ApachePete

Could the improper installation of a header cause water to get into a cylinder?

After my CMI headers were removed and reinstalled in my 500 EFI's, the motor has been very difficult/rough to start, and after a half dozen starts, the starter housing split.

I've been told that the symptions sound like the motor hydrauliced (sp).

Could improper installation of the headers cause water in cylinders, which in turn broke the starter? If so, would the motor still run fine once it got going (mine did).

And what would you make of a 15 lb. drop in oil pressure at the same time?

Thanks!

Cord

iTrader: (2)

Maybe...on most cmi's there really is no internal leak that would be caused by R&Ring the headers. The split tops do have a gasket that could leak-if it was taken apart. The real way to tell is to run the engine, shut it down and pull the exhaust. Water will show in the port.

btw-I don't see how hydraulicing the motor will split a starter housing.

Cord

iTrader: (2)

To remove the headers, were the plug wires taken off? Was the engine retimed? If the timming was off or a wire was crossed, the motor would try to turn backwards against the starter. This would create a very hard to start condition that could actually damage the starter. It would also me accompanied by epic backfires.

seahawk

If you had a little water in your cylinder it would not compress unless it is pressed thru the rings. If a lot of water is there, it would be hard for the starter to turn the engine Check your oil. If there is water mixed into it the oil pressure will drop when it thins the oil.

Now how did the water get in there. If your pipes are CMI "no way" from installation you might have reverted it up from the tips. Change the oil if there is water it and run. If the water comes back you might have a cracked head or blown head gasket.

I had a cracked head (water in oil and low oil pressure)

ApachePete

Thanks for the input. I don't know if the plug wires were removed, but I wouldn't think the motor would be able to pull 5200 rpms it wires were switched: would you?

I'll remove the headers tomorrow and check for water.

ApachePete

Thanks.

The oil looks fine: no water/milk.

I'm not sure that there actually is water in a cylinder: I was told that it could be the cause of the starter/starting problems.

I wanted to know if anybody one the OSO board thought that was a possibility.

It seems strange that I'd get this problem immediately after the headers were r&r, and taht the oild pressure woud drop, too.

seahawk

Another thing that happened to one of my engines that made the oil pressure drop was that the oil pick-up in the pan that is welded on fell off. You might be able to check this by adding another quart oil. If the oil pressure comes back up, that could be the problem or if the pressure is fine at 1000 RPM but not at 3800.

What happens is that at the lower RPM the oil is not moving around as much and can be up sucked by the oil pump but as you go faster the pump sucks faster and the oil will move around more. as it moves it misses the pump because the pump is higher than the pick-up.

good luck

thespy

After running the engines, let it sit over night and then pull the plugs, may indicate which cyl has water, also pressure test headers.

mopower

Sure glad I'm up north We don't have those problems this time of year .

WILDTHING TAZ

I BROKE A STARTER HOUSEING BY BACKFIREING WHEN STARTING. CHECK TIMEING & FIREING ORDER.IF YOU BACKFIRED MOTOR HARD YOU CAN BLOW HEAD GASKET.WATER IN CYL. WILL NOT BREAK STARTER HOUSEING,ONLY STOP IT FROM TURNING. LEAK DOWN WILL SHOW WHERE YOU STAND. MY 2 CENTS