Re: [Cal_Boats] Van Ness Engineering and my Gray Marine Engine saga -- Mike and Chris et all.

I replaced the head gasket on this engine myself and the head didn't leak. I hope he is right on the gasket swelling up but I don't know. I did resolve the carb issue. He remembered the color wrong. It was green. I know I have red engine enamel so when he said red, I assumed he was correct however I just reviewed one of the thousands of photographs I have of my boat and it was in fact green so I have to think that is OK even though the shaft seemed like the wrong diameter... I just got off the phone with him and he says they don't seal the transmission inspection plate in case it needs adjustment the first time the boat is run. It would have been nice if he told me that ahead of time. Like, how was I supposed to know that? By noticing the oil leak and phoning him? Seems like an odd way for it to come up. But that is his story. Mike, I fear all the things you are talking about while I hope he is telling me the truth. The sensors are a pain in the butt. The missing 1/8" flare to 1/8" NPT bushing looks like it will be hard to find. Allen On Thu, May 10, 2012 at 7:22 AM, mike farrell <ve… [at] yahoo.com> wrote: > ** > > > Allen, > I have worked on many hundreds of engines in the time that I ran my > German Car shop in Marin from 1970 to 1989. I have worked on > Ford, Chrysler, Hudson and Jeep flatheads in my teenaged years. I have > never seen an engine that has been properly assembled leak coolent from the > head/headgasket/block joint. The possibilities are: head not properly > torqued, head gasket failure/wrong gasket, cracked head, cracked > block. Retorquing a head is normal after heating and cooling cycle but > water leaking out is not normal! It's not good that the estimates were > short for the work and shipping. Also the carb issue is a real red flag as > are the missing sensors. At best a retorque of the head may work. Next > best is a new head gasket. From there possibilities go downhill quickly. > The block or head may need to be resurfaced if this was not properly done > before by Van Ness. This brings up the question if this much is wrong that > you can see now what may be wrong inside that is not visible. > As always, My Best, Mike Farrell > > *From:* Allen Edwards <al… [at] gmail.com> > *To:* Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com > *Sent:* Thursday, May 10, 2012 5:35 AM > *Subject:* [Cal_Boats] Van Ness Engineering and my Gray Marine Engine saga > > > > I am having some problems figuring out if I am getting the truth from the > guy who just rebuilt my engine. It started with him saying it would take 2 > days to ship the engine to him and having it take 2 weeks out and one week > back. Best I can tell, it took him a week to put the order in. A week > with him telling me it would be picked up that day (every day). California > to New Jersey in 2 days seemed like a stretch so I allowed a week, not two. > It didn't help that the bill was over the "worst case" number by about > $800. New crank, new head, new starter, OK that is expensive so fair price > for that stuff. He shipped it back COD and told me it would be $275 but it > was $429. He said the engine weight was 320 pounds but the freight company > said 465 pounds. Got the engine back and the two sensors I asked to make > sure were there didn't make it back. The final "little thing" was that the > carb that I made a special point saying was working so well I wasn't even > sure I wanted him to touch it came was switched. He said it was not > switched and I would find my red paint under his black but I found green, > indicating he didn't even boil it out but just gave me another carb. All > this makes me wonder who I am dealing with. > > But the real question comes with the fact that there is water dripping out > the side of the engine between the head and the block. He claims that is > normal and will go away if I re-torque the head. I never heard of such a > thing and it didn't go away torquing it cold, or hot but I have been told > by someone else that I need to torque it cold after being hot, something I > can't do until Monday when I return from a trip. Should I believe him? Do > I have a non-issue or a serious problem. I don't know. > > The final thing is that he says he ran it for 15 hours but I am wondering > how it is that when I ran it for 15 minutes I had oil dripping out the > cover plate on the trans. Maybe he ran it flat and I have it at the normal > angle in the boat so I am going with the possibility that there is an > innocent explanation. There is about 1/4 quart too much oil in it (he put > the oil in) which someone told me is a sign the engine was run flat > (horizontal). There is oil dripping from the bottom of the engine. I sure > hope it is from this cover plate leak and not a rear main seal. Probable > dripped down and under until it got to the back of the engine where it then > dripped into the bilge. > > Has anyone dealt with Dave? Anyone think it is normal to have water drip > from a newly re built engine with a new head? > > Allen > > > > > >

