Lake Test #1:

I popped the engine out of the stand and dropped it in the boat. Then, designed a new cooling system, fuel system and new electrical system. I figured two, maybe three days max to engineer, build and install everything? WRONG! Took me a week!

As you might have read elsewhere, the engine was built out of castoffs and donations. The surprising thing was, just how well the engine did out on the lake. My first question to OldSquirt, who donated the short block; "What in the world did you have in there for a cam?" It certainly has a bit more bite than the last motor. Real rumpy at idle. This thing goes like a scalded cat when you open it up. Well, at least it sounds like its scalded. The old engine idled like a station wagon. Putter putter putter putter putter putter putter putter This one is Rump da da Rump da da Rump da da. Funny thing was, no one seems to remember what was in there for a cam. The suggestion was that I just tuned it badly. No faith!

Well, the Rump da da Rump could be just poor tuning on my part. But the wake boarders don't know that! :-) When I launched my test machine I was gettin teased about my hat. Shredded straw hat missing the crown. I was getting teased about the boat. They were asking me if I needed to wear seat belts to ride in it. "Sheesh! Look at the size of the motor in this thing! How fast -does- this thing go?" "Err, ahh. well maybe 60 on a good day." It was all in fun, but I tell 'ya. These silicon valley boys just don't have any culture. Big engine.. Oh pleeeze! Its only an Olds!

Spit, ready to go in all her non-glory.

 

The first thing I noticed when I fired it up was that I had no oil pressure showing at all. This was disturbing. But, knowing I'd checked out the entire engine on the engine stand, I figured it was just my shotty wiring. Sure enough, I see the temp gauge swinging all over the place. "Hmmph! must have screwed that up. Checking the engine, I could see that my water-blue wire was switched with my oil-brown. Shut down, fix the boo boo. Also, I'd noticed that the tach. wasn't working. So I disconnected it. (The valve needs the tach signal. I didn't want it messing anything up.) Hmmm. If I -did- get the wrong wire.. How was I able to start the silly thing? Donno.

By the time I was out of the no-wake zone into the no speed over 35 zone. (Which is the best you can get on this lake) I'd noticed that there was oil all over the transom. "Yuch! What now?" As far as I could tell, it was slopping out between the intake manifold and the block. I just used the rubber gaskets that came with the gasket set and, well.. They don't seem to do much.

Tied up after the run.

You can't see all the new plumbing and wiring here. But that's good. Your not supposed to see wiring are you? The old version had wires hanging all over. Most wires had at least 2 butt splices and one "twist and cover with electrical tape" splice. What a MESS!

The valve didn't work. Well, it might have worked, but my snazzy new cooling system reads about 0 PSI at the block. Its a little -too- free flowing. I was scared of getting water in the oil. Well that didn't happen. Next experiment is to try teeing the exhaust water valve off -before- the restrictor valve. If that doesn't work, I'll add an outlet valve to the system. Well see..

But.. It looks like I'm going to have to do something about the oil before I can do much with the boat. I dread with chills the thought of pulling that bloody Torquer manifold off. And then having to reset it. I'm thinking of taking all but the front two horrid bolts out and just kinda' prying the back up. Then I can clean between the two surfaces, squirt a bead of silicon, let it set up and clamp it back down.

I was told by OldSquirt not to go crazy with this engine. Its not in all that great shape. When I returned, this is what I posted to the Banderlog board as a test report...

As for flat footing it and how bad that crank was.. You know, the jim lee that's on land realizes these things. I notice that, as soon as I get on the lake, all these warnings seen to dissolve. "Man, this thing is running smooth. Hey, its already broken in isn't it?" WHAM! The gas hits the floor! "Better see what this baby does before the cops catch me!" And I'm off! "Woowee! Look at that rooster, go go go!! I need a blower.. Maybe some NO2?"

