One step forward, six back. Finished assembling the port engine added oil (good thing I remembered) and fired her up. Started on the first try and ran nice. Those permanent magnet starters really kick it over fast. Unfortunately it still has a tick to it. Good news is it appears to be the flywheel hitting the guard on the front of the bell housing. Just need to drop the starter, remove the guard and see where it is rubbing. That WAS going to be the next mini project.
So since the port engine went so well, I installed the new starter on the starboard engine and went to fire it up. Decided I should check the oil first. Oil was almost double the height on the dipstick and is a milkshake. So we are now going to pull the starboard engine and do a rebuild. I ran a compression test and was over 150 on each hole so looks like piston and rings are good. I am at a loss of the water source. The manifold and riser are both brand new. Hoping it is just a blown head gasket between an oil and water passage. More to come....
Pressure tested the water side of the motor tonight. Only air leak I could find was on the water pump. I decided that I should drain all the water out of the block and test again so I pulled the plug. Water slowly came out, and it stunk. I put some air pressure to blow it out and a bunch of crap came out with the water. Looked like seeds and such. I had stored the motor in the shed with the water hoses off of it. I think a mouse must have climbed inside and built a nest. So I looks like I will be pulling the engine to open it up and find the rest of the mouse stuff. At least it looks like all is good otherwise. I will start disconnecting it tomorrow night. I have the old port engine on the engine stand so I will strip that one down for the parts tomorrow night also. I should have time either Saturday afternoon or Sunday to actually pull the motor.
Go to lowes or fleet farm. Get some 1/4" poly tubing and the garden hose to 1/4 poly adapter. Make a flushing wand to back-flush the plock. Pull the t-stat, stick the wand in tge block drain hole....and start flushing
That's a good idea, thanks. I still am going to pull the engine and do a rebuild since I have no idea how the water got in the oil and I need to replace the drippy water pump. But I will definitely flush out the block with that method, only out of the boat. It smells bad enough in the bilge right now.
I can get a kit with bearings, rings, gaskets, and a new water pump for just over 200. Will only take me an afternoon.
You know, I never really thought about that rodent issue. I too leave my hoses off after I draining the water out of my motor. I think after reading of your experience, I may put the hoses back on after done draining.
You know, I never really thought about that rodent issue. I too leave my hoses off after I draining the water out of my motor. I think after reading of your experience, I may put the hoses back on after done draining.
Yea, that may be a smart thing to do. Now, my engine was in a shed for two years where I store the chicken feed so that may have contributed to the issue. I plan on taking pictures of what I find in there, if I don't puke from the smell.
Tore down the old engine to a bare block and got a lot of random stuff put away in the shed. It is supposed to rain the next two and a half days so it looks like Sunday will be the engine pull day. I need to get it pulled and opened up so I can measure bearings and order the right size parts.
Got the engine pulled and stripped down. Also got all of the crap cleaned out of it. Turned out to be brewing malt. I had some bags of it in my shed to use as deer bait and chicken feed about two years ago. Mice must have squirreled it away in the engine. Anyhow got the block clean and honed the cylinders out, washed it down real well and sprayed it down with WD40. Now that all the milky crappy oil was off I could actually see what was there. While wiping it down I flipped it over and noticed a lot of rust under once cylinder.. This is what I found. Picture 1 is upside down.
Guess I have another chunk of scrap iron. The only good thing is that this block was bored 30 over and the block that I have in the basement is also 30 over. I will update the progress when I get the parts and start putting it together.
Since I have enough parts for two engines I will be looking for another block, so thanks for the lead. I got my last one out of a small operation that just does boat parts on E-bay and craigslist out of Belgium, but it is hit or miss for them to have something.
Check with John at Tisler's they have a lot of late 60's early 70's trucks with 250's in them you can also check with Scotty at manitowoc motor machine, he may have a core block or two laying around.
Truck engines are not going to help. The 3.0 block was only a marine or industrial engine, not used in autos. That is why the 3.0 always require a rebuildable core if you buy a refurb or you pay a fortune for the core charge. Just about every other marine engine has a auto block in them, go figure.
I will most likely contact the guy in Belgium and see if they have anything in the works. The crank I have is for a two piece rear main, so I will need to find one of the older blocks, the one he has for sale is a one piece main.
5 if you count the two that are working 4 if we talking 2 piece rear seals