Jim, a blown head gasket isn't necessarily determined by water in the
oil. It could be the "rough running" is because of some fire
extinguisher stuff, got in the distributor, but I doubt it. OR the
engine was hot enough that it's causing the fuel to pre-detonate. or
even vapor lock in the intake manifold. That bad thing is that even if
the heads and gaskets are ok, the over heating can still cause the
valve seals to get brittle and eventually start leaking oil into the
valves, this is usually evident by a puff of blue smoke on initial
start up. Hope all works out for you.


JimH wrote:
wrote in message
oups.com...
Jim, tht doesn't sound good at all. I think you may have burnt valves,
a blown head gasket[s], maybe even cracked heads.


Sorry for the downtime, man. especially when your vacation is just now
starting..

Good Luck!

JimH wrote:
Cut out of work at noon and scrambled to the boat to hook up with friends
of
ours, meeting them at the mouth of the Vermilion River with boat our
boats.
We arrived first and once safely past the breakwall idled while waiting
for
them. The trip was perhaps 15 minutes tops.

I started to smell something burning and saw puffs of smoke coming out of
the engine compartment. I shut down the engine and grabbed a fire
extinguisher while my wife threw out the anchor, then opened the engine
compartment to see smoke coming off the engine and to hear hissing and
popping. Gave it a shot from the ABC dry chemical fire extinguisher
thinking there may be a fire. Saw the temperature gauge pegged at 250F.

Radioed our friends who towed us back to our marina. The marina mechanic
checked to see if there was any foaming or burnt smell with the engine
oil
(none) or oil in the bilge (none). Sigh, maybe a good sign, or at least
I
hope so.

We ended up leaving the boat with our mechanic and spent the day on our
friends boat. After 3 or so hours I got a call from the marina, telling
me
they checked out the engine (after letting it cool) and judge it to be
OK,
although the impeller needs replacing. They said I could safely move the
boat to my slip if I wanted to until repairs are made.

We got back to the marina later today and I took the boat from the gas
dock
to our slip, with the temperature rising to 220F during that short trip
from
the gas dock to our slip (5 minutes). The boat also ran very rough
during
that short trip

So.......besides replacing the impellor any other suggestions on what I
should ask the marina to do? What is causing the rough engine,
especially
after having a tune up only 4 engine hours ago? Is there some internal
damage I may have done?

Single 1997 Volvo Penta 4.3L, Chevy 190 HP.

TIA for your answers.

BTW: My vacation started this afternoon (one week of it) and this was
the
last thing I expected to have to deal with.


As Eisboch pointed out and as was confirmed by our mechanic (and a mechanic
friend of ours we saw today) it is probably not that bad if we did not see
water in the oil and as the heads are cast iron.

The impeller is being replaced on Wednesday and we will see if that does the
trick.

As a side note: I had asked the marina to change the impeller at the
beginning of the season as I did not know when the last time it was changed
(we bought the boat last summer). They said they checked it and it looked
fine. Something had to have happened between then and last Friday.

It would be good to give us more details on the boat. Age, enigne
size. Age of the manifolds and risers. Last major work. Salt water,
fresh water, or both? Raw water cooling or heat exchanger?

If it ran rough as soon as your started it back up that may be a bad
sign. Running rough while actually overheated is not a problem. In
either case you have to fix the overheating problem. As lost of other
posters have pointed out the manifolds and risers are always the first
suspect if they are more than 5 years old. The thermostat could also
be a problem.

Unfortunately overheating causes other damage. Heads warp. Gaskets
start leaking. Rubber exhaust parts melt. Once you fix the
overheating if it still runs rough I'd suggest a compression test to
rule out major engine damage.

wrote:
Jim, a blown head gasket isn't necessarily determined by water in the
oil. It could be the "rough running" is because of some fire
extinguisher stuff, got in the distributor, but I doubt it. OR the
engine was hot enough that it's causing the fuel to pre-detonate. or
even vapor lock in the intake manifold. That bad thing is that even if
the heads and gaskets are ok, the over heating can still cause the
valve seals to get brittle and eventually start leaking oil into the
valves, this is usually evident by a puff of blue smoke on initial
start up. Hope all works out for you.


