Crusader 350XL 5.7 270HP LOCKED 94 Carver 300

[ariannamarie1026]

Source of the post Wonder if the manifolds are RWC or FWC? If RWC were they replaced during the rebuild or are they original? Did the risers if applicable, and the elbows get replaced/inspected? A failure in any of these can lead to water intrusion. Raw water cooled (RWC) exhaust components don't last long in a salt water application unless they get flushed with fresh water after every run.

@Viper. Thank you for your post. These are raw water-cooled. On the receipts the previous owner provided on the 2019 rebuild 1 new exhaust manifold and riser kit, 1 new raw water pump assembly, 1 raw water belt, 1 raw water pump rebuild, but it doesn't say which engine got what. In 2023 we replaced the raw water pump and fill riser housing on the starboard engine. Now that I am looking back, do the raw water and fresh water fill risers look the same? My husband had me get the part, what if I got a fwc one instead of a rwc?

[ariannamarie1026]

Source of the post I'm not clear. We're all 8 plugs removed before attempting to turn over the engine?
Borescope each cylinder. Then put a couple ounces of dexron in each hole and let it sit for a week.
Really should remove the damper and use a crank hub tool with a 4 foot breaker bar. Use the crank hub tool and work the crank back and forth forcefully. Don't do this with the bolt, you'll just loosen it one way and probably break it the other way.
Once you get it free, rotate many many times to get as much oil out of the cylinders as possible. Then pull the distributors and use an oil pump drive to to drive the oil pump with a drill to circulate oil extensively. Then change the oil.
I've freed quite a few engines this way, including the two in my 3697 that sat outside unused for ten years.

@ waybomb Thank you for your input. The first 2 mechanics didn't remove any spark plugs, they just tried turning the crankshaft with the bolt with a breaker bar. The 3rd mechanic took out 5 spark plugs, he could not get out the other 3 not sure if they were just hard to access...he was kind of a big guy and couldn't manuaver well in the small space or if he couldn't get them out for other reasons but he did not get them all off, only 5 of the 8 and put penetrating oil in the 5, not sure what maybe PB Blaster and let it sit. Then he came back in a week when we were not there. His write up states: removed spark plugs, added penetrating oil, removed pulleys from harmonic balancer and tried to turn engine crankshaft with breaker bar. I know when we were there he was trying to turn the 1 bolt. Too bad you're not in FL. I wish we could find someone who knows what they're doing!

[waybomb]

Turning with just the crank bolt won't work. Need to rock it back and forth.
But before that, did anybody inspect the cylinders with a borescope? You'll want to look for signs of a bent valve or other damage. If there is damage, there is no point to freeing up the rotating assembly. If there is damage, engine will have to come out.

[ariannamarie1026]

Source of the post borescope

The last mechanic was the only one that even attempted to remove the spark plugs and he did not have a borescope to look at the cylinders, he just removed them and said there was no signs of water and put pentrating oil in. He defintely only tried the crank bolt, I know this because he kept saying he didn't want to apply too much pressure and break it. Unfortunately we did not know any better as these guys we hired were the "expert" marine mechanics. I have run out of inboard mechanics to try in the area to even try and have someone go back to the boat and try any of the things you mention. I would have to contact one of the three I already had out and tell them what to do, which is scary if they didn't know any of this!

[waybomb]

Try a car engine guy. If he has a crank hub tool for a big block, he probably know what to do.

[waybomb]

How far away from Loxahatchee is the boat?

[ariannamarie1026]

Source of the post Loxahatchee

@ waybomb, appreciate your input!The boat is in New Smyrna Beach, FL, google says Loxahatchee is 180 miles down 95N.

[waybomb]

Ouch. I was going to talk to my kid to help you out, but that's way too far.

[ariannamarie1026]

Source of the post Ouch. I was going to talk to my kid to help you out, but that's way too far.

Thanks for the thought!