Crap start to my season
 

Well, I have the Bullet in the shop for maintenance and I get a call today.. "The number 3 plug electrode is mangled so we checked compression. Number 3 came back at 50psi. Number 5 came back at 80psi". My mind was boggled because I had no issues at the end of last season and RPM's matched, no drop on the one motor in performance. No misfires or anything. So the heads will get pulled and I'm praying its only a valve and we can just redo the top end. They also mentioned the oil was still clean and no evidence of metal from piston getting destroyed, but they still need to see if there is damage after they pull the heads. Hoping not or else this season may be a no go for me. The way it sounds, it may be the start of a problem that could have gotten really bad, but only pulling it apart will tell.. So, I'm pissed, upset and within 2 years, both get redone and upgraded...... Son of a b**tch.....

That sucks, Who is doing your engine work?

Craig

Dave at MDG Performance. He's the only guy I let do my work. He's been good to me and I store the boat on a lift there too...

I`d wanna see that compression test for myself.
Mangled plug is usually bad news but you didn`t notice running one cylinder down?
hmmm something smells fishy and it`s not your girlfriend

3,5 50+80 psi sounds like headgasket. But, smashed electrode...usually not good. Valve head maybe

Dave did all of my work as well before I moved to Florida. None better, certainly one of the most honest in the business!!!!! Sorry about your start....but Dave will get it right!

X2 on Dave. Never heard anything but good whenever he is mentioned. You are in good hands.

Let's hope for the best- or should I say the easiest fix

I know what you mean - you put it away and all was well- now after months of sitting - something like this

hang in there!

3pointstar

Now would be the time to throw some new CNC heads and different cam in that b itch..:ernaehrung004:

That's wild I just went through the same thing 3 weeks ago, so I pulled the motor after finding broken plug and low compression. It turned out I had 3 bent valves and one was fixing to break, it was cracked all the way around the stem.

Thats what has me baffled. No issues last year and definitely no notice of running a cylinder or more low. Thats why I'm hoping its just the beginning of something that could have gotten worse really quick. I'm going to stop by after work today and chat some more.

There was no water in the oil and if it was a head gasket, wouldn't that have been the case?

I'm fine as long as there is no damage to the bottom end. That will pretty much end the season before it even starts...

No. If a fire ring fails, you'll have a direct opening from one cylinder to the other.

The fire ring is the metal 'ring' in a headgasket that surrounds each cylinder .

I call it fire ring,,,others sometimes call it other names.

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/f...f/100_3164.jpg

Sorry to hear, Dave is the best in the area. He is more cautious which i like and he trys to catch things before they go boom. He is doing my engines and transom/drive upgrades.

Gotcha. I was thinking more on the valve because of theelectrode damage. We will definitely see and I'll have to report back what he finds.

He is awesome. I will always support Dave. Hes great at what he does.

Your Tiger isn't the one that you showed up to Sandy Point one day a few seasons back and couldn't launch because your impellers were both gone due to a stereo guy running the boat without the hose hooked up, are you? If so I was pulling in with my Tantrum and yelled over ot you saying "I'll trade you" but you weren't too happy. I saw the boat at MDG a little after and was telling Dave that I love the boat and he mentioned the story to me...

Unfortunately yes that was me, Dave did lots of back flushing and i went and got drunk.
my engines are in daves engine room as we speak with the new whipples on them.

Then I will see them in a bit.. I'm headed down to chat with him now.

Well, turns out it was 3 cylinders on that motor. 3, 5 and one on the other side was sitting around 90psi. Got to see the damage spark plug and was definitely running one cylinder low, but still baffled at how I didn't notice anything odd. Dave is off to starting work on getting the heads done. Hopefully I get in the water before the Blue Angels.

BTW what is date for the Blue Angels thisyear

what caused it?

Blue angels practice is the 19th of May. Show is 20th

Not sure what caused it. I'm assuming because the boat just sat and got little use. He hasn't pulled the heads as of yesterday so I'll probably get more info as next week comes. 2 years and 540s may be the ticket haha

A little update:

Head gaskets were the problem. Since the heads are off now, going to do the valves regardless. Over the winter, I will most likely do the other motor so both top ends are gone through.

Good to hear and good plan.

Head gaskets banged up plug? Any pics? Or was plug melted?

I would also make sure you have inconel or equivalent exhaust valves...

Sounds like te mechanic is a good one from the posts so I am sure he will steer you in right direction and just not looking for a pay day.

I am not sure how you cannot notice a dead or near d&d cylinder let alone a few... That engine had to be down on power...

Head gasket is what started the problem from what I've seen.. Another reason to do the heads is the plug. The plug also looked rusty so thinking water go to it. The plug still had the 90 degree end on it, but the center electrode is what was gone so I not sure on the details.

Its the craziest thing I've ever seen. Looking back, the only thing I noticed was my top speed wasn't the same, but thought it could have been the load and when I was idling in a slow zone, the right motor was at a lower RPM and I had to throttle it a bit more to get the 2 to match. When on plane, the RPM's matched. I couldn't explain it if I tried. There was nothing else showing signs of a cylinder down..

Those would be the signs of a cylinder down lol

Yea, but when I dropped a cylinder in a car I noticed the idle was rough and backfiring etc. Just thought it was odd that on this one I heard nothing out of the ordinary and didn't even think about that with the symptoms I listed above... Now I know better haha

I almost wiped inconel valve from a fuel line getting clogged, was way down on power 200 rpm difference and lagged... Was easy to notice

When you lost power, were you at cruise or idle? I still have my mind wrapped around how I could be matching RPM's at speed, but running 6mph in slow zones I saw the difference.. I just need to change my mindset and be thankful that I should be on the water next weekend haha

Sorry to hear that, its amazing what can cause the symptoms, if the head gasket was going and a little water was going in that would cause that cylinder to lean out. happened when my first set of aluminum heads rotted. I would tend to think you caught it just in the nick of time before something went bad and hydro-locked it, could have been much much worse. Dave is the kind of mechanic that will always lean to the be "cautious and prepared" side. as much as this sucks it could have gotten worse and been a lower end redo as well.

Trust me..I was worried until I got that phone call saying the lower end looked good. After seeing the head gaskets, it definitely was about to get really bad. The good news is that the heads should be done Saturday and Dave will have me ready for the following weekend. If the weather is nice, Saturday I'll be cleaning and getting ready for the water and most likely head out for a bit and run some old fuel out. Then Sunday I'll for sure be out all day...

Sweet, watch that old fuel too. make sure you through some super in it or run up to lees airport and mix in some av-gas... Dave and I might work on getting lots of boostane, I have 3 quuarts left, its great to keep around if you fell gas might be sketchy.

There is some boostane in it from the end of last season and I was already getting some gas cans and ready to head to Lee airport haha.. Great minds think alike. I think I only have 1 quart of boostane left. Was going to grab 10 gallons per tank at lee

Well I got the heads from the machine shop yesterday and they are back with Dave and ready to be installed. Definitely needed the valve job and one of the seats were cracked and about to drop out of the head. Someone upstairs was looking out for me since that would have been a bad day for the bottom end. Definitely pulling the top off the other motor at the end of the season. Still planning on being on the water by Saturday afternoon.

Got the call yesterday.. Dave has the boat done and tested. I'll be in the water this weekend...... :D

Wow that guy is fast.

It was just about a month from finding the issue to getting it complete. Since it was the busy time of year I helped out by taking the heads to the machine shop myself and bringing them back. Today and tomorrow morning are cleaning time lol...

12 weeks waiting on manifolds to get hydrodipped, every week a new excuse.. Today the cops were called to the shop , I just couldn`t take it anymore and lost it.

Damn dude. That sucks. Hope you get it sorted out..

The boat ran awesome this weekend. Ran all over the south side of the bay bridge. In recovery mode today lol

I. Feel. Your. Pain!