Just some Chit Chat

[wakina]

Well the soft water season is almost over if not over, and there are a good number of you waiting on the hard water season to get here, but, that unfortunately never seems to materialize for you heartier souls.

I had a long non fishing (miserable) summer never wetting a line this year! First I had some health issues for most of the summer which fortunately seem to be under control now, on top of that I had a boat that also needed some mechanical work (new motor). Fortunately that motor has been replaced and the boat at least idles fine, and is waiting on spring to get here for breakin.

There were several of you , and you know who you are, that offered fishing opportunities to me but unfortunately I was not able to capitalize on even one of them because of either my medical problems or the cotton pick'in winds were blowing on the pro-offered days. I want to take this time to formally thank each and every one of you for the kind and considerate offers that were made to me by you.

Now for some tech info for those of you who may have shallow water issues from time to time and get into the sand a little. After tearing down the 5.7 L GM engine it was discovered that there had been a major head gasket failure between #3 and #5 cylinders. There was an actual channel torched/melted between the two cylinders in the mating surfaces of both the block and head. The first thought one would have is that the head gasket blew allowing this to occur. But not so, the cause that was determined, was the fact that the head and block had a large deposit of sand in them sucked up when I got into some shallow water while leaving the river one day. I got over 3 cups of sand out of the block thru the drain plug and the holes that feed the head in the area of the failure, also several more cups of sand from the head itself. Not only that there were several more in both exhaust manifolds, although I did not attempt to clean the side with even numbered cylinders, there was sand packed in the drain hole when I removed the knock sensor and drain plug assembly. Never once did the motor over heat either by gauge or by the audible alarm. In fact the water pump impeller looked new yet with no visible signs of physical damage, the Bravo III mounts its water pump inside the boat under the engine on the side with the even numbered cylinders. Before reassembling the new long block with the needed parts from my old engine I took the intake to a local machine shop that builds dirt track engines just to be cleaned and checked for the piece of mind that it was ok. It was there that I was informed that it takes very little blockage in the water(cooling ports) passages that go from the block to the head to cause this type of problem. The shop owner told me that had I checked the drain plugs after the engine had cooled and the sand had settled and if I had cleaned that sand out at that time the break down probably would not have happened. He also said there may not be any type of signs such as high temps on the gauge or an audible alarm that the engine is over heating in the area that ultimately fails as the gauge and alarm only receives their signals from a single source that is usually a fair ways from the problem area, both are located in/on the thermostat housing, one on either side. So if I helped even on person avoid this problem then all of this typing would have been worth it.

[ebijack]

Some good info there Wakina!
Like you this year has been the least amount of fishing I have been able to do in 30 yrs, mostly the weather causing the not fishing, and a lot of takin care of other issues that have to be done. The wife and I are still hoping to get out a few times yet this fall as we need to fill the freezer.

[LEfriend]

Some good info there Wakina!
Like you this year has been the least amount of fishing I have been able to do in 30 yrs, mostly the weather causing the not fishing, and a lot of takin care of other issues that have to be done. The wife and I are still hoping to get out a few times yet this fall as we need to fill the freezer.

It wasn't good....but was comforting...to hear that I wasn't the only one in this same boat this year. Only had my boat 5 years now, but seems were many more times this year when I could and wanted to go but the weather wouldn't cooperate. Either that or I was a heck of a lot busier.

[MBLMIKE]

Thanks Wakina you made several points that I agree with this year was disappointing from both the weather and time but also the cost of fuel cash flo etc. I just did not get out like I wanted to but hey there is always next year . On the matter of sand in the block I am sorry you had to find this out the hard way but it will give us all a little to think about next time we see those muddy plumes behind the boat. when I have done my winterizing I have noticed some times the drain plugs when removed have dirt or maybe its sand that keeps the water from draining completely out, it was recommended by some one on this site to remove the entire petcock and take a wire coat hanger and wiggle it around to dislodge any dirt or sand that may keep all the water from draining the block this would be a good time to ck for sand and prevent the problem you experienced.
Oh buy the way just got a 26 foot Sylvan 350 mercruiser io for a good deal only $1500.00 with a nice trailer , It has a blown motor so this is the project to get us thru the winter I will keep you all posted on its progress .

[branhamautomotive]

sometimes those hard black deposits are sand/mud/dirt some of it is actually a form of rust. most of us just send straight lake water through our blocks, and we all know water and iron makes rust. hince why if you run straight water in your car all summer then drain it, it will be all brown and nasty most of the time. I know some ppl motor the block and manifold drains are locked and wont turn. but if your does and you do notice you get into some mud and sand. you can drain you block at the dock once cooled off. your bilge pump will get the water out. I have even started motor before with those open and flush as good as I can. It also never hurts to flush the block one or twice a year just to be on the safe side that a lot of that is not sitting in there that we don't know about.

[wakina]

I should have also posted what this gentleman said would be a good way to clean the block in case of a large amount of sand had been pulled into the block. It might be a P. I. A. but it can be done with out pulling the engine, he said you can take the fixtures off the front of the block(power steering, Etc.) remove the soft plugs on the front of the block and use a shopvac to suck out the sand or a water hose and flush out the sand at least to where it is easy to suck it out. To me that sure would beat pulling and replacing the engine block. Much cheaper also, just be sure to use the brass soft plugs when putting it back together. Sounded almost like he had done this a time or two.