"My beautiful V2600 Sabre "
"My beautiful V2600 Sabre "Sundance" is very sick, at least her LM318 is. Short history: I don't think prior owner knew much about boats, let alone engines; I had an episode a month ago, overheat, diagnosed as a hole in the heat exchanger, hole could have been there for years; replaced with $800 copper-nickel unit, ran for several hours then boat came out for a bottom paint job, zincs etc. Boat refloated, no problems starting or running. Yesterday took her from Tacoma Narrows, my boat house, to Everett WA where I will birth her for the summer, (near my home); made fuel and water at Elliot Bay Seattle after a 1+ hour run; oil was good, temp was 160+, RPM at 3500, (WOT test was 4300); continued north to Shilshole where I smelt something hot and burning looked at my temp and it was up to 200; turned around and behind me there was smoke billowing out of the side walls inboard of the gunnels; shut her down and lifted the center hatch while reaching for the firex; couldn't see any flames and was chased out of the cockpit by so much steam/exhaust vapors that I could not breath, stood on the bow; instantly had like 10 boats around me with offers of rescue, life rings out, fire bottles at ready to toss...made me proud to belong to such a giving community on the water; I thought I had lost a pump belt; once the steam had cleared I saw the damage though, I am not sure of the cause but there was large verticle crack in the port side exhaust manifold, (fresh water cooled of course); I bobbed around for 30 minutes until she cooled then refilled the heat exchanger with fresh water and intended to limp into Shilshole; instead found that if I kept the RPM low and kept refilling with fresh water the engine temp would stay at 160; so being the risk taker I am I motored for the next 5 hours at 4.5 knots turning about 1700RPM backing it off if the temp rose; had the engine covers off, I had to hang on the starboard side of the cabin completely out of the bridge and steer as the exhaust leak filled the whole cockpit with vapors; got a real once over from the CG boat as I came into the Everett marina as I was doing some crazy stupid thing, Is he drunk?; well since I saw several boats being towed back in I count myself as being both lucky and a good sailor. Sundance made it back to port.
Here is the question; port exhaust manifold is toasted, literaly it is black. What caused it to crack? Could the issue of salt water in system have corroded more than just the port side? I hesitate to take the manifold off as I can still move her under her own power, should I consider replacing this known damaged "mystery" engine? What troubleshooting is advised at this point? Gosh, I am just sick at not having her seaworthy! Your advice please? David"
"My beautiful V2600 Sabre "Sundance" is very sick, at least her LM318 is. Short history: I don't think prior owner knew much about boats, let alone engines; I had an episode a month ago, overheat, diagnosed as a hole in the heat exchanger, hole could have been there for years; replaced with $800 copper-nickel unit, ran for several hours then boat came out for a bottom paint job, zincs etc. Boat refloated, no problems starting or running. Yesterday took her from Tacoma Narrows, my boat house, to Everett WA where I will birth her for the summer, (near my home); made fuel and water at Elliot Bay Seattle after a 1+ hour run; oil was good, temp was 160+, RPM at 3500, (WOT test was 4300); continued north to Shilshole where I smelt something hot and burning looked at my temp and it was up to 200; turned around and behind me there was smoke billowing out of the side walls inboard of the gunnels; shut her down and lifted the center hatch while reaching for the firex; couldn't see any flames and was chased out of the cockpit by so much steam/exhaust vapors that I could not breath, stood on the bow; instantly had like 10 boats around me with offers of rescue, life rings out, fire bottles at ready to toss...made me proud to belong to such a giving community on the water; I thought I had lost a pump belt; once the steam had cleared I saw the damage though, I am not sure of the cause but there was large verticle crack in the port side exhaust manifold, (fresh water cooled of course); I bobbed around for 30 minutes until she cooled then refilled the heat exchanger with fresh water and intended to limp into Shilshole; instead found that if I kept the RPM low and kept refilling with fresh water the engine temp would stay at 160; so being the risk taker I am I motored for the next 5 hours at 4.5 knots turning about 1700RPM backing it off if the temp rose; had the engine covers off, I had to hang on the starboard side of the cabin completely out of the bridge and steer as the exhaust leak filled the whole cockpit with vapors; got a real once over from the CG boat as I came into the Everett marina as I was doing some crazy stupid thing, Is he drunk?; well since I saw several boats being towed back in I count myself as being both lucky and a good sailor. Sundance made it back to port.
Here is the question; port exhaust manifold is toasted, literaly it is black. What caused it to crack? Could the issue of salt water in system have corroded more than just the port side? I hesitate to take the manifold off as I can still move her under her own power, should I consider replacing this known damaged "mystery" engine? What troubleshooting is advised at this point? Gosh, I am just sick at not having her seaworthy! Your advice please? David"