New purchase and new sailor

[jtuner119]

I was trying to start the engine today and no luck. To make it worse, the negative battery terminal blew off the battery and melted a hole on the battery. I've never seen the negative post of a battery blow off. I did however manage to rebed a window. Today was not a good day.

 

[The Garbone]

Yikes, I have seen batteries go into thermal runaway and melt but never personally experienced one exploding . Maybe the water was
low and you overcharged causing hydrogen gas buildup in the cell. Do you have more than one cell in your bank? What type of charger are you using? Did it go at hookup or just while cranking?

Just keep at it and you will get her sorted. Good job on the windows, it makes fiddling about inside much more pleasant if its dry.

 

[jtuner119]

Yikes, I have seen batteries go into thermal runaway and melt but never personally experienced one exploding . Maybe the water was low and you overcharged causing hydrogen gas buildup in the cell. Do you have more than one cell in your bank? What type of charger are you using? Did it go at hookup or just while cranking? Just keep at it and you will get her sorted. Good job on the windows, it makes fiddling about inside much more pleasant if its dry.

Maybe explode was an exaggeration. I should have take a picture. The bolt on the negative terminal busted out of its post and was so hot it melted a hole on top of the battery. It was fine at first. Hooked up fine, even cranked it a couple of times. It's been hooked on and off for the past couple of weeks and there were no problems til today. I've chalked it up to a faulty battery. I managed to get the battery replaced under warranty and I'll try to get it installed tomorrow. Slowly but surely, I will get her back in the bay.

 

[jtuner119]

I can't sleep cause I'm stressing over this boat. Yesterday was suppose to be the day that set my mind at ease about the engine. But instead I got nothing but more stress. I bought the boat under the assumption that the engine will start with minor work. Well I've done the minor work and yet I haven't heard that engine even sputter. Maybe it was a little ambitious of me to think that the engine would turn over so easy after sitting on the hard for almost 3 years. I may have been blinded by the dreams of sailing on the bay and was too rash on picking a boat. But I'm still looking at what boats are available on Craigslist and compare to others for sale. I see FREE boats that are ready to sail. Most of those boats are less than 30 foot however and need cosmetic work, which I also need. I just looked at an ad for a 76 catalina 27 that's selling for $100. That one needs a motor though. Mine is starting to look like it will also need an engine. Then I start looking at old survey reports of my boat and see in 1988, a fair market value of $32,000 was given. In 1999 it was surveyed and given a fair market value of $20,000. Since then the previous owner, the one I purchased it from, has upgraded numerous items and added an equal amount of accessories. I did not get a survey done however and I know that I should get one so please spare me the lecture. I only bought her for $2000. So far I've spent about $500 on new parts trying to get the engine started. On top of that, the storage fees at Herrington are stretching my budget thin. Not to say they are overpriced cause I love the facilities and amenities there. But I wanted a sailboat because I wanted to be on the water and sail. Not to stay at the marina and hang out by the pool. Not that I can now anyway. Lol. I am still determined however. Maybe naive but I am DETERMINED!

 

[Jethro411]

It is just a boat. There is some dollar expenditure, time expenditure, or both that will get it running. It's just a matter of saving. I personally would get a qualified individual to look top to bottom, whether it be an official survey or not. You may have unknown costs in rigging, rudder, bottom, etc yet to spend money on. Or you may not. Personally I'd step back and reevaluate what will need to be done to get it to a level you want. It may be something to throw in the towel over or may be something to save up X amount and get it done right. But there are few problems that can't be overcome with time and money. It's just quantifying those amounts.

 

[rgarrison@gmail.com]

Before you fall on your sword , consider paying a diesel mechanic qualified on your engine, to look at it. I am sorry I forget, but did you turn it over by hand? Not with the starter, but by hand? The 1st thing, in my mind, you want to confirm is that the engine is not seized. Then, if the puppy is not seized, check compression. These are all easy things that you can do using Moyer Marine or other resources to talk you through the process.

I can help and so can others, no worries. chill

Also, have you considered buying an auxiliary outboard to get you to sailing water? Forget the main engine for a while.

 

[jtuner119]

Thanks for the advice guys. After a little bit more tinkering and getting a second, third and fourth opinion from qualified diesel mechanics, i came to the same diagnosis as I feared. I probably have a stuck valve. I am able to turn the crank by hand but not a complete revolution. So tomorrow's project will be to remove the valve cover and check if any valves are stuck. Then basically bath the engine with transmission fluid or Lucas oil and let it sit for a week, hoping and praying that I get lucky and everything breaks loose. But if I have to, I am capable of removing the head and I'll have to send it to a machine shop to get worked on. Again hoping and praying that it doesn't have to come to that. To answer your question garrison, I have not thought of getting an outboard motor. Simply because it's just not in the budget. I did however think about putting her back in the water anyway, with or without the engine running. It is a sailboat after all. All the rigging and sails are in great condition. All electrical systems work. I've actually just worked out a mooring buoy that I can use. If I can get the bottom painted and finish re bedding the rest of the windows, make sure they don't leek anymore, I don't see why I couldn't get her back in the water. I can still work on the engine while she's in mooring. I have some time. Actually I have plenty of time. Yesterday was just one of the hiccups that I'm sure I'm going to encounter. It just happens to be the first problem. But I'm "sailing on" with my project and will keep you guys posted.

