"Barret Bonden" wrote in message hlink.net...
Universial Atomic 4 (inboard , salt water cooled) - 2 years ago I found
salt water in 2 cylinders and my mechanic suggested and then did a head
gasket ; she ran fine for 40 to 60 hours of use, and then - more water in
the aft 2 cylinders nearest the exhaust ; I was in rough seas - and there
is a possibility water sloshed it's way back up - I did some work on the
system to make this less likely, and used the engine for 10 more hours ;
worked fine - and then it happened again, in seas much less rough but still
rougher than the prior 10 hours - so my question is , can a head gasket
fail randomly ? Can it hold most of the time and then give out , and then
hold again, or is this a matter of water working it's way back up through
the exhaust ?

Most likely it is getting in thru your exhaust. How high is the riser
in the exhaust system?

Here a friends trawler did the same thing, he anchored and had stern
seas wash over a 1 foot tall riser in his exhaust. Got water on top
the pistion. When he went to start the engine he bent a connecting
rod, and fractured a liner. If you havent bent a rod yet you better
get it fixed, you could throw a rod thru the block. But since its a
dangerious gasoline engine it might be a blessing in disquise. Start
looking for a safe diesel. Or put in a riser thats tall enough to keep
water from backing into your engine. Flapper valves are a freekin joke
and a waste of money IMO.

Joe