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502 MerCruiser MPI head and cylinder issues

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502 MerCruiser MPI head and cylinder issues

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Old 03-15-2025 | 01:31 PM
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Originally Posted by BillK
Looks like it is pulling the gasket apart which also indicates detonation. Ring gaps might be too small and piston to wall clearance like others have said. Does your builder do many marine engines ?

Also looks like somebody sprayed the gaskets with copper coat ? Those gaskets are designed to go on the way they come out of the box. They have a coating on them that "flows" when heated and putting copper coat on them defeats the purpose. But that did not cause your failure.

Thank you!!
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Old 03-15-2025 | 01:32 PM
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Originally Posted by sutphen 30
you had detonation(the crusties at the edges of the piston),its running hot,valve seats have been pulled and they are now leaking pretty good.
Thank you
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Old 03-15-2025 | 01:35 PM
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Originally Posted by F-2 Speedy
What did they set the piston to wall clearance to ? looks tight, what were the oil and water temps while running, might be a cooling issue with wrong head gaskets ?
Do you have any idea what the gaps should be on a 502 MPI that is .60 over? Im thinking this may be the issue as well.
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Old 03-15-2025 | 03:39 PM
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[QUOTE=Griff;4922002]Was it in base timing mode when you set it??

Post pics of the spark plugs[/QUOTE

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Old 03-15-2025 | 04:25 PM
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Id say minimum of .0030" to .0035 piston to wall clearance, what pistons did they put in ?? did they have a coated skirt
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Old 03-15-2025 | 10:35 PM
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[QUOTE=Scarab2969;4922092]
Originally Posted by Griff
Was it in base timing mode when you set it??

Post pics of the spark plugs[/QUOTE
The black/gray specs on the white porcelain indicate detonation also
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Old 03-16-2025 | 06:30 PM
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I was just looking at the pictures again and find it strange that the wear on the cylinders is to the front and back of the engine. Usually if pistons are too tight it will be on the sides where the skirts are. Have to wonder if the rings arent butting.

Do you have an itemized list of the parts they used ?
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Old 03-16-2025 | 07:23 PM
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It looks like the skirts aren’t too bad.
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Old 03-16-2025 | 07:28 PM
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Is this normal when the top side of the piston only has black carbon on 75% the other 25% is clean.

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Old 03-16-2025 | 07:30 PM
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pull some top rings and look at the ends,,see if they are shiny.
can you take some pics of the back side of the pistons?
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