 

[rgarrison@gmail.com]

put oil in it that can migrate (I don't know diesels well) to the cylinders, let it sit, crank it by hand until you turns over 360 degrees. A stuck valve will not prevent that, but you can't turn it over with out removing the glow plugs, I think. On my Atomic 4 I have to remove the plugs. Then I pour a little oil in the hole, I use Marvel Mystery oil. It then turns over easily but you need access to the crank.

Another helper bee can chime in???

 

[jrcooksr]

Thanks for the advice guys. After a little bit more tinkering and getting a second, third and fourth opinion from qualified diesel mechanics, i came to the same diagnosis as I feared. I probably have a stuck valve. I am able to turn the crank by hand but not a complete revolution. So tomorrow's project will be to remove the valve cover and check if any valves are stuck. Then basically bath the engine with transmission fluid or Lucas oil and let it sit for a week, hoping and praying that I get lucky and everything breaks loose. But if I have to, I am capable of removing the head and I'll have to send it to a machine shop to get worked on. Again hoping and praying that it doesn't have to come to that. To answer your question garrison, I have not thought of getting an outboard motor. Simply because it's just not in the budget. I did however think about putting her back in the water anyway, with or without the engine running. It is a sailboat after all. All the rigging and sails are in great condition. All electrical systems work. I've actually just worked out a mooring buoy that I can use. If I can get the bottom painted and finish re bedding the rest of the windows, make sure they don't leek anymore, I don't see why I couldn't get her back in the water. I can still work on the engine while she's in mooring. I have some time. Actually I have plenty of time. Yesterday was just one of the hiccups that I'm sure I'm going to encounter. It just happens to be the first problem. But I'm "sailing on" with my project and will keep you guys posted.

If the engine does turn by hand, I'd try a little ether sprayed in to the carb.
Jeff

 

[jtuner119]

stuck valve! no big deal. took the head off in about 2 hrs. i dropped it off today at the machine shop to get inspected and worked on. i was told i'll find out probably monday what the estimate is. so for now i guess back to the windows.

 

[jtuner119]

well i tried to work on the boat today. but my motivation was just lacking. maybe it was the cold just making it miserable. i started to take the name decal off but only managed to remove 4 letters on the starboard side. slow and steady just became even slower.

 

[The Garbone]

Decals be gone.

AES Industries 4" Smart Eraser Pad with Drill Adaptor Arbor [Made In USA] https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00488DDB8/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_1nLzub08RGKFA

 

[jtuner119]

Decals be gone. AES Industries 4" Smart Eraser Pad with Drill Adaptor Arbor [Made In USA] https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00488DDB8/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_1nLzub08RGKFA

thanks. i'll order it.

 

[rgarrison@gmail.com]

right on!

 

[jtuner119]

Well I got the estimate from the machine shop about my cylinder head. It's going to cost me about $650 to repair the head. So my plans to get her in the water soon has just been put to a halt. I guess it's her way of telling me that she's not ready. So all i have now is a nice and clean paper weight! Until I can get the money together to get it fixed. All I want to do is sail!

 

[rgarrison@gmail.com]

What was the machine shop going to do for $650?

 

[jtuner119]

What was the machine shop going to do for $650?

resurface, valve job, replace all valve guides(4 total), replace exhaust valve seats. they pressure tested, micd and cleaned it already. that cost me $90. ive been shopping machine shops and i found one that will do it for $260 but i have to provide the parts. so i think im looking at about $450.

 

[jtuner119]

heres some good news. i had my bottom hull checked out and it passed with flying colors. despite of that catalina smile. the previous owner told me that he had a water barrier coat done and its still in good condition. some 3m 5200 and paint should fix that. now if i can just get the engine started. sailing on i guess.

 

[just lucky]

well, unless the valves are bent or chewed up around the face there would be no value in replacing them or the seats. save yourself a lot of grief and money by taking the head to a mechanic and ask them to resurface the valves.
They will free them up and grind each valve in its own seat using valve grinding compound. you could do it yourself, the compound and tool is a reasonable price, tool is a plastic stick with a different sized suction cups on each end. the spring compression tool you can rent from a rent-all. once you press the top retainer down onto the valve you will see two small dogs that hold the cap in place. you MUST keep each valve in the correct seat or you will be grinding for days.
once the valves are out of the head (and marked) you clean them and the head with a powered wire wheel, the steel is very hard, try as you might to make it shine.
then you grind each valve in its corresponding seat with the compound, keep doing it until you have a nice unpolished ring on the valve and seat(the rest should be shinny from all that previous wire brushing).
put them in as they came out, the head bolts have a specific torque and tightening sequence this is also a must. the torque wrench can be rented as well.

 

[just lucky]

i should also mention that you need to clean all of the compound off before reassembly