Lets Talk Soot

[buck35]

It did this before the rebuild. Nothing has changed.shouU

It did this before the rebuild. Nothing has changed.

Wouldn't this have been a good place to start?

 

[adam909]

i feel bad for ya man.. Seems like the boating gods have been against you lately.. Hopefully its a simple fix and no more motor issues..

 

[wet hull]

Already got a couple texts recommending him.

He tuned my motor, he is a master. Incredible the things he can do with his laptop. No matter how hard I run, zero soot on transom.

 

[OLDRAAT]

Typical byproduct of 91 due to the chemicals used to increase it's octane beyond the base stock. Does the same with my carbed '88 BBC 454. I usually run 89 since one marina here still sells it. It will run good on 87 with light loads, but I will add a quart of VP octane booster at each top off just to be safe.

 

[CLdrinker]

It did this before the rebuild. Nothing has changed.

Oh that changes allot of things.

 

[Bigbore500r]

It did this before the rebuild. Nothing has changed.

Bruh . . .

 

[Jay Dub]

It did this before the rebuild. Nothing has changed.

Yikes

 

[NOTSOFAST]

Look at post #76 item 5. Don’t rule out hydraulic leaks from your steering, your drive or your trim tabs. I had the same problem with a leaky drive ram fitting. Huge mess.

 

[NOTSOFAST]

Check that, item 5 under ”mechanical things”

 

[OldSchoolBoats]

Look at post #76 item 5. Don’t rule out hydraulic leaks from your steering, your drive or your trim tabs. I had the same problem with a leaky drive ram fitting. Huge mess.

Damn that's quite a possibility. My trim tab oil was down and I filled up this trip. Haven't checked anything with steering but was getting a whine when the wheel turned too far, sounded like a belt to me.

 

[NOTSOFAST]

I hope it’s that simple for you. Seems to me that if your not smelling fuel at idle and the boat runs good from plane to WOT it doesn’t seem like a rich condition.

 

[Runs2rch]

Damn that's quite a possibility. My trim tab oil was down and I filled up this trip. Haven't checked anything with steering but was getting a whine when the wheel turned too far, sounded like a belt to me.

You used ATF and they were all the way up right?

 

[69hondo]

I am going to say that is more than soot. Hopefully the hydraulic oil mixing with the expelled gases under the swim step. Weird shit seems to happen under the built in swim step and we get nasty shit sticking LOL
I have a rich tune and after 4 days on the water there is a little soot.

 

[Livewire Fabworks]

Since the boat is ceramic coated and I know you just had it done, soot from to much fuel should wipe right off with no chemicals. If you have to use a spray there is probably some kind of oil substance there.

 

[She's Mine]

@OldSchoolBoats I had the same engine builder do my motor. 4 hours of run time 40% leak down. Pulled the motor to re-ring it and found out that he installed the wrong rings. I hate to say this but I would take it to D1 or Barrett and have a leak down done. Since you don't have breathers that could be oil blowing past the rings and out the exhaust. I really hope it isn't.

I know you said Todd recommended 91 octane did he say why? He didn't touch the ECM or did he raise the compression ratio?

 

[gqchris]

@OldSchoolBoats I had the same engine builder do my motor. 4 hours of run time 40% leak down. Pulled the motor to re-ring it and found out that he installed the wrong rings. I hate to say this but I would take it to D1 or Barrett and have a leak down done. Since you don't have breathers that could be oil blowing past the rings and out the exhaust. I really hope it isn't.

I know you said Todd recommended 91 octane did he say why? He didn't touch the ECM or did he raise the compression ratio?

First time I have heard a bad thing about Todd. Used the wrong rings? Thats nuts. Did he make it right?

 

[zhandfull]

This is kinda left field. I had a buddy with a 500 EFI that was having that problem. They completely rebuild the top end, reflashed the computer, basically everything. Still had the problem when they fired it up. This went on for 2 years. It sucked cleaning that crap off after pulling it out. One day we were sitting in his garage looking at it. He looks up the exhaust with a flashlight and you could see where the oil was coming into the exhaust where the water entered. turns out there was a hair line crack in his oil cooler. replaced the oil cooler, no more problems.

