motor break in woes...Help!!!
 

the boat is a formula 206 the motor is a 350 small block magnum...carbureted. I was breaking the motor in and it ran great for 30 minutes...then when bringing it back to idle it went a little low and it stalled...When i went to start it back up it made a weird grinding noise a scary noise that I was affraid of becusae of all these cam break in problems I hear about...well it started and ran again while trying to set the idle it went a little low again and stalled...when i trying to start it again it grinded alot this time...I am affraid to turn the motor over i think its jammed....what should i look for...I really worried i did damage...I hope I dont have to pull the motor again...please help!!

Re: motor break in woes...Help!!!
 

is it only grinding when the starter is engaged?

Re: motor break in woes...Help!!!
 

it seems that way becuase once it started the first time after it stalled it seemed to run ok untill it idled to low and stalled again

now I dont' want to turn it over because it seems to grind very loud....the starter is tight!

Re: motor break in woes...Help!!!
 

Did you maybe forget a starter shim???? I'd look there if it only happens when your cranking the motor...

Re: motor break in woes...Help!!!
 

when i was first trying to get the motor before it ever fired up it was fine....then after running for half hour at at 2 thousand rpms i backed it down and it wanted to stall so I was trying to set idle rpm...it dropped a little low and stalled...it was when i then went to start it again that it grinded or made alot of weird noises like metal on metal

Re: motor break in woes...Help!!!
 

It sounds like you are describing a starter issue. Can you be more specific? Better yet, can you take a short video of the problem and post it on Putfile or a similar host?? Hearing it would be alot easier to diagnose.

Re: motor break in woes...Help!!!
 

some times you do need to shim the starter for correct engagement. didn't any shims come with your starter? you can get them at any auto parts store.

Re: motor break in woes...Help!!!
 

i think there were 2 different ring gears with different tooth counts for the sbc, i think thats why you need to shim the starter for one of them.

Re: motor break in woes...Help!!!
 

lesson: Pay someone to run it on the dyno and break the motor in, then you can be real compfortable with the motor, and when this sound happens it is either extrenal, or happens before install... I had to learn this the hard way too...

Re: motor break in woes...Help!!!
 

I am using the starter that I had with the old motor...which was pretty new. I never had to shim it, it alwasy worked fine. I will pull the starter tonight...is there anyway to check the flywheel to make sure its still tight? it a loud grinding noise, as soon as it started happening i didn't turn it anymore. I am trying to describe it better...the first time it was happening the motor would still turn over it just sounded like metal was grinding on metal while it was turning over...but then when it started all was quiet, i thought maybe it was out of time...it wasn't...The motor isn't missing at all. Then after the second stall I tried to start it again..worse grinding from flywheel, starter area...I hope its not internal in the motor.

Re: motor break in woes...Help!!!
 

It really sounds like some starter issue like the rest already have told you. Since you ran the motor at 2k rpm's for about half an hour the break in SHOULD be ok. But - you never know...

Re: motor break in woes...Help!!!
 

Try turning the engine over by hand. If you can't I think you know the answer. If you can look at the starter. You said you used the same starter and flywheel from last year. Look at your oil. Any metal. Look at the filter any metal.

Re: motor break in woes...Help!!!
 

I think when i get home from work i will pull the plugs and try to turn it over by hand...then well pull the starter and look for damage...I am worried becuase i have heard a starter break before and never heard it sound like this.

THanks for all your help guys...I will give an update later tonight.

Re: motor break in woes...Help!!!
 

That's what I was thinking too.

Re: motor break in woes...Help!!!
 

If you have the older type 'Big Momma' starter make sure you have re-installed the front brace - holds other end of starter to block. If it isn't there, the starter can/will move and grindola. This is guaranteed !

Re: motor break in woes...Help!!!
 

My spare starter needs 3 shims, with out it sound awful the one on the engine has none and is fine. The front brace is very important on the old fat starters like I have, I found that just snugging the main bolts first then tightening the brace before final main bolt tightening gives me the best results.

Phil