Lofty

If they are standard Lightning headers (not stainless steel) then they are only good for a few years (3ish) of fresh water use IF they have been drained or pickled after every use. If you run them in salt ever then you can just throw them away, salt water gets very pissed off with ferrous metals when it's heated over 190 deg. Exhaust temps get over 2500 deg. They're nicely constructed headers but I would never buy standard since they just can't last. Lightnings stainless headers will run for 7-10 if not more with good care and you can run them in salt water with no worries.

FIXX

iTrader: (2)

If you had rotted or cracked tubes i would think you would have bigger problems then you have now..the inner tube's on the lightening headers are stainless steel and the outer is carbon steel,jan also coats the water passage's so they wont rot out so fast...i see every body's point but i have a customer that i put a set on 12 yrs ago,,no issues what so ever and they still look like new...if they were in salt water now that's another story..you can try and pressure check them your self by going to a hardware store and get an air pressure 3'' sewer pipe plug,,stick it in the header collector and fill the chamber with a hand air pump until the water passages exiting the header are blocked off...stick your garden hose in the other end that feeds the header water and slightly open the spicket and fill the header with water..look for leaks..

just my 02

cabin fever

UPDATE
After pulling my hair out for weeks, trying to figure it out, I broke down, and called the guy around here everyone uses.

He bascially told me I wasn't getting the motor hot enough, and thats why I kept seeing water.

so after some serious replumbing of the house, I rigged up hot water to my spicket. After 25 minutes, with the motor running on the hose at hot temps (200 degree oil, and 170 water) the oil looked great. I have used the boat 2 weekends now, and still looks to have good oil This past weekend I really pushed it too, and it no problems.

For the record,
I don't believe this was a problem I inherited, just dumb luck. I believe the loose intake bolts were the problem all along, and I just never got the water out of the motor. Boat is running good, and She is completly clean again (hate havin a dirty boat)

Hope eveyone has a good holiday weekend.

sonicss42

Good news. Enjoy the summer

ThruHull

That is great news!

Mr Gadgets

Good to hear you found relief!! One good thing out of all of this, is all the info everyone shared.
After running my motor on the test stand for about 20hrs I had water in my oil and wanted to make sure it wasnt from a problem. So far the motor held 15psi for 24hrs and I did find water in one pipe.. I have to pressure test it before I move on. So it was a good read. Sorry you had to go through the grief. But alot of us here have done the same for one reason or another.. I think it might be a part of boating.
As a Marine once told me. "If it doesnt kill you, it will make you stronger."
Now Enjoy it!!

BDiggity

Great news. I had similiar issue when i bought my cafe. its a nice relief knowing you dont have to tear things apart.