here is my take on all of this weight distribution talk....dont take any of it as proven fact, just what little information I have gathered.....also, some input given from a very wise man who has been doing this for a long time....

it all depends on the application of the boat...

Drag Racing - you want everything back....this keeps the boat as dry as possible so you have less drag in the water. if you run it forward, its going to make the boat run wetter....thus causing more drag.

Circle Boat Racing - you want to balance it out. You dont want to run too dry or the boat will spin out in the turns. I cant go into much detail due to some top secret testing going on, but there is a sweet spot for a motor to be mounted that will help balance the boat out for circle boat racing.

o-boy more top secret stuff

I did the compression check, the numbers ranged from 130 to 160. Yea, I know, it's too wide of range of numbers for a fresh rebuild. It just doesn't matter anymore.

I changed the distributer cap, coil, rotor, and ignition module. I tested every spark plug wire and they are all testing good. I took the boat to El Cap for another test run. The engine lost the ability to idle at 800 RPM and I had to raise the idle to about 1400 RPM. No change at W.O.T..

On the way back in to the dock at 4,000 RPM marcsrollin and I started hearing a engine knock and looked back and there's what appears to be steam coming out of the valve cover breather. There's an oil "film" or "spray" all over the back of the boat and engine. I got home and pulled the breather out, shined a light into the valvetrain, and I don't see any milk in there. Fired the engine up and there's no knock. It's still got "steam" coming out the breather.

Steam might have been condensation boiling out of the oil.  Oil on the back sounds like a gasket blew   I had a "knock" only under load from valve/rod length/worn rocker issue.  I'll bring my angle finder on Sunday for you to El Cap.  Does the builder warranty his work as far as gaskets being blown?  My compression varied about that much for about 3-4 hours of run time.  What impeller do you have in there?  May need one that will let your engine turn to higher RPM's it might just not be making good torque at the lower end.

(except marcsrollin). ISn't mark the motor builder>hahaha

maybe

The engine's builder came over tonight and looked at the engine with me. After he listened to it run for about 10 seconds he had a look on his face that can only be described as crooked eyebrows.  He walked around the engine and then walked back over to the side he started on, listened to it for a few seconds more, and then had me shut the engine off. He told me that the number 2 cylinder wasn't firing. We did a compression check and it read 0 PSI. Took off the valve cover, checked out the valves, springs, locks, pushrods, rocker arms, and all looks good. Next we pulled the plug for number 2 and looked in with a flashlight. It looked like we were looking at a piece of lava r4ock made out of aluminum. We can't see a whole lot through the spark plug hole but the piston in number 2 is waisted for sure. As of right now, we don't know why. The engine is getting removed before the middle of next week.

come on Rod, go get the gaskets and a piston and get that thing running

Thanks for the support gentlemen. 

I should know what exactly is going on with the engine by mid-week.   

Welcome to the club of broken boats   Pay here$ bend over and move along.

 More perfect words have never been written! 

I'm very curious to see what the rings look like? what shape they are in and what may have failed there?
only one Piston to look like that if a timing issue?  Hmmm what does the valves look like from behind?
Like to know what you find as you dig deeper! might want another builder to look and comment on it!

Sorry to see such a mess on a good motor, feel for ya

Rebel

I'm very curious to see what the rings look like? what shape they are in and what may have failed there?
only one Piston to look like that if a timing issue?  Hmmm what does the valves look like from behind?
Like to know what you find as you dig deeper! might want another builder to look and comment on it!

Sorry to see such a mess on a good motor, feel for ya

Rebel

Sh!t happens, you just got to keep your boots on and keep on going!  

You ****d that thing up! Don't let me or mark touch it again!

I'm betting that it wasn't the engine builder, Marc, or your fault.      

looks like detonation. Rod are those forged or cast pistons?

Sealed Power forged pistons, but I guess bad tuning will destroy anything        

This to me looks like detonation . BIG TIME ! There is aluminum all over the combustion chamber .



-beerjet-