I think I used this post title back in the Chesapeake, thus the “II”. Maybe it should even be, “III” or “IV”. I won’t take time to search back through the archives right now.
I went in this morning with a clearer head despite a night of semi-sleep and found the mechanic and the service manager in the office. I told the mechanic that I had complete faith in him but, with so much on the table, I wanted a third set of eyes on the head gasket before proceeding. We all adjourned to the boat.
The service manager agreed that there were none of the usual signs of head gasket failure. There is one spot with a slight difference in the shine of the copper gasket but it is so faint as to be on the verge of wishful thinking. However, all around the critical boundary of the low pressure oil return next to the water passage openings, are remains of a mysterious black compound that looks like it might be RTV. The proper compound to be used with the head gasket is clearly visible elsewhere and under the black gunk.
It looks very much to all three of us as if someone dealt with this issue before and the black stuff was a Band-Aid fix. There was not enough clearance to remove the head without withdrawing the studs first, something that the mechanic did very skillfully with the two jammed nuts method. It would have been very tempting for a less skilled mechanic to slide the head up as far as he could, smear in the RTV (or, whatever it is) with a stick, and then torque the head back down.
So, we haven’t found a smoking gun but we certainly have one lying next to the victim with the same number of bullets missing as are in the body. It isn’t conclusive yet that it’s the fatal gun and we haven’t done a ballistics test yet, that’s going to cost me another grand or so. However, it’s considerably lowered my anxiety level.
The parts will be here tomorrow. The engine will go back together Thursday. I’m then going to do a lot of power boating around the area close enough to get back to Pirates Cove if there are any further problems. This is the place to be for any trouble. It's a second generation family run business, just as is the best commercial shipyard I've ever known, up the river to the right. I've been around a bit in my 40 years in the boat business both professionally and for fun. These folks get my highest recommendation.
Once I’ve got about six short oil changes done with no sign of water, I should be on my way south.
I went in this morning with a clearer head despite a night of semi-sleep and found the mechanic and the service manager in the office. I told the mechanic that I had complete faith in him but, with so much on the table, I wanted a third set of eyes on the head gasket before proceeding. We all adjourned to the boat.
The service manager agreed that there were none of the usual signs of head gasket failure. There is one spot with a slight difference in the shine of the copper gasket but it is so faint as to be on the verge of wishful thinking. However, all around the critical boundary of the low pressure oil return next to the water passage openings, are remains of a mysterious black compound that looks like it might be RTV. The proper compound to be used with the head gasket is clearly visible elsewhere and under the black gunk.
It looks very much to all three of us as if someone dealt with this issue before and the black stuff was a Band-Aid fix. There was not enough clearance to remove the head without withdrawing the studs first, something that the mechanic did very skillfully with the two jammed nuts method. It would have been very tempting for a less skilled mechanic to slide the head up as far as he could, smear in the RTV (or, whatever it is) with a stick, and then torque the head back down.
So, we haven’t found a smoking gun but we certainly have one lying next to the victim with the same number of bullets missing as are in the body. It isn’t conclusive yet that it’s the fatal gun and we haven’t done a ballistics test yet, that’s going to cost me another grand or so. However, it’s considerably lowered my anxiety level.
The parts will be here tomorrow. The engine will go back together Thursday. I’m then going to do a lot of power boating around the area close enough to get back to Pirates Cove if there are any further problems. This is the place to be for any trouble. It's a second generation family run business, just as is the best commercial shipyard I've ever known, up the river to the right. I've been around a bit in my 40 years in the boat business both professionally and for fun. These folks get my highest recommendation.
Once I’ve got about six short oil changes done with no sign of water, I should be on my way south.
.
