1100 hr valve job and........

[RicardoMarine]

I agree with Mark.
And I'll go on to suggest that the pitting in the piston deck may have been caused from Detonation.

When you go back together, watch your Ignition advance very closely. We're talking about the progressive and TA... not BASE or Initial advance.

.

 

[Bob H.]

that don't look good....and something looks radically different in that second pic...a pic of all four holes on that side would help....and what about the other low cylinder? how did the heads look?

I'll try to get a clear pic of all 4 holes together when I head back next week (hard to get all that in tight quarters!). Those are the two low compression cylinders. The one on the left (#3) was 90PSI and the one on the right (#1) was 100PSI and wet.
The heads did not look that bad. Today at the shop the machinist did not believe those heads came off that engine!

 

[Bob H.]

I agree with Mark.
And I'll go on to suggest that the pitting in the piston deck may have been caused from Detonation.

When you go back together, watch your Ignition advance very closely. We're talking about the progressive and TA... not BASE or Initial advance.
.

Will do Rick!
Could this have been old/previous damage? How long could an engine run with two pistons like that?

 

[Bob H.]

that don't look good....and something looks radically different in that second pic...a pic of all four holes on that side would help....and what about the other low cylinder? how did the heads look?

Here's a pic of the entire side; Still waiting to hear back from the machine shop.....

 

[makomark]

not enough resolution in what made it to the server....

 

[Bob H.]

not enough resolution in what made it to the server....

agreed! Gonna try again this weekend with a *real* camera.

 

[Bob H.]

Regardless of the how, when or why that piston top damage occurred, we have to pull that block. Luckily it's the port side so just the floor and stairs have to come out to get to it. Let the fun begin!

 

[fastjeff]

It looks like the entire portion of the piston above the top ring has come off--never seen that before.

Jeff

 

[Bob H.]

It looks like the entire portion of the piston above the top ring has come off--never seen that before.

Jeff

Yeah it's pretty impressive considering the engine ran decent and those two cylinders still held compression! Cannot wait to see what's in the oil pan. I'll get better pics of the damage when we pull the block.

 

[craig_collins]

It looks like the entire portion of the piston above the top ring has come off--never seen that before.

Jeff

Jeff, when I bought my boat and it surveyed with a low compression hole on the port motor, that is exactly what I found after tearing it down. I kept the piston for show and tell. I will post a picture when I can.

 

[Bob H.]

Jeff, when I bought my boat and it surveyed with a low compression hole on the port motor, that is exactly what I found after tearing it down. I kept the piston for show and tell. I will post a picture when I can.

What surprised us was with that amount of damage there was any compression at all! Then when we did the cylinder leakdown test the most obvious issue was the leaky head gasket so when we saw those two piston tops it was quite a shock.
Craig do you own a 381 Catalina also? I'm looking for input from other owners who have had to pull a port engine. I've got a plan, but I'm smart enough to consider what others have had success with in the past!

 

[craig_collins]

What surprised us was with that amount of damage there was any compression at all! Then when we did the cylinder leakdown test the most obvious issue was the leaky head gasket so when we saw those two piston tops it was quite a shock.
Craig do you own a 381 Catalina also? I'm looking for input from other owners who have had to pull a port engine. I've got a plan, but I'm smart enough to consider what others have had success with in the past!

Bob, my Crusaders are in an Egg Harbor. I'm sure you can do a web search and find info on how people pulled motors from your boat.

 

[Bob H.]

Bob, my Crusaders are in an Egg Harbor. I'm sure you can do a web search and find info on how people pulled motors from your boat.

Gotcha Craig, and will do!

 

[Bob H.]

Good progress today; we were able to remove the salon staircase in one piece and rotate the HVAC unit to give us the room we need for the access hole. The main support stringers will be able to stay in place providing enough room in-between them for engine removal. I'll post pics this weekend after we finish cutting up the floor!

 

[Bob H.]

Here's a pic with the stairs removed, and the salon floor cut for engine removal;
Next week we finish removing the systems/parts required to get the block out the cockpit entry.

 

[fastjeff]

Bob:

PLEASE photograph that bad piston from every angle and publish the photos here. I'm dying to see what's up with it.

Thanks,

Jeff

 

[Bob H.]

Bob:

PLEASE photograph that bad piston from every angle and publish the photos here. I'm dying to see what's up with it.

Thanks,

Jeff

You and me both Jeff! I'm no longer concerned about the "when", more on the "how".

 

[Bob H.]

Well after time off to fix a dislocated hip and various other things, she came out of the engine room today!

 

[Bob H.]

a couple more of the block all stripped down before 4 stout lads heaved it out! Off to the machine shop on Monday.
-

 

[fastjeff]

I hope the machine shop guys have a camera!

You'd be surprised how many people are interested in what happened to that motor!

Jeff

 

[Bob H.]

I hope the machine shop guys have a camera!

You'd be surprised how many people are interested in what happened to that motor!

Jeff

Had the camera with us today when we moved the block off the boat Jeff. I will take it to the machine shop with me tomorrow morning and post that night.

 

[fastjeff]

Good man! Dying to see tem.

Jeff

 

[Bob H.]

Not going to have much to report for awhile now that the block is at the shop. They are gonna call me when the pistons are out so I can get better pics. - So for now, we are just cleaning parts and ordering what we need to complete the project.

 

[Bob H.]

Good man! Dying to see tem.

Jeff

I about died when I saw these too!

 

[makomark]

i knew something didn't look good.....how do the bores in the block look??

 

[Bob H.]

i knew something didn't look good.....how do the bores in the block look??

Not as bad as I thought with 6 bad pistons Mark. Crankshaft is good too! We are still gonna go 30 over; piston options are much better than at 10 over for that block. Otherwise, we are building her to be tough, but stock.

 

[fastjeff]

MASSIVE detonation problems! I doubt if water did all that!

Wow!

Jeff

PS: I'd strongly advise tossing out all of the rods as well.

 

[Bob H.]

I have no idea Jeff, and since the previous owner will not return my calls, we may never know!
Yes to new rods,we are replacing everything. How about the distributor; rebuild or replace ?

 

[fastjeff]

One or the other, for that's probably what caused the damage.

That poor thing must have been detonating like crazy down there!

Jeff

 

[Bob H.]

One or the other, for that's probably what caused the damage.

That poor thing must have been detonating like crazy down there!

Jeff

Will do. And Thanks again for all your input here.