I was running in about 8" to 12" chop. At one point I gassed it with the nozzle a bit too far up. The boat came out of the water and took off with only its tail in the water. I'm hanging on thinking.. "I don't remember it being able to do this before." Then, for a few seconds, I pretended that I was in a race boat.

That -was- childish, wasn't it?

But it was fun! ;-)

Afterwards, at home, I find myself thinking. "Man that motor runs nice. I should put the Tunnel ram on it and see what that does. Maybe my "C" heads? Or a set of those aluminum ones.." ->blink<- "WHAT ARE YOU THINKING?!?" Its like a curse. I have to keep telling myself. "Just get your testing done. Don't go blow up the test fixture, dummy!"

End of test #1 Valve needs new plumbing. Engine oil leak needs to be fixed.

Lake test #2

OldSquirt told me how I should fix the oil leak. One of the steps included waiting 24 ours for the RTV I was going to use to set up. This is what happened when I relaunched the machine..

And what happened after that?

Here is a reprint of the report I posted to the Banderlog board. A sad tale..

So, I fixed the intake manifold. OldSquirt told me to wait 24 hours before running the machine. This was to let the silicon dry. Arrgh! That was tough! I waited. Fixed all the little stuff while I waited. Trailer tags, rear seat reinstalled. Re-plumbed the cooling system. Changed it to take the water for the pipes direct from the pump before the reducer valve. Added a WOT switch for the optional racing shutoff. Pulled the machine out of the garage and left it hooked to the truck for the night.

Up early the next day. Its like Christmas morning, I'm goin' boatin'! Julie wanted to give the kiddies a ride, so I planned on meeting them at the beach. Towed the boat to the ramp and plunked it into the water. Fingers crossed, key.. Voom! Rump da da Rump da da. I Love this new motor!

On the way to the beach to pick up Julie and the kids, I test the water injection valve. It works perfect! When Idling, there is no water. 1,500 RPM, water comes on. I have a little ball valve (Cute little guy) under the rear seat cushion that I can use to adjust the amount of water I'd like. Get every thing set. Try the WOT feature, floor it and the water, is gone! Let off the gas and zoop, its back. Wonderful! I'm totally stoked!

Water On..

 

Water Off..

 

At the beach, pick up the kiddies. Only two this time, our youngest, Shelby and her Buddy Lucas. Both are about 3 years old. We go blast around the lake for awhile. Do the rooster thing and all. OldSquirt, whoever balanced this motor knew what he was doing. It ran like glass! Even Julie noticed that it ran smoother than the old motor. A much better engine by far this one.

Julie n' the kiddies waitn' on the beach.

 

Home for awhile, do this n' that. Time for some real fun. We pick up the rest of the kiddies (Pull Alex out of school early) grab swim suits n' towels and head back out. This time we have a full load of the little buggers. The boat runs great! I'm one happy camper. I'd found this new beach that was uncovered by the low water level. All the way at the end of the lake. I been dyin' to take the kids there. At the beach we get out of the boat only to discover the entire beach is the consistency of quicksand! The neighbor kid we brought on this run went in almost to his waist. Dan got stuck and Julie had to pull him out. Arrgh! No wonder there's no one on this beach. The poor people all got sucked under. Jet to the usual swimming hole. But now the wind has kicked up and no one wants to swim. Oh well, head back to where I drop off the wife n' kiddies.

You know how when you first fire off a new engine. It has soo much power! And runs, soo well. Then, as you get used to it, it just seems like it looses some. And maybe, just doesn't run so great. Its all in your head you know, don't let it get you down. I'm heading back to the launch ramp area, wishing that I could recapture that new engine feeling. But it seems to be gone. I wish I had a working Tach. Maybe I am loosing power? Could be loose wires? Fouling plug? Can't put my finger on it. Could be my imagination too. There is this goofy looking party kinda' boat. Flat out. Probably doin' high 30s, low 40s. I'll show him!

