First off, I was apparently fooled about the valve sleeves/liners/jackets, whatever they are called. The engine doesn’t have those. The manual shows them, which is why I thought it did have them—but it doesn’t.
So anyway, we put the engine back together, fired it up and ran it for a couple of hours. And…same problem as before, of course. Which is good because we hadn’t actually done anything that should have fixed it.
It then took the mechanic about ten minutes to remove the head and have a good look. The head gasket looked fine—as in, there was nothing obviously blown out—but he did find it weird that it was wet underneath it. It should have been dry. Clue? Maybe. Probably. Who knows. He took the head away and will have the shop give it a true once-over. Each individual passage will be pressure tested again until we find something. They’ll also recheck to make sure it is true and not warped or worn at all. If nothing still shows up then there’s not much left to do but throw it back together again with new gaskets, hoping that the problem was a bad gasket or a bad installation. And if it still leaks then the only logical conclusion would be that there is a crack in the block somewhere that nobody can find.
As for rebuilding the engine, all I can say is that two mechanics have looked at me like I must be crazy when I asked if it needed to be rebuilt. Maybe in the States the reaction would have been different, but down here the attitude is, “Fix what you can with what you can find, and move on.” To them, and to me, this was just a simple case of water getting in the oil. As it turns out it has been much harder to find the source than anybody expected, but that doesn’t negate the fact that you don’t automatically jump to a $6,000 plus “solution” when the part that is the probable cause is in the neighborhood of $60. Maybe in the end I’ll be wrong and the rebuild would have been the best way, but to me, doing that first would have been ridiculous—along the lines of replacing a $500 water pump because a $5 impeller broke a vang.
On another note, I have at least learned how to swear in Spanish. Hanging out with Mexican mechanics is very good for this. Proper swearing too, not eight-year-old swearing. I also discovered that they call the marine chandlery down the street the “Jewelry Store,” because of the ridiculous pricing. This is the place that charges $45 for a tube of caulk. Jewelry store. Classic.
Anyway, I’m bored to tears with talking about engines. Honestly. If I read blogs, and if they talked about this crap, I would immediately unfollow them.
I’ve been so tied up with this nonsense that I haven’t even picked up the camera. I had to look at it to see if I had taken any pictures at all in the last couple of days. Here is all I found. And I don’t even like cats.
36 Comments on “More Nonsense”
I’ve been thinking cracked block right along, but being a mechanical moron, decided to keep my trap shut. I had the same problem once on a car and that was the cause. Best of luck with the motor and do get out and shoot some photography and laugh with the kiddos.
I know you’re sick to death of useless suggestions, but just one silly thought: did you check that the block is flat? There’s an outside chance that the block is warped, not the cylinder head. Unlikely, but it would only take a minute to check with a straightedge while the head’s off.
Yes, we did, but we’ll be giving that a much closer look the second time around.
Curious – do you speak Spanish? I was wondering about trying to find a good mechanic while in a foreign country and what a language barrier might add to the already bad situation.
Congrats on learning to swear is Spanish. I can swear in 7 languages 🙂
Mark and Cindy
I speak Spanish pretty well these days. Certainly good enough to talk to mechanics, get my story across, and understand what they’re telling me in return. That said, this shop also has a guy who speaks English and he is around most of the time as well.
7 languages. Impressive. But do you use them instinctively. Like when you hit your head on an overhanging engine room ceiling do you blurt out, “Chinga!” 🙂
Either “chinga” or “me di un buen madrazo!”.
You are definitely turning into a real mexican. ¡Salúd!
Your frustration is evident, Pat. There’s no need to threaten us with not writing!
I guess we followers can tolerate a few cat pictures for the time being 🙂 but I’m with Brian; don’t stop blogging.
A few cat pictures? Jeez, it wasn’t a photo shoot. One and done. 🙂
You will get a cat or dog when the kids are gone. All the pics are good, even the motor and mechanical ones.
Hey Pat
re. cracked cylinders – I saw this, and I thought of you. Dunno if the concept will be of any use as I don’t know if you would be able to get the goop there.
http://ckdboats.blogspot.com/2013/11/alloy-engine-block-crack-testing.html
Cheers
Dave
PS: don’t chuck that engine. Anything that can cheerfully carry on running using white sludge as lubrication has to be worth keeping…
Best of luck. We went through the engine saga in Mexico as well (softball sized hole in the engine block after a thrown rod). Eventually I bought a rebuilt Perkins from total Yacht Works. It’s been okay. I don’t fully trust it, but I really don’t have a reason not to trust it either. If you aren’t there yet, then you will soon be sick at the thought of your engine, but once it’s running again things will be alright. Beta Marine from the UK was willing to help me if I wanted to figure out the importation on a new engine. They were great, but the rebuild avoided customs and was quicker. We went with the rebuild.
When you put the head back on, take some aluminum paint and paint the head gasket. That’ll do two things, It’ll help seal it and if you have to take it off again to see if there is a leak, it could give you a clue as to where the leak is, if it’s between the head and the block. That’s a trick I learned from my Dad many years ago.
Stupid engine…..and cat…..
To add to all the other engine advice I am sure you are tired of hearing, I thought I would chime in. First, I am not a mechanic, nor do I play one on TV. Head bolts are typically torque to yield, and because of this not meant to be reused. Head studs can give better clamping and better torque readings and are reusable. I have seen some people use a copper gasket spray when installing new head gaskets, though I never have. Torque pattern is from the middle going outward in clockwise pattern. This is from my experience with boosted petrol engines and a few head gasket issues. Your application may differ, but maybe something here can be helpful.
Scott
Exhaust elbow gasket. I have serious doubt that it was replaced as it doesn’t come with the head gasket kit. All you symptoms are still in line with what I experienced. I promise not to mention it again.
No, it’s been replaced every time. There were a couple on the boat from way back, and I also bought a couple extra ($2 each) when I had the exhaust header off a couple years back.
Another piece of advise, my being in auto dealership service experience. If I remember correctly, you bought a torque wrench and the head bolts actually moved after the last time the head was off. That certainly could mean the damage was done already then. If the head wasn’t torqued properly on installation, from middle out as mentioned above, and to proper torque, the gasket would not be compressed properly. This is diesel, correct? Super high compression rate and it doesn’t take much to break the seal and then coolant seeps in when engine cools, that being said, usually compression leaks into cooling system causing bubbles, since compression pressure is higher than cooling system. Extremely flat mating surfaces required too.
Good luck
That’s a pretty cute cat. And pretty cute kid tushies, too. Although, even from behind, they look a little forelorn – as if they’re missing their daddy. Hope you get your engine woes resolved quickly and are soon returned full-time to the family fold.
Hi Pat,
For whatever its worth I love your mechanical blogs. I’m a mechanically inexperienced future boat owner who really appreciates your mechanical sagas because I know I’ll be going through them very soon. Please don’t stop the mechanical blogs. I learn so much….good and bad:)
What Edan said.
Forgot to mention that the email updates are cool.
No way I am unsubscribing to this blog. I love the engine stories. And all great sagas end with a heroic victory. I look forward to that post.
I think your mystery is solved. If the head gasket was wet between the bottom of the gasket and the top of the block that’s more than a clue, that’s your leak. One of the surfaces is probably warped, most likely the head, or you have a bad or incorrect gasket. It’s possible the head was not evenly torqued when installed, or you waited too long to retorque, and the head warped. The variable severity of the leak might be explained by warm engine vs cold engine and before/after you retorqued the head bolts. But who knows, there’s a lot of voodoo involved in head gasket leaks. You’ll probably need to have the head resurfaced. Check the brand and double check the part number on the new gasket before they put it on. (get a Felpro or a brand you have heard of)
We owe it to the sailing / live aboard citizens yet to be to tell our tales of mechanical nightmares. If we don’t they might think the sailing magazines are doing reviews of real boats people can actually afford to buy and operate. There is more to this life than dragging sputtering and broken systems across the oceans of the world, making things up as you go. But that is certainly a big part of it. In any case I hope you share what you finally find is the fix to your engine problem. Enquiring mechanics want to know!
Tj
s/v Kintala
Captain Ron’s Blog. Who knew this clip would come up about the motor also? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8alNxLjCBJc Little smoky but purring like a kitten.
Hi Pat
Im not a mechanic but why dont you put oil in the hole that you put the coolant in and attach a pump so that the oil can recirculate as required.End of problem.
Hang in there and
Dont stop laughing.
It will all sort its self out some day
Cheers from sunny Queensland
I know right? Just use oil for coolant and be done with it.
Or give the kids oars for Christmas.
I’m not a mechanic or a boater/sailor/whatever. I’m a middle-aged, suburban housewife, and I’ve enjoyed your mechanical trouble-shooting blogs. And, I really like the cat.
Hey Pat and Ali, et al,
NOOOO! Don’t stop posting! I to am waiting for the end of the epic saga of Pat and the difficult engine that just wouldn’t keep his oil and water separate. As someone noted previously, all great epics have a heroic ending. So once you figure it out strike a pose with the offending item with one foot on the engine and one in the galley. I love the attitude of your Mexican mechanics, just fix the thing, rather than totally rebuild it. I am working on negotiating with a local boat yard for a recovered boat that the insurance company has totaled, because it sank at the pier. Just seems wasteful to me. I am trying to take a line from your book, the one about quit with the 20 year plan man, just do what you need to do to go do the thing, you know? This will be a starter boat for us, little 27′. Just big enough to go muck around in the Chesapeake and down to the islands if we ever get enough time.
Good cat picture! Good luck with your engine, we up here in NOVA are rooting for ya! You will totally get it done.
Pat, I would not stop reading your blog. I have been following yall since 2003 when you were outfitting the Cat with a water maker. As the old man in Jeremiah Johnson said “you’ve come a long way pilgrim”. If you remember that scene. This reminds me of those early days when you were having overheating issues with one of your engines. You always find a way to work through it. Keep your nose to the grind and keep on keeping on. I know its frustrating though. Three years ago I purchased a 43′ Hatteras that I have been living aboard. Maybe one day I will make that big step and get that sailboat I always wanted. Til then, I’ll just read about yours. Oh yeah, did yall get burned out on eating pizza and beer? Dont dare stop writing about the challenges of boat ownership. Its the real would of ownership. Thanks again.
I love your perfectly back lit weeds, photo. Too bad a dirty white cat, photo bombed it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8mOGhAl0wsA (SV Seeker)
Here is some inspiration. Guy is building a 74ft steel motor-sailer in his yard and got the engine out of a school bus. I was on youtube figuring out some minor problems with a cabin. After watching some of these my problems are simple.
Pat, There are two types of sleeves in engines commonly known as “wet” and “dry” . I think the wet style was what you were expecting, they bridge the gap between the pistons and the water jackets and are sealed with o rings. This is the type that large engines use and are replaceable in the field. Yours are the dry ones that are basically just a thin pipe pressed into place that can be removed (with a hyd press) when they wear out but they are not exposed to the water jacket.
I won’t stop reading your blog….even though sometimes my eyes glass over and I start thinking of something else while reading about the engine stuff! That’s when I give the blog to Jay and let him read about possible future issues!! And by the way, I liked the cat!! Hope you get it fixed soon!