Is this the end of my boating?

[ThePinkPanther]

Have a sixteen year old Whittley Sovereign 6.8 metre with an OMC 5.8 litre inboard petrol motor.

Bad news is that I have discovered a serious leak between the starboard cylinder head and the block (pic attached). As yet there is no water in the oil but that can only be a matter of time ..............

It gets even worse because that type of motor - made in Canada by Bombadier - has no procurable parts and after a dozen or so phone calls in Brisbane and all ports south, have learnt that getting a new head and gasket is physically impossible. I even contacted some pretty good dealers in Canada who all said the same thing. If an old head could be found, looking for a lower block in good nick wouldn't be worth the effort.

Of course, the alloy metal in the head and the block will be corroded as all hell where the gasket has gone and "decking/shaving" them both would be impossible due the rot in both the surfaces and even if I were to give it a try, just getting the lower unit out to be sent away for machining is almost - not quite - impossible.

Northside Marine who are the dealers for the Whittleys have only ever come across ONE (1) in their twenty years of handling these boats and the damage was so severe the motor had to be replaced with a Mercruiser, $25,000 all up!!!

I could try those additives that boast of sealing leaks when added to the weater but I have never had any confidence in them and they would - at best - only delay the inevitable.

So looks like the old girl is stuffed guys!

At almost seventeen years of age, it is simply putting good money after bad by re-engining it so looks like the scrapheap or finding someone who wants a shell and is prepared to drop a new donk in it!

Any magical advices suggestions appreciated!

[finga]

Gees that's no good PinkPanther.
Are they a Ford based motor?

It looks like the heads are still available but I do not know if this is the same as yours.
A quick search will find your engine.
http://www.crowleymarine.com/johnson...arts/20298.cfm

As for the block they're cast iron. If the oil has no water in it then that seems to indicate the block is not too bad. But who knows.

The rust is not caused by water dripping down from somewhere else is it?
I do not really know what I'm looking at in the picture because I do not know the motor at all.

Was the motor playing up?

Don't scrap the old girl. There would be life still left in her I reckon.
Or if you do I know of a good place to lay her to rest.

[Jarrah Jack]

Don't like to see the end of any boat Pink Panther..Have a look at the US chat forum Marine Engine. com. They have a specific section for inboards and you may get some help. The're some real boffins on that forum.

Cheers and Good luck

[ThePinkPanther]

Thanks Finga,

The OMC come from the Johnson brand who were bought out by Bombadier in Canada when Johno folded some time back.

If anything they had a Volvo flavour but not Ford unfortunately.

The guys at Nothside Marine have been pretty good and admit they are beaten when it comes to procuring the parts required. The only other one they had finished up being re-engined as I said, just couldn't come with any bits or pieces.

I am going to pull everything off, clean it all back and see just how bad it is as rust makes everything look much worse than it is.

That pic is taken from the right hand, front side of the block looking directly at the head and block.

The motor is running like a dream so I still have a small amount of hope it may only be the head or gasket gone.

Thanks for the link, I will have a look around and try to see if I can get an after market head and gasket.

Cheers

[Stik-ugly]

Pink I would first check the hose and waterpipe above your head first it looks like it is coming from above the head gasket area

[FNQCairns]

forget Canada they are too much like us, as mentioned above join a few US based forums, there would be a thousand viable options over there if you look wide enough and you will get them all at bargain basement prices compared to Canada and here in Oz.

Seriously we are but a muddy puddle.

[Steeler]

PM Sent

Steeler

[Mad-One]

Ther is a product called seal up that alot of mechanics swear by for repairing leaks like that. We sell about 20-30 bottles a fortnight at work

Phil

[snodger 08]

Pink I would first check the hose and waterpipe above your head first it looks like it is coming from above the head gasket area

Pink, Looking at the pic I agree with Stic, it could be coming from where the water pipe joins the hose.
Steve

[cormorant]

There are guys that build head gaskets for anything from scratch especially for old cars and trucks so they may not be over the counter but they can be made.

From memory both the volvo v8and teh OMC V8 in 93-94 were of ford 351 variety as a base block and probably the USA truck versions. How many HP was it rated at and at what revs?

Can you get a block number and any full details of the exact model you have and is it a freshwater cooled moldel?

The only difference with marine head gaskets was they they had a different composition but people still make em.

Lots of replacement blocks around that are here or can be imported way cheaper than you think since you already have the belhousings and all mounts

Speak with these guys
http://www.victorianmarinetechnology.com.au/index.php

http://www.volvopenta-fenquin.com.au/ Couple of the old boys here know the old volvo v8 very well

http://www.suburbanimports.com.au/contactus.htm these guys know ford v8 very well

Ex USA this is avaliable same as for teh 5l version
GASKET,CYL HD
Product #: 3853732
Price: $91.28

There are full seloc manuals and parets listings avaliable for these motors


The last idea is the Whitley club. Lots of knowledge there and possibly someone else has done a rebuild and repower to give you a exact idea of cost and trouble. Great boats and well built for their day.

How nice it would be with a few more horses and a lightweight styre or yanmar diesel in there- whoops teh budget just blew out but no way would I be spending those $$ on a petrol. Half that would be fair.

[ThePinkPanther]

You guys have given me some hope - I also hope I was misled by Northside Marine who on th last service about twelve months ago said they had identified it as a leak from the head gasket but the rust above that area is pretty suspicious and the fact that there is not the slightest sign of water in the oil lends me more hope.

I am going to attack it tomorrow and after ripping off the manifold, pipes etc. hope to get a clearer picture.

Another worry is that a welch plug has gone as I am also led to believe there is one on the front of the block that has a history of rusting out. I've never heard of a plug up the front, only the sides and a mongrel over the back somewhere!

Here's hoping anyway. again thanks for the info and will keep updating it as I go along.

[Noelm]

I kind of doubt your boating days are finished, there must be a dozen engines that will fit up to the leg if repairs are not possible (which I doubt) , but you may need to open the wallet a bit wider.

[finga]

Mate, I had a look at the parts thingo again and there are exhaust risers etc straight above where your picture shows.
These suckers rust out and run down the sides of the block.
Before you get too carried away I'd get a reliable mechanic in like Spaniard King (mobile) and he'd give you an honest appraisal.
Might be worth the service call to you as you'll have a better idea on what is happening. It might save you a motza in the end as there may not be any need to rip the heads etc off.
Here's the parts diagram of the risers etc
http://www.crowleymarine.com/johnson...arts/32221.cfm

[cormorant]

There will be at least 9 welch plugs on that block and even in cars they needed replacement.

I'll be surprised if every part is not avaliable for that motor somewhere in the world.

Do a full health check on the motor, compressions , annodes, stern drive and do the simple things. At some point a exchange , rebuild or repower is on the cards so keep that in mind with the sort of $ you are spending in regards to the wholepackage and on just keeping it running.


Run the motor on the hose and witha mirror or whatever actually prove you can see where the leak is before you dismantle things. I have seen pin pricks in hoses squirt and start corrosion on blocks and motors dismantled when a hose replacement was all that was needed


If you end up having to replace manifolds and risers etc in some ways a new or reco long motor to put em on or a fully dressed reco one is abetter long term option as you then have a very reliable boat and with most longs having better heads etc today you will also have more power as well.. Better than chasing one issue and then another etc etc . Find what is wrong first and general health of motor.

[GBC]

Google's calling it a 351 ford. There's a mob in trade - a - boat that sells marinised crate motors. They might be worth a look rather than rebuilding yours?