"Help! I have a 5.7L, V8 Mercr
"Help! I have a 5.7L, V8 Mercruiser, 1988 which has always run well until this year. In Feb.2006 we had some difficulty in starting the engine - it always smelt as if it was flooding. Had a full service done then had trouble with the engine stalling going into gear - forward and reverse. The fitted stripped the controls and renewed the throttle cable, an improvement but the problem remained. I took the boat out to sea, after half a mile, opened her up but could only get 1500rpm, brought boat straight back. The fitter found water in the oil and announced the head gasket had gone, no compression on one side. We sucked out the emulsified oil and replaced with new oil and filter. Took both heads off, they were skimmed and serviced. Fitter could not return for 2 months so we topped up the engine with oil and turned the engine over weekly to lubricate the cylinder walls. 2 months later, no fitter! Another fitter, fitted the heads but engine would not turn by hand, only by ignition key. Timing was reset as best we could - no change. Thought it might be a bearing pinching on the shaft, this was changed but the engine will still not fire. Can anybody help please?"
"Help! I have a 5.7L, V8 Mercruiser, 1988 which has always run well until this year. In Feb.2006 we had some difficulty in starting the engine - it always smelt as if it was flooding. Had a full service done then had trouble with the engine stalling going into gear - forward and reverse. The fitted stripped the controls and renewed the throttle cable, an improvement but the problem remained. I took the boat out to sea, after half a mile, opened her up but could only get 1500rpm, brought boat straight back. The fitter found water in the oil and announced the head gasket had gone, no compression on one side. We sucked out the emulsified oil and replaced with new oil and filter. Took both heads off, they were skimmed and serviced. Fitter could not return for 2 months so we topped up the engine with oil and turned the engine over weekly to lubricate the cylinder walls. 2 months later, no fitter! Another fitter, fitted the heads but engine would not turn by hand, only by ignition key. Timing was reset as best we could - no change. Thought it might be a bearing pinching on the shaft, this was changed but the engine will still not fire. Can anybody help please?"