lesson learned the hard way or coincidental catastrophic engine failure?

« **on:** March 14, 2009, 10:37:58 PM »

Stumbled onto a free 73 Southwind jet, with a seized 455. I replaced the motor with another used Olds. First time in the water, Grenade, hydraulic #8, pounded the piston unrecognizable and sent the rod into the intake valley. Hmmmmm ? Retired the Southwind. Bought a 74 miller jet and had a blast running the BBC on the river. Took it home and after some cosmetic refurbishing went back to Lost Lake, put it in the water and 10 min later, Grenade , # 8, piston pounded to a pulp, camshaft broken in pieces, rod punched a hole in the cylinder wall. What the hell am i doing wrong?!

« **Reply #1 on:** March 14, 2009, 10:49:28 PM »

Quote from: akawoody on March 14, 2009, 10:37:58 PM

Stumbled onto a free 73 Southwind jet, with a seized 455. I replaced the motor with another used Olds. First time in the water, Grenade, hydraulic #8, pounded the piston unrecognizable and sent the rod into the intake valley. Hmmmmm ? Retired the Southwind. Bought a 74 miller jet and had a blast running the BBC on the river. Took it home and after some cosmetic refurbishing went back to Lost Lake, put it in the water and 10 min later, Grenade , # 8, piston pounded to a pulp, camshaft broken in pieces, rod punched a hole in the cylinder wall. What the hell am i doing wrong?!

That sucks bro.

If you do the math, the number 8 cylinder is in the rear of the engine and closest to the water, are you running headers? Manifolds?, how much water are you dumping over the side, how are you running your plumbing...

You have a major plumbing problem that will continue to haunt you until it's changed.

And yah wise asses a Ford would have done the same damn thing

Oh and BTW, welcome to the weirdest place on the Web.

GT

« **Reply #2 on:** March 14, 2009, 11:05:40 PM »

Quote from: GT Jets on March 14, 2009, 10:49:28 PM

And yah wise asses a Ford would have done the same damn thing
GT

There's no facts to support that statement !!!

Millers are nice boats though. Definitely worth a new motor, but we will need pics to confirm that.

« **Reply #3 on:** March 14, 2009, 11:08:16 PM »

Quote from: propless on March 14, 2009, 11:05:40 PM

There's no facts to support that statement !!!

Of course not. Ford doesn't know how to number cylinders, so 8 is in a different location. It would have been #4 that siezed :-)

Are you running logs or headers? Risers?

« **Reply #4 on:** March 14, 2009, 11:11:09 PM »

Quote from: speedymopars on March 14, 2009, 11:08:16 PM

Of course not. Ford doesn't know how to number cylinders, so 8 is in a different location. It would have been #4 that siezed :-)

Are you running logs or headers? Risers?

I think it still would have been 8...no? Most rearward cylinder..

GT

« **Reply #5 on:** March 14, 2009, 11:37:52 PM »

Quote from: speedymopars on March 14, 2009, 11:08:16 PM

Of course not. Ford doesn't know how to number cylinders, so 8 is in a different location. It would have been #4 that siezed :-)

Dont make me start on the Nopars, we all know where #8 is on those things. Its the one sticking throught the side of the block.

Welcome back speedy !!

Quote from: GT Jets on March 14, 2009, 11:11:09 PM

I think it still would have been 8...no? Most rearward cylinder..

GT

Yea its just on the "proper" side of the motor.

akawoody, Were you able to sort through the carnage to see what started the problem with the BBC ?

« **Reply #6 on:** March 15, 2009, 12:59:47 AM »

to answer your questions i'm running headers, and i'm a little unsure of the plumbing i'll have to check it to be sure. I dont know how much water is exiting, i wish i did. And I think its possible that the BBC had a knock that i just didnt hear. I did only pay 2500 for it. I had a feeling it might be to good to be true.That seems like a disadvantage to headers though, audible clues are not audible or are they and i wasnt listening.

« **Reply #7 on:** March 15, 2009, 07:26:24 AM »

If you want to bring the pieces of the Chevy by here one day, I may be able to tell you what happened to it.

« **Reply #8 on:** March 15, 2009, 08:40:32 AM »

Woody there are alot of "correct" ways to plumb a set of ot headers. One thinkg they all have in common is that NOT all of the water dumps into the headers. Fwiw my uncle and nephew went through 3 motors before he figured out he was filling his up with h20 by running it on the hose. He'd turn on the hose, casually walk over to the boat, run it for a minute, kill the boat, casually walk over and turn the hose off.lol

akawoody

lesson learned the hard way or coincidental catastrophic engine failure?

GT Jets

Re: lesson learned the hard way or coincidental catastrophic engine failure?

propless

Re: lesson learned the hard way or coincidental catastrophic engine failure?

speedymopars

Re: lesson learned the hard way or coincidental catastrophic engine failure?

GT Jets

Re: lesson learned the hard way or coincidental catastrophic engine failure?

propless

Re: lesson learned the hard way or coincidental catastrophic engine failure?

akawoody

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obnoxious001

Re: lesson learned the hard way or coincidental catastrophic engine failure?

SLCKREG

Re: lesson learned the hard way or coincidental catastrophic engine failure?