Rooster up and power on, its kinda' bumpy now with the nose up and the wind n' chop. Bouncing all over, better hang on here.. "I'll, Hey, what's wrong? I'm not flyin' by this guy." Mash throttle to the floor. I hear in my head, OldSquirt's voice saying something. I can't hear very well.. "No time, don't listen to him. Lets go!" I'm so used to hitting the loud petal and getting instant acceleration. This time I get misfiring and -less- acceleration.. Let off the gas, motor smooths out. "Seen this before, sometimes it has trouble on acceleration.. Bet its just fuel delivery or somthin'... Am I running out of gas?" Floor it again.. GRUUNCH! "Oh lord! The engine seized!" This ain't no fuel delivery problem..

Now what? I'm about a mile downwind of the launch ramp and the wind is blowing pretty well by now. I'm close to where I live. I figure I'll paddle over to the shore near my place and sit for a minute or so. I'll cool off and formulate a plan. Brake out the paddle and start paddling toward "The old launch ramp". The old launch ramp is a deserted launch ramp that the county has shut down and locked off. I finally get the boat paddled to the ramp only to realize that the waves are bashing the hull into the old concrete of the ramp. Not like its a very nice hull, but this isn't doing it any good. I move the boat over to the sand next to the ramp and zoop! I sink in. More of the quicksand stuff! "Bother! This is getting worse and worse!

What to do? Walk up the hill and get Julie's boat to tow this one back? Uggh, sounds like a horrid plan. I Don't want to leave Spit here unattended either. I know, I'll tie a rope to the boat and walk along shore to the where the truck & trailer are. Should be easier than paddling upwind for a mile or so. So I start out. The boat won't budge. The stern has been pushed by the wind and waves against the shore. When I saw that happening I figured, "Its soft, no big deal." Well, the jet pump sank into the quicksand! The boat was pinned on the shore by the pump!. And as the waves and wind work it, it is getting more and more stuck into shore. Arrgh!

I go over to the side of the boat and start pushing. It won't budge. Push! Nope. Grab a pipe and PUUSHHH.. Zwoop! The boat moves, but now I'm stuck! As I start to sink down I grab the gunnel of the boat to hold me up. The boat now wants to drift away, I have to hold onto it to A) keep the boat from drifting off and B) Its the only thing keeping me from sinking further into the quicksand.

By now I'm up over my knees in this sucking soup! The wind is blowing, just the wrong way. The boat is trying to drift off. My shiny new engine is scrap metal. I'm hanging on for dear life thinking, "This can't get worse" and then suddenly I realize. I'm going to loose my shoes!

You tired of reading this yet?

First order of business, get out of the muck. I manage to wallow? my way to the old concrete launch ramp dragging the boat with me. I know that this will at least have some sort of solid substance to push against. Oh yes, the ramp is upwind, downwind is nothing but more sucking muck. Carefully, hanging on to my shoes with my toes, I'm just barley able to extract the now precious items out if the goo. Thank the maker! Push the boat out to sea and jump in, paddle like mad away from shore. There is no way I can walk along a shore the wants to suck me under.

I start paddling upwind..

It felt like I paddled for days. What else did I have to do? Paddled and paddled and paddled and paddled... About the time I was beginning to hallucinate Big block Chevies, a wake board boat pulled up. "You want a tow?" "Lord yes! Thank you!" I'd made it maybe about 20 yards upwind.

 

Goin' home..

 

Well, at least I was able to finish up the testing. The Header valve works great. And the motor -did- wait until the kiddies were off loaded to seize up. So I didn't have to deal with that on top of everything else. But of course I had to face Julie when I got home. She asked if we could donate Spit-N-Bailngwire to charity for the tax writeoff. Arrgh!

You know, I had it coming to me. I thought I could just bolt together whatever and build a motor. I know, everyone said.. "You have to do this. You have to do that. You have to be careful." "Who needs it huh? Is Detroit careful when they build motors? Naw!"

Kids these days, they never listen!

After pulling things apart it turns out that the engine wasn't what broke. The jetpump is what seized up.

Oh well...