spook

happy birthday bob.. hope you got lots of new boat presents..

Hi folks

Just wanted to update everyone on the latest news regarding my boat.

Blew the engine on startup, easter saturday. Put a rod out of the side of the sump, only had it at about 2500 rpm so I'm completely baffled. The oil pressure was good and came up instantly upon start. It lasted about thirty seconds.


Damn and blast

Spook

The Spook wrote:Hi folks

Just wanted to update everyone on the latest news regarding my boat.

Blew the engine on startup, easter saturday. Put a rod out of the side of the sump, only had it at about 2500 rpm so I'm completely baffled. The oil pressure was good and came up instantly upon start. It lasted about thirty seconds.


Damn and blast

Spook

better get the a frame up again.. im a bit suss on the bearings bob it might have grabbed the crank i didnt like the look of them on number one.cheers.

Gary

I'm not too concerned about what caused it although it will be interesting to have a good look at it as it comes apart.

My main concern is whether the block is ok and can be used again.

Bob

Hi Bob,

Sorry to hear that you chucked a leg out of bed at startup. Sounds a bit suss. Have you found the cause yet?

Bob

I've only just started to strip all the cables, hoses and stuff off it and its still in the boat.

I was pretty down about it all for a couple of weeks and have only just started to talking to "precious" again. My wife nicknamed the boat precious because she reckons I give it more attention than her.

Spook

Yep, sometimes you just have to walk away and close the door for a couple of weeks. Hope you get it sorted without too much drama. Otherwise "Precious" might become "Murphy"
Bob

OK

I have the engine out and the sump off. It appears that the conrod cap cam off the conrod of cylinder 2. One conrod bolt is broken and the other one is gone completely, no sign of it. Still a bit of a mystery as to what actually happened. The main part of the conrod is still in one piece and still attached to the piston which appears to be OK. The conrod cap is also in one piece although it is fairly banged up.

It appears that the block is OK, we will know for sure when I have it completely stripped.

The crankshaft appears to be OK too.

Bob

I have stripped more of the motor and found the missing conrod bolt. It is in one piece but bent severely. It would appear that one snapped and then the conrod cap opened up and bent the second one before pulling it out of the rod.

It would appear that two new rods and a set of conrod bolts will fix it up.

Bob

Hi all

I have just this afternoon successfully run the engine in The Spook. Ran for twenty minutes to run in rings and camshaft etc.

Its now 357 cubic inches, 11.5 to one comp and sounds very crisp indeed.

Spook

well done bob time to get it wet now..

That's the plan. However I have a few things to do with the engine before we run it again.

General health check stuff. Oil and filter change, re-tension the heads, fix the oil leak from under the inlet manifold and check all the rocker clearances. When that's done another start to make sure that its still good, then I need to build a jack-shaft between the engine and the gearbox.

Then comes boat coding and registration.

After that, we go to the water. Now that I'm looking forward to.

Sounds simple doesn't it.

Spook

better tell the cowl builder to get his finger out..cause you need them in 2 weeks..  

Ok. We have progress.

Removed the inlet manifold, exhaust system and the two end rocker sets on each bank of cylinders. That allows me to re-tension the heads, then the rockers back on and reset the rocker clearances on all cylinders. Rocker covers back on and then the inlet manifold and carburetor back on as well as the exhaust system.

Refill with coolant and a new oil filter and ten liters of oil. Yes its a 10 liter sump.

I've just come back from starting the engine for the second time. My mate Bill and I ran it up to full operating temp (it has a fully enclosed cooling system with heat exchanger) and checked the maximum timing and adjusted the idle. It idles nicely at 1000 rpm.

Next job; build a jack-shaft from the engine to the gearbox.

Spook

Ok

The drive train in The Spook is now complete. I installed the jack-shaft from the engine to the gearbox this morning.

Next thing to do is get it boat coded. Yeeeeehaaaaa.

Spook

do it quick bob now the waterways have closed and you have to go to the very nice helpful people    at rms the old rta it takes 6 to 8 weeks for a new rego to be valid as it has to be sent to parks then sent back got to love the way they stream line things

Ok

Boat is now boat coded and registered. Hoping to get it wet this Saturday.

Spook

Well

It's passed its first test before tomorrow and it started in the garage.

Now for tomorrow at 10.30 Tomago boat ramp.

Bob

Its been in the water and it floated and ran felt good and appears to handle ok. The gearbox has to come out as it has water in the oil.

Spook

Hi all

At this stage its looking good for The Spook to be at Toukley on Sunday the 13th.

Bob