My first boat was 73 Hondo Jet with a 454 Chevy that burnt about a quart of oil every weekend. Ran great but had the same dirty transom after each use. On a new EFI engine. Thinking an oil issue might make more sense than a fuel/tune issue.

 

[Kachina26]

It did this before the rebuild. Nothing has changed.

Ok, this begs the question, why is this condition the builders fault? Was there a promise to fix it with the rebuild?

 

[OldSchoolBoats]

Ok, this begs the question, why is this condition the builders fault? Was there a promise to fix it with the rebuild?

No and I never blamed the builder at all.

 

[Kachina26]

No and I never blamed the builder at all.

I may have conflated some of the inmate replies with yours. Sorry for the confusion, carry on and good luck.

 

[OldSchoolBoats]

I may have conflated some of the inmate replies with yours. Sorry for the confusion, carry on and good luck.

I have definitely looped him in and he wants to do his due diligence to make sure everything is good to go.

 

[She's Mine]

First time I have heard a bad thing about Todd. Used the wrong rings? Thats nuts. Did he make it right?

The first engine he built was great and I was very happy.

This last engine not so much. I showed him the numbers, he did his tests (compression and checked the plugs) said it was the tune. He gave me AF numbers for a base, talked to my tuner/ mechanic Dane (D1 Performance) and the tune was spot on to what Todd suggested. Went back to Todd and he pointed the finger another direction and all the while my transom never looked like @OldSchoolBoats transom. I never had oil spew out the breathers like this so I knew something was wrong. I didn't want to keep going back and forth and drag this on, so I just bit the bullet and pulled the motor, tore it down, took the block, pistons, crank, cam to GT and they checked it all out, honed and assembled the short block for me in a matter of weeks. I can understand having things checked out prior to an engine builder taking responsibilities but instead of pointing fingers work with the customer some.

And to be transparent, the first engine Todd built I had a part break and he took care of it. Todd even discounted this build a little for my troubles but I wasn't trying to get anything for free or not pay for any work that was done. I just wanted what I paid for and didn't get it.

 

[TX Laramie]

She's Mine made a great statement that most of us mental patients roll by: we only want what we paid for!

In some situations, business owners have to take a loss on some projects. Some projects you hit the ball out of park, others you breakeven, and some give you the big D in the ass!

Now, if something fails in an engine build that wasn't a result of builder assembly there should be good efforts on both sides to reach the finish line!

 

[OldSchoolBoats]

***Update***


Motor is perfectly fine. Issue is power steering fluid. It was wayyy low and full of water. He is thinking the steering cooler has an internal leak and is pushing the oil into the cooling water and out through the exhaust, hence the mess on the back of the boat.

 

[Livewire Fabworks]

***Update***


Motor is perfectly fine. Issue is power steering fluid. It was wayyy low and full of water. He is thinking the steering cooler has an internal leak and is pushing the oil into the cooling water and out through the exhaust, hence the mess on the back of the boat.

That sure beats the offer possible issue it could have been.

 

[28Eliminator]

***Update***


Motor is perfectly fine. Issue is power steering fluid. It was wayyy low and full of water. He is thinking the steering cooler has an internal leak and is pushing the oil into the cooling water and out through the exhaust, hence the mess on the back of the boat.

Hopefully that’s all it is. When my oil cooler broke, it was shooting oil out the exhaust, but nothing was ever on the transom… the water behind the boat looked like the Exxon Valdez just drove by, but that was it.

Fingers crossed

 

[throttle]

Damn that looks nasty Joe. Fingers crossed that its corrected. Its time to start enjoying that boat!