Allen, Edward is asking: do you have head bolts or studs with nuts? if you have bolts they could be bottoming out thus giving you torque readings but not holding the head down. he suggests that if you have studs, remove the nuts and put thick flat washers under them and try to retorque, sometimes these studs have been stretched and won't tighten down. it gets a new bite on higher up threads. same idea with bolts except could be bottoming out (maybe filings or stuff in the holes) or head or block being milled out of range, so washers under them could work. you could try that just around the area the leak is occurring before replacing the head gasket. if they "decked" the block, studs may have been switched around or even misinstalled, wrong studs or dirt underneath. the term "flathead" comes from the use of many more studs or bolts to hold the head flat-that's why retorqueing and heat cycles are an important part of the install. Helen By the way, this is my fourth marriage, i just couldn't find a guy who could sail AND keep things running. From: Allen Edwards <al… [at] gmail.com> To: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com Sent: Thu, May 10, 2012 7:40:30 AM Subject: Re: [Cal_Boats] Van Ness Engineering and my Gray Marine Engine saga -- Mike and Chris et all. I replaced the head gasket on this engine myself and the head didn't leak. I hope he is right on the gasket swelling up but I don't know. I did resolve the carb issue. He remembered the color wrong. It was green. I know I have red engine enamel so when he said red, I assumed he was correct however I just reviewed one of the thousands of photographs I have of my boat and it was in fact green so I have to think that is OK even though the shaft seemed like the wrong diameter... I just got off the phone with him and he says they don't seal the transmission inspection plate in case it needs adjustment the first time the boat is run. It would have been nice if he told me that ahead of time. Like, how was I supposed to know that? By noticing the oil leak and phoning him? Seems like an odd way for it to come up. But that is his story. Mike, I fear all the things you are talking about while I hope he is telling me the truth. The sensors are a pain in the butt. The missing 1/8" flare to 1/8" NPT bushing looks like it will be hard to find. Allen On Thu, May 10, 2012 at 7:22 AM, mike farrell <ve… [at] yahoo.com> wrote: > >Allen, > I have worked on many hundreds of engines in the time that I ran my >German Car shop in Marin from 1970 to 1989. I have worked on Ford, Chrysler, >Hudson and Jeep flatheads in my teenaged years. I have never seen an engine >that has been properly assembled leak coolent from the head/headgasket/block >joint. The possibilities are: head not properly torqued, head gasket >failure/wrong gasket, cracked head, cracked block. Retorquing a head is normal >after heating and cooling cycle but water leaking out is not normal! It's not >good that the estimates were short for the work and shipping. Also the carb >issue is a real red flag as are the missing sensors. At best a retorque of the >head may work. Next best is a new head gasket. From there possibilities go >downhill quickly. The block or head may need to be resurfaced if this was not >properly done before by Van Ness. This brings up the question if this much is >wrong that you can see now what may be wrong inside that is not visible. > As always, My Best, Mike Farrell > > >From: Allen Edwards <al… [at] gmail.com> >To: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com >Sent: Thursday, May 10, 2012 5:35 AM >Subject: [Cal_Boats] Van Ness Engineering and my Gray Marine Engine saga > > > > > >I am having some problems figuring out if I am getting the truth from the guy >who just rebuilt my engine. It started with him saying it would take 2 days to >ship the engine to him and having it take 2 weeks out and one week back. Best I >can tell, it took him a week to put the order in. A week with him telling me it >would be picked up that day (every day). California to New Jersey in 2 days >seemed like a stretch so I allowed a week, not two. It didn't help that the >bill was over the "worst case" number by about $800. New crank, new head, new >starter, OK that is expensive so fair price for that stuff. He shipped it back >COD and told me it would be $275 but it was $429. He said the engine weight was >320 pounds but the freight company said 465 pounds. Got the engine back and the >two sensors I asked to make sure were there didn't make it back. The final >"little thing" was that the carb that I made a special point saying was working >so well I wasn't even sure I wanted him to touch it came was switched. He said >it was not switched and I would find my red paint under his black but I found >green, indicating he didn't even boil it out but just gave me another carb. All >this makes me wonder who I am dealing with. > > >But the real question comes with the fact that there is water dripping out the >side of the engine between the head and the block. He claims that is normal and >will go away if I re-torque the head. I never heard of such a thing and it >didn't go away torquing it cold, or hot but I have been told by someone else >that I need to torque it cold after being hot, something I can't do until Monday >when I return from a trip. Should I believe him? Do I have a non-issue or a >serious problem. I don't know. > > >The final thing is that he says he ran it for 15 hours but I am wondering how it >is that when I ran it for 15 minutes I had oil dripping out the cover plate on >the trans. Maybe he ran it flat and I have it at the normal angle in the boat >so I am going with the possibility that there is an innocent explanation. There >is about 1/4 quart too much oil in it (he put the oil in) which someone told me >is a sign the engine was run flat (horizontal). There is oil dripping from the >bottom of the engine. I sure hope it is from this cover plate leak and not a >rear main seal. Probable dripped down and under until it got to the back of the >engine where it then dripped into the bilge. > > >Has anyone dealt with Dave? Anyone think it is normal to have water drip from a >newly re built engine with a new head? > > >Allen > > > >

Bolts. Probably new and the head is new. Off for a few days so the boat will have to wait until Monday. Allen On Thu, May 10, 2012 at 9:32 AM, Helen Horn <he… [at] sbcglobal.net> wrote: > ** > > > Allen, Edward is asking: do you have head bolts or studs with nuts? if you > have bolts they could be bottoming out thus giving you torque readings but > not holding the head down. he suggests that if you have studs, remove the > nuts and put thick flat washers under them and try to retorque, