Skipped chain 38

"Well heck
Hit the wake for a

"Well heck
Hit the wake for a day of fun and sun on the water and barely got out of sight of the dock and POP, motor quit.
Had a look to get it going to no avail. (I should have thought of skipped chain at the time and cranked dist around to putt into dock but didn't) got a tow in. Came home pulled it apart and not a real big suprise I guess the cam gear pulled teeth and the chain slipped.
Well I guess today on a small lake on a cruise vs a week from now when we are renting a boat access only cottage up north!
One thing I should have gone over but didn't. Proves no matter what you do SH88 can happen.
Jobber should have one in stock or be able to get it for me by Tuesday. Hell I would rebuild it still this week if that is what it took. Glad it is a smaller job!"

You may want to check that the

You may want to check that the valves are not bent. Sometimes when the timing goes south the pistons come up and hit the valves and bends some of them

I've also heard what Frank

I've also heard what Frank is saying. In fact I had a 350 once in a car that bent valves from a stretched chain.
I'd also be investigating why it went....for the 30 or 40 hours a year a boat gets used in this climate...the chain and sprockets shouldn't be worn at all..those 229's used to be in Checker taxi cabs...

"I had done a compression test

"I had done a compression test before pulling it apart just to verify my suspicion of a skipped chain was correct.
All cylinders low but even.
Replaced the chain and gear set last night and fired it up. Couldn't run it for than a couple minutes or so as it was past 11 pm, too late to make noise and it was in the garage so the fumes would have been a little excessive. All went well.
To my knowledge most or the Chevy stuff based on the small blocks are ok for clearance with chains skipping. But thanks for the idea.

As far as hours, I know little of the engines history. As far as hours that it was used, I would agree with our climate many boats get few hours on them. This one lived on a lake for 6 years prior to me getting it last fall.
Hours for this season are at 60 hours or so and looking forward to lots more this coming week at a cottage with boat access only

Thanks for your input."