 

[OldSchoolBoats]

Hopefully that’s all it is. When my oil cooler broke, it was shooting oil out the exhaust, but nothing was ever on the transom… the water behind the boat looked like the Exxon Valdez just drove by, but that was it.

Fingers crossed

Are you running straight pipes above water line?

 

[DarkHorseRacing]

Why do you need a power steering cooler? Is that common with hydraulic steering in a boat? Is it a sub-core of the oil cooler?

 

[28Eliminator]

Are you running straight pipes above water line?

Yes

 

[Cooter01]

Good news on the engine being in good health!

 

[HNL2LHC]

Great to hear the good news Joe

 

[28Eliminator]

Why do you need a power steering cooler? Is that common with hydraulic steering in a boat? Is it a sub-core of the oil cooler?

Down on the side of the engine… the smaller section at the rear of the cooler is for PS. The longer front section is for engine oil cooling. Most all of them have PS coolers.

 

[DarkHorseRacing]

Down on the side of the engine… the smaller section at the rear of the cooler is for PS. The longer front section is for engine oil cooling. Most all of them have PS coolers.
View attachment 1363255

I'll have to look for that this weekend, I never noticed that before. Thanks!

 

[OldSchoolBoats]

Steering cooler failed the air pressure test and is the culprit.

$1100 for this part......

This is a Pic of the power steering fluid.

 

[BingerFang]

Steering cooler failed the air pressure test and is the culprit.

$1100 for this part...... View attachment 1363256

This is a Pic of the power steering fluid.


View attachment 1363257

B.O.A.T. !!!!!

Glad the motor isn’t the problem!

 

[Hardly Satisfied]

Steering cooler failed the air pressure test and is the culprit.

$1100 for this part...... View attachment 1363256

This is a Pic of the power steering fluid.


View attachment 1363257

Thats why it’s costing so much it Looks like it’s gold plated

 

[OldSchoolBoats]

B.O.A.T. !!!!!

Glad the motor isn’t the problem!

No shit! It's running strong

 

[4Waters]

Steering cooler failed the air pressure test and is the culprit.

$1100 for this part...... View attachment 1363256

This is a Pic of the power steering fluid.


View attachment 1363257

Almost 100 bucks an inch

 

[Havasu Catman]

That makes sense since the problem was mostly off plane where you do most of your steering. Look at the pictures and there is not much soot on the lower part of the transom.

 

[FROGMAN524]

***Update***


Motor is perfectly fine. Issue is power steering fluid. It was wayyy low and full of water. He is thinking the steering cooler has an internal leak and is pushing the oil into the cooling water and out through the exhaust, hence the mess on the back of the boat.

I would be so relieved it’s not the motor. Good news considering the other possibilities.

 

[Bigbore500r]

***Update***


Motor is perfectly fine. Issue is power steering fluid. It was wayyy low and full of water. He is thinking the steering cooler has an internal leak and is pushing the oil into the cooling water and out through the exhaust, hence the mess on the back of the boat.

Steering cooler failed the air pressure test and is the culprit.

$1100 for this part...... View attachment 1363256

This is a Pic of the power steering fluid.


View attachment 1363257

The Original Mercury part is discontinued. The part number Mercury gives you is for a quicksilver option now.

There a bunch of aftermarket ones available, since its just a PS cooler i'd go this route all day, every day -

$250.00

899745T02 MERCRUISER POWER STEERING COOLER | LE: 899745T02

899745T02 MERCRUISER POWER STEERING COOLER | LE: 899745T02 Made with pride by Lenco in Long Island, NY. We use only the finest American made materials. Please call us at (631) 842-4049 with any questions. 899745 T 02

lencoheatexchangers.com

$313.00

899745T02 Mercruiser Power Steering Cooler

899745T02 Mercruiser Power Steering Cooler

www.mrcool.us

There's also a new in Box Merc / Quicksilver cooler on Ebay right now - $700

MERCURY RACING COOLER KIT P/S 899745T02 | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for MERCURY RACING COOLER KIT P/S 899745T02 at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

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