JimH wrote:
wrote in message
oups.com...
Jim, tht doesn't sound good at all. I think you may have burnt valves,
a blown head gasket[s], maybe even cracked heads.


Sorry for the downtime, man. especially when your vacation is just now
starting..

Good Luck!

JimH wrote:
Cut out of work at noon and scrambled to the boat to hook up with friends
of
ours, meeting them at the mouth of the Vermilion River with boat our
boats.
We arrived first and once safely past the breakwall idled while waiting
for
them. The trip was perhaps 15 minutes tops.

I started to smell something burning and saw puffs of smoke coming out of
the engine compartment. I shut down the engine and grabbed a fire
extinguisher while my wife threw out the anchor, then opened the engine
compartment to see smoke coming off the engine and to hear hissing and
popping. Gave it a shot from the ABC dry chemical fire extinguisher
thinking there may be a fire. Saw the temperature gauge pegged at 250F.

Radioed our friends who towed us back to our marina. The marina mechanic
checked to see if there was any foaming or burnt smell with the engine
oil
(none) or oil in the bilge (none). Sigh, maybe a good sign, or at least
I
hope so.

We ended up leaving the boat with our mechanic and spent the day on our
friends boat. After 3 or so hours I got a call from the marina, telling
me
they checked out the engine (after letting it cool) and judge it to be
OK,
although the impeller needs replacing. They said I could safely move the
boat to my slip if I wanted to until repairs are made.

We got back to the marina later today and I took the boat from the gas
dock
to our slip, with the temperature rising to 220F during that short trip
from
the gas dock to our slip (5 minutes). The boat also ran very rough
during
that short trip

So.......besides replacing the impellor any other suggestions on what I
should ask the marina to do? What is causing the rough engine,
especially
after having a tune up only 4 engine hours ago? Is there some internal
damage I may have done?

Single 1997 Volvo Penta 4.3L, Chevy 190 HP.

TIA for your answers.

BTW: My vacation started this afternoon (one week of it) and this was
the
last thing I expected to have to deal with.


As Eisboch pointed out and as was confirmed by our mechanic (and a mechanic
friend of ours we saw today) it is probably not that bad if we did not see
water in the oil and as the heads are cast iron.

The impeller is being replaced on Wednesday and we will see if that does the
trick.

As a side note: I had asked the marina to change the impeller at the
beginning of the season as I did not know when the last time it was changed
(we bought the boat last summer). They said they checked it and it looked
fine. Something had to have happened between then and last Friday.

1997 43.L Chevy 350 6 cylinder. Freshwater. Manifolds and risers are
original.

Tuned up just weeks ago with only 4.2 hours on the engine following the
tune-up.

Thermostat was replaced in spring.



"jamesgangnc" wrote in message
oups.com...
It would be good to give us more details on the boat. Age, enigne
size. Age of the manifolds and risers. Last major work. Salt water,
fresh water, or both? Raw water cooling or heat exchanger?

If it ran rough as soon as your started it back up that may be a bad
sign. Running rough while actually overheated is not a problem. In
either case you have to fix the overheating problem. As lost of other
posters have pointed out the manifolds and risers are always the first
suspect if they are more than 5 years old. The thermostat could also
be a problem.

Unfortunately overheating causes other damage. Heads warp. Gaskets
start leaking. Rubber exhaust parts melt. Once you fix the
overheating if it still runs rough I'd suggest a compression test to
rule out major engine damage.

wrote:
Jim, a blown head gasket isn't necessarily determined by water in the
oil. It could be the "rough running" is because of some fire
extinguisher stuff, got in the distributor, but I doubt it. OR the
engine was hot enough that it's causing the fuel to pre-detonate. or
even vapor lock in the intake manifold. That bad thing is that even if
the heads and gaskets are ok, the over heating can still cause the
valve seals to get brittle and eventually start leaking oil into the
valves, this is usually evident by a puff of blue smoke on initial
start up. Hope all works out for you.


JimH wrote:
wrote in message
oups.com...
Jim, tht doesn't sound good at all. I think you may have burnt
valves,
a blown head gasket[s], maybe even cracked heads.


Sorry for the downtime, man. especially when your vacation is just
now
starting..

Good Luck!

JimH wrote:
Cut out of work at noon and scrambled to the boat to hook up with
friends
of
ours, meeting them at the mouth of the Vermilion River with boat our
boats.
We arrived first and once safely past the breakwall idled while
waiting
for
them. The trip was perhaps 15 minutes tops.

I started to smell something burning and saw puffs of smoke coming
out of
the engine compartment. I shut down the engine and grabbed a fire
extinguisher while my wife threw out the anchor, then opened the
engine
compartment to see smoke coming off the engine and to hear hissing
and
popping. Gave it a shot from the ABC dry chemical fire
extinguisher
thinking there may be a fire. Saw the temperature gauge pegged at
250F.

Radioed our friends who towed us back to our marina. The marina
mechanic
checked to see if there was any foaming or burnt smell with the
engine
oil
(none) or oil in the bilge (none). Sigh, maybe a good sign, or at
least
I
hope so.

We ended up leaving the boat with our mechanic and spent the day on
our
friends boat. After 3 or so hours I got a call from the marina,
telling
me
they checked out the engine (after letting it cool) and judge it to
be
OK,
although the impeller needs replacing. They said I could safely
move the
boat to my slip if I wanted to until repairs are made.

We got back to the marina later today and I took the boat from the
gas
dock
to our slip, with the temperature rising to 220F during that short
trip
from
the gas dock to our slip (5 minutes). The boat also ran very rough
during
that short trip

So.......besides replacing the impellor any other suggestions on
what I
should ask the marina to do? What is causing the rough engine,
especially
after having a tune up only 4 engine hours ago? Is there some
internal
damage I may have done?

Single 1997 Volvo Penta 4.3L, Chevy 190 HP.

TIA for your answers.

BTW: My vacation started this afternoon (one week of it) and this
was
the
last thing I expected to have to deal with.


As Eisboch pointed out and as was confirmed by our mechanic (and a
mechanic
friend of ours we saw today) it is probably not that bad if we did not
see
water in the oil and as the heads are cast iron.

The impeller is being replaced on Wednesday and we will see if that
does the
trick.

As a side note: I had asked the marina to change the impeller at the
beginning of the season as I did not know when the last time it was
changed
(we bought the boat last summer). They said they checked it and it
looked
fine. Something had to have happened between then and last Friday.

Best of luck getting back with minimal expenses and time down.

" JimH" jimhUNDERSCOREosudad@yahooDOTcom wrote in message
. ..

We ended up leaving the boat with our mechanic and spent the day on our
friends boat. After 3 or so hours I got a call from the marina, telling
me they checked out the engine (after letting it cool) and judge it to be
OK, although the impeller needs replacing. They said I could safely move
the boat to my slip if I wanted to until repairs are made.

We got back to the marina later today and I took the boat from the gas
dock to our slip, with the temperature rising to 220F during that short
trip from the gas dock to our slip (5 minutes). The boat also ran very
rough during that short trip

So.......besides replacing the impellor any other suggestions on what I
should ask the marina to do? What is causing the rough engine, especially
after having a tune up only 4 engine hours ago? Is there some internal
damage I may have done?

Single 1997 Volvo Penta 4.3L, Chevy 190 HP.

TIA for your answers.



I would not panic yet. One of my first boats overheated one day as I left
the harbor heading for England.
Temp rose to 260 degrees. I putt-putted back to the slip and JiminFl came
to the rescue. He determined that my old manifolds were shot and replaced
them with new ones of an updated design. The boat ran fine after that.
Different engine, I realize (350 Chevy), but the first step would be to
replace the impellor and see how it goes.
You might get lucky.

Eisboch

"Eisboch" wrote in message
...



I would not panic yet. One of my first boats overheated one day as I left
the harbor heading for England.
Temp rose to 260 degrees. I putt-putted back to the slip and JiminFl came
to the rescue. He determined that my old manifolds were shot and replaced
them with new ones of an updated design. The boat ran fine after that.
Different engine, I realize (350 Chevy), but the first step would be to
replace the impellor and see how it goes.
You might get lucky.

Eisboch


Does that engine have aluminum or cast iron heads?
Aluminum heads are not as tolerant to overheats as the cast iron.

Eisboch

"Eisboch" wrote in message
...

