The last time my boat has been on the water was in 1992. It's been covered and stored, sometimes inside (winter), sometimes outside (summer) ever since. A couple years ago my dad and I fired the boat up for just a few seconds, 3 at the most, while on the trailer.
I now own the boat, it was previously my dad's. I've been working my boat off this past week making up a parts list of what I need, cleaning it, looking things over, etc. It has a Harman Marine built 454 Chevy in it. I pulled the plugs, squirted about 25 cc of oil into the cylinders, then turned the engine over manually with a breaker bar and socket. It turned smoothly, I couldn't hear any grinding of anything obvious, and when I reinserted the plugs partially there was noticeable compression.
I plan to pull the motor since 1 of the outer most stringers needed replaced due to rot. So while I have the engine out I plan to take advantage of looking the engine over more closely.
I pulled the valve covers off and there is zero sign of any rust. I also plan to to use a scope or mirror to peek into the cylinders to see if I can spot anything out of the ordinary.
There is some slight surface rust just under the carb inside the intake manifold. It's not enough to flake off or anything like that, but it's enough to concern me somewhat.
Can anyone provide any hints, tips, other info to help me determine if the engine is still solid?
Right now I am looking at a complete new interior, stringer repair, and possibly a new floor. I'm hoping the engine and jet are solid enough for use so I can restore the rest of the boat and get it back on the water.
Sounds like the engine is ok. I would be concerned with the fuel system. Drain and check the tanks, replace all the fuel lines, possibly rebuild the carb old fuel gums things up. Maybe fire it up with an aux fuel source to see if it runs. Oh yea dont forget to change the oil just incase you got some water in the pan. Good luck.
Depending on the last time it was fired off. I would pull the distributor and run the oil pump with a power drill with a gutted distributor as a drive chucked up to the drill. if an old dis. isn't available you can use a long screwdriver with the handle knocked off. run the drill a few seconds and let the pressure build up and then rotate the crank a couple of revolutions with a breaker bar. repeat this process a few times to lubricate the bearings and journals. nothings worse on an engine thats been sitting a year or two than to fire it off dry. after priming the oiling system I would run a compression check on all cylinders anything over 100lbs will run I like to see 125 ~ 150psi with little difference between cylinders. + / - 5lbs psi. tear the carb down and clean it. even if it has been run out like it should before storage. I wouldn't be to concerned about the surface rust on the intake although you may want to remove it and have it tanked at a machine shop it only takes a little bit of grit to "snowball" into a major malfunction. better safe than sorry.
what kind of drive? Jet,V, I/O ?
Good Luck
C.T.:wink:
what kind of drive? Jet,V, I/O ?
Good Luck
C.T.:wink:
I'm hoping the engine and jet are solid enough for use so I can restore the rest of the boat and get it back on the water.
Thanks guys! I'm somewhat relieved now.
The compression test was on my things to do list. Thanks for posting some numbers as a guideline to go by. I'll be sure to drain the oil after I pull the motor. One of the few engine mods I have planned is a better/bigger oil pan. I'll search the site for info on that.
How big of a drill will I need to spin an old distributor? I'm familiar with the process but have never done it myself.
The fuel system is definitely FUBAR. The mechanical (Carter I think) pump is shot. There's old gas in 1 of the tanks. And the Holley spreadbore double pumper has seen better days.
The pickups on the tanks are on top. What would be the best method to suction out the old fuel? How about rinsing the tanks out? The tanks are aluminum and glassed in it appears.
I have no idea what the part number is on a Holley spreadbore double pumper with mechanical secondaries is. I'd like to order a complete rebuild kit but have no idea which one to buy.
I'm debating the fuel pump issues, mechanical vs electric, but I'll use the search function here for that.
C.T., it's a Berkeley 12JC-A jet. I'm hoping time didn't do any damage to it.
When the oil pump gets primed it will put some torque on the drill but just about any drill should do the job. I dont know about the screw driver deal, just go out and buy a priming tool, they're cheap.. think i got mine for like 10-20 bucks..
Make sure you check or even change the oil in the pump bowl. Also the greese in your pumps main bearing is probably rock hard (how mine was after 10 years of sitting). Not sure if you can clean that or not with out disassembling the pump.
i have a pan for sale also if your interested, it's a dooley 10 quart pan, comes with the tray and pump (with pickup welded to it) thats in the pic. It has the trap doors also. Will fit mark IV 454. $100 bucks it's yours.
http://reitanfamily.com/gallery/d/6653-2/IM001220.jpg
OK smart ass
I was tired and didn't notice :rollside:
I dont know about the screw driver deal, just go out and buy a priming tool, they're cheap.. think i got mine for like 10-20 bucks..
.
I do and it works otherwise I wouldn't have posted it. It's a shame you spent your money on a tool you didn't need you could have bought yourself a clue.
C.T. :wink:
i have a pan for sale also if your interested, it's a dooley 10 quart pan, comes with the tray and pump (with pickup welded to it) thats in the pic. It has the trap doors also. Will fit mark IV 454. $100 bucks it's yours.
http://reitanfamily.com/gallery/d/6653-2/IM001220.jpg
PM inbound!
I would pull the distributor and run the oil pump with a power drill with a gutted distributor as a drive chucked up to the drill. if an old dis. isn't available you can use a long screwdriver with the handle knocked off
there was a thread posted on here awhile back about how to prime the oiling system...i "believe" u need to run the drill in reverse in order to prime it the correct way??...u might want to ask about that!
fastrat
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