theory about dinghy keeping the boat down a critical 1" lower than it should be sounded like a big time BS. If this was true every dances of that size with dinghy on the platform would be in the shop with similar problem. Have fun in the keys.

Yeah, I thought the same thing. That was told to MM by a Merc rep. My guess is that may be an exuse not to cover the damage. Also on that same thought the same could be said if you are standing on your swim platform when the engines are shut down, or if you put your cooler on the swim platform and it is full. Plus there was no water intrusion, and the dinghy had been on the swim platform for 4 yrs.

How do you store your Dinghy on your 320? I just set mine on the swim platform? Do you have Davits? My Dinghy barely weighs down the platform.

You can see in my sig pic, I just pull it up onto the swim platform. I also would leave the engine on(that is until it was stolen last year:smt089) The total weight was about 120 lbs.
If you keep your dinghy on the back I would make sure you take it off when ever you have work done so that way they are not aware of it and cannot use that as an excuse.

Just for reference, what is MM charging to do the fix? Glad it's the least expensive one!!


Have fun in the Keys!

Barry

The est was right at around a grand plus tax. I do not know if they are going to machine the heads or not, but they are going to replace a few valves and all the valve seats, and one of the injectors.

I can't wait to head out to the Key's. We are leaving Aug 11th. In the 35 Years I lived here and that same many years being on boats, from my parents to my own I have never been. The only time my parents took their boat down was after I was in college, so I missed out(I am sure that was planned:grin. Thanks for all the feed back.

 

[Hampton]

The est was right at around a grand plus tax.

So what's that, about 2 grand total? Oh, not yet. Better get is done fast before Congress passes any new bills. Glad to hear it's not too bad. Looking forward to the Keys myself. Tomorrow by F-15, then next year by boat.