"Eisboch" wrote in message
...



I would not panic yet. One of my first boats overheated one day as I
left the harbor heading for England.
Temp rose to 260 degrees. I putt-putted back to the slip and JiminFl
came to the rescue. He determined that my old manifolds were shot and
replaced them with new ones of an updated design. The boat ran fine
after that.
Different engine, I realize (350 Chevy), but the first step would be to
replace the impellor and see how it goes.
You might get lucky.

Eisboch


Does that engine have aluminum or cast iron heads?
Aluminum heads are not as tolerant to overheats as the cast iron.

Eisboch


Cast iron heads.

The National Park Service and the U.S. Coast Guard are considering
banning overweight people from tour boats in the wake of reports that
fatties caused the deadly rollover of a watercraft on New York's Lake
George last fall.

Bix Butterman, a tourist who witnessed the horrifying incident from
shore, said he watched as about a dozen obviously obese adults shuffled
to one side of the boat, causing it to list then roll over in the
placid lake.

"Some of those heavies looked like they weighed 400 pounds," Butterman
said. "And they had these big bags of food they carried aboard. Those
types should not be allowed near any tour boat. Let 'em stick to
all-you-can-eat restaurants!"

=====

"Weight of Passengers, Boat Are Cited in Deadly Sinking"

Associated Press
The Washington Post
Saturday, July 1, 2006; A10

Survivors of a deadly tour-boat trip in the Adirondacks last October
say heavy people flipped the boat over, according to newly released
documents in a case that exposed how America's safety rules have been
eclipsed by its expanding waistlines.

Investigators quickly focused on weight in the Ethan Allen and how it
was distributed, according to documents released yesterday by the
National Transportation Safety Board.

The 40-foot boat was carrying 47 passengers and its captain when it
capsized in calm weather on New York's Lake George on Oct. 2. The
accident killed 20 people.

The passengers were elderly tourists from Michigan and Ohio on a fall
foliage trip.

The boat was certified to carry as many as 50 people, but officials
said that was based on obsolete passenger weight guidelines. The boat,
built in 1964, had also gained weight as it aged, modified with a
heavier canopy, larger engine and more ballast.

For decades, boat operators assumed the average passenger weighed 140
pounds, based on the Coast Guard's standards for a mix of men, women
and children in calm inland waters.

The Coast Guard announced in April that it has settled on a single
standard of 185 pounds per person. The new weight calculation is
voluntary until new rules are created.

The boat's captain, Richard Paris, said the boat overturned because it
was tipped over by a large wake, which he suggested came from a larger
tourist boat on the lake. Passengers did not back that up

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...063001608.html

JimH wrote:
Cut out of work at noon and scrambled to the boat to hook up with friends of
ours, meeting them at the mouth of the Vermilion River with boat our boats.
We arrived first and once safely past the breakwall idled while waiting for
them. The trip was perhaps 15 minutes tops.

I started to smell something burning and saw puffs of smoke coming out of
the engine compartment. I shut down the engine and grabbed a fire
extinguisher while my wife threw out the anchor, then opened the engine
compartment to see smoke coming off the engine and to hear hissing and
popping. Gave it a shot from the ABC dry chemical fire extinguisher
thinking there may be a fire. Saw the temperature gauge pegged at 250F.

Radioed our friends who towed us back to our marina. The marina mechanic
checked to see if there was any foaming or burnt smell with the engine oil
(none) or oil in the bilge (none). Sigh, maybe a good sign, or at least I
hope so.

We ended up leaving the boat with our mechanic and spent the day on our
friends boat. After 3 or so hours I got a call from the marina, telling me
they checked out the engine (after letting it cool) and judge it to be OK,
although the impeller needs replacing. They said I could safely move the
boat to my slip if I wanted to until repairs are made.

We got back to the marina later today and I took the boat from the gas dock
to our slip, with the temperature rising to 220F during that short trip from
the gas dock to our slip (5 minutes). The boat also ran very rough during
that short trip

So.......besides replacing the impellor any other suggestions on what I
should ask the marina to do? What is causing the rough engine, especially
after having a tune up only 4 engine hours ago? Is there some internal
damage I may have done?

Single 1997 Volvo Penta 4.3L, Chevy 190 HP.

TIA for your answers.

BTW: My vacation started this afternoon (one week of it) and this was the
last thing I expected to have to deal with.

MissSouth wrote:
The National Park Service and the U.S. Coast Guard are considering
banning overweight people from tour boats in the wake of reports that
fatties caused the deadly rollover of a watercraft on New York's Lake
George last fall.

Bix Butterman, a tourist who witnessed the horrifying incident from
shore, said he watched as about a dozen obviously obese adults shuffled
to one side of the boat, causing it to list then roll over in the
placid lake.

"Some of those heavies looked like they weighed 400 pounds," Butterman
said. "And they had these big bags of food they carried aboard. Those
types should not be allowed near any tour boat. Let 'em stick to
all-you-can-eat restaurants!"

=====

"Weight of Passengers, Boat Are Cited in Deadly Sinking"

Associated Press
The Washington Post
Saturday, July 1, 2006; A10

Survivors of a deadly tour-boat trip in the Adirondacks last October
say heavy people flipped the boat over, according to newly released
documents in a case that exposed how America's safety rules have been
eclipsed by its expanding waistlines.

Investigators quickly focused on weight in the Ethan Allen and how it
was distributed, according to documents released yesterday by the
National Transportation Safety Board.

The 40-foot boat was carrying 47 passengers and its captain when it
capsized in calm weather on New York's Lake George on Oct. 2. The
accident killed 20 people.

The passengers were elderly tourists from Michigan and Ohio on a fall
foliage trip.

The boat was certified to carry as many as 50 people, but officials
said that was based on obsolete passenger weight guidelines. The boat,
built in 1964, had also gained weight as it aged, modified with a
heavier canopy, larger engine and more ballast.

For decades, boat operators assumed the average passenger weighed 140
pounds, based on the Coast Guard's standards for a mix of men, women
and children in calm inland waters.

The Coast Guard announced in April that it has settled on a single
standard of 185 pounds per person. The new weight calculation is
voluntary until new rules are created.

The boat's captain, Richard Paris, said the boat overturned because it
was tipped over by a large wake, which he suggested came from a larger
tourist boat on the lake. Passengers did not back that up

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...063001608.html


Thank you Miss South!
Now...back to our regularly scheduled programming... ;-)

You've GOT to change the impeller every 2nd season REGARDLESS of hours, or
you get what you get.

-W

" JimH" jimhUNDERSCOREosudad@yahooDOTcom wrote in message
. ..
Cut out of work at noon and scrambled to the boat to hook up with friends
of
ours, meeting them at the mouth of the Vermilion River with boat our
boats.
We arrived first and once safely past the breakwall idled while waiting
for
them. The trip was perhaps 15 minutes tops.

I started to smell something burning and saw puffs of smoke coming out of
the engine compartment. I shut down the engine and grabbed a fire
extinguisher while my wife threw out the anchor, then opened the engine
compartment to see smoke coming off the engine and to hear hissing and
popping. Gave it a shot from the ABC dry chemical fire extinguisher
thinking there may be a fire. Saw the temperature gauge pegged at 250F.

Radioed our friends who towed us back to our marina. The marina mechanic
checked to see if there was any foaming or burnt smell with the engine oil
(none) or oil in the bilge (none). Sigh, maybe a good sign, or at least I
hope so.

We ended up leaving the boat with our mechanic and spent the day on our
friends boat. After 3 or so hours I got a call from the marina, telling
me
they checked out the engine (after letting it cool) and judge it to be OK,
although the impeller needs replacing. They said I could safely move the
boat to my slip if I wanted to until repairs are made.

We got back to the marina later today and I took the boat from the gas
dock
to our slip, with the temperature rising to 220F during that short trip
from
the gas dock to our slip (5 minutes). The boat also ran very rough during
that short trip

So.......besides replacing the impellor any other suggestions on what I
should ask the marina to do? What is causing the rough engine, especially
after having a tune up only 4 engine hours ago? Is there some internal
damage I may have done?

Single 1997 Volvo Penta 4.3L, Chevy 190 HP.

TIA for your answers.

BTW: My vacation started this afternoon (one week of it) and this was
the
last thing I expected to have to deal with.