DKerns- I live at Porum Landing.... & work with the Porum Landing Fire dept also. We boat all over the lake but mostly hang at "The Island", Alligator Cove or a beach up close to Belle Starr. Eufaula is a great lake to boat in with the 650 miles of sand beach. My home is on the point facing west looking toward the east end of the island- The mouth of Bixby Creek eastern shore/Oak Tree Landing.

Thanks for the compliments on the boat, I sure hope this economy picks back up or boats aren't going to be worth anything....... !!
Too bad about those Floridians that lost everything to that investment advisor (the $50 Billion theft).
I'm glad you don't need that kind of money to live on Eufaula.:ernaehrung004:
Thanks again & wish me luck with this set of engines!!

Blown Formula, I have probably brushed elbows with you in the past. I used to be a volunteer at SGCH Fire Dept. until I left in Nov. 98. Still have family in Checotah/ Shady Grove.

I am very familiar with the area. Spent many days on the lake and used to spend weekends on the (north) side of the island. We always put in at Porum Landing. It is an awesome lake!! Small world!!

I would like to get back out there sometime with the boat!!

Good luck with your boat! Look forward to seeing updates!!

D

blown formula and DKerns you guys both firefighters? I am a Columbus Ohio firefighter. It is a great job isn't it. Blown Formula you have a sweet boat. What are you thoughts on the older Sonics structure wise?

How is your boat doing any new results?

Structurewise a Sonic is very strong & HEAVY!! At least the '88 models were comparitively so to a lot of boats.... but maybe thats why they take rough water so smoothly & the ride is so good (better than my 312 Formula was!!).

We have found there was a compression ring failure of the second (only the second) ring. Most appear to have not seated around 25- 50% of the bore diameter. The bores were rechecked and found perfectly round & thecross hatch honing was still evident..... the engines never overheated so seeing as how the 1st rings sealed, the seconds did not & there was no other failure.... one has to assume bad ring sets. I am going back in with nodular iron 2nd rings rather than the original cast iron ones. I am also going to add beehive valve springs this time for more valve stability considering the roller lifters, somewhat radical cam profile. Gotta keep those aluminum heads in good shape!!
Engines are due out the 1st of March (I hope!!). I am running them on the dyno again also..... maybe this will be the last time!~!~

Oh, I also found a small water leak that has bee eluding me....
the port transom donut gasket was leaking, so I removed both assemblies & am replacing the gaskets. I am also replacing the drive input shaft o-ring and seal as it was leaking lube also.
What's the saying.... a boat is a hole in the water in into which copious amounts of money disappear!!
:grinser010:

blown formula
 

Hello George, You Havent Posted For A While. How Did The Engines Dyno? But More Importantly How Do They Run In The Boat? Thanks John M.

Ok, here we go....
we found several things wrong with the engines.... God must love my previous engine builder cause he must have been asleep when building these engines!! Here is a list....
top compression rings were collapsed, not sealing
cracked rod at the wrist pin end (naked eye visible)
cracked piston skirt (probably from the 1st build when the valves were hitting the pistons)
oil pickups were 2" too short to reach bottom of the pan,
push rods were too short ( wrong valve geometry),
broken roller lifter,
replaced valve springs with "beehive springs"
rehoned cylinders, valve job again, re-align bored the crank & cam, resized the rods again & balanced, of course all new bearings & plasma rings, drilled the piston oil ring grooves for oil control, titanium retainers, MLS head gaskets, replaced the Merc distributors with MSD billets, all MSD ignition, rejetted the carbs.
Dyno- #1 engine- avg@ 5250= 528.8hp 528.3 torque
4500= 420.4hp 490.6 torque
6000= 591.8hp 546.9 torque
Dyno #2- engine- avg@ 5250= 527.5 527.7 torque
4500= 428.9 500.6 torque
6000= 579.9 547.3 torque
They sounded great on the dyno. I have been waiting for the correct air bleeds to install & marinizing the engines. Just installed #1 yesterday and hopefully will get to #2 this week, if the rain stops..... I also had a blown Bravo input shaft seal which I replaced ( the gimbal was full of oil on removal).
I have high hopes this time!!
Wish me luck!!
George

Blown Formula
 

George, I Guess Its Safe To Say That Your Old Engine Builder Isnt Getting A Christmas Card This Year. Those Dyno Numbers Look Pretty Good, Should Get The Old Girl Moving Along Keep Us Updated. Thanks John M.

Other than wrong parts, broken parts, and misinstalled parts, he did a great job.

Your numbers sound great, you should be in the 90's I would think.

Right, no Christmas card this year (or ever!!). I hope you are correct on the speed. Last summer even with the problems & one engine only turning 4500, I was running 75. I hope to be able to move up to 28" props or more from the 26" I was using. Patients is the key... I keep telling the wife that!!:ernaehrung004:

I launched yesterday...... my preferred ramp was closed so the alternate was necessary. The windf was blowing hard across the ramp.... so hard the waves were splashing into the engine bay vents!! Hit the key...... Bam!! it started right up!~ Great.... no for #2..... it started great too. I just quickly adjusted the timing on both engines, checked the fluid levels again, closed the hatch and backed off the trailer. Idled around for awhile & rechecked everything for leaks.... I had a transom water leak around the transom assembly last summer. Everything looked good so closed up again & headed out. Everything worked great, no sproblems.... it worries me cause this has never happened!! So I am cautious and suspicious too!! I drove around some, sat on the beach and had a couple of beers with friends, everyone said the engines sounded great, watched the "babes", etc. for about 5 hours...... checked the bilge again.... no leaks yet. Again, started with a "flick" of the switch which it has never done and off we went. No problems!! What a relief. Of course I still have prop selection problems to keep from blowing out coming up on plane, but otherwise it was "anti-climactic" after all this time and trouble. I stayed consevative and never went over about 3700 rpm.... I want a little runn time to get comfortable with the engines as being reliable before I nail it to see it's performance. I'll let you know soon.
George:kiss::drink:

Blown Formula
 

Great To Here Everything Went Good. Kind Of Sounds Like You Dont Know How Too Take It With No Problems. I'm Sure You'll Figure It Out. Are You Running 28 Bravos On The -2 Imcos ? Keep Us Up Dated It's Been Along Road And Sounds Like Your Near The End Of It. But I'm Sure Their Will Be Something Else To Try. Good Luck John M.

Boy thats been a long road. Congrats on the trouble free ride!

How is the boat doing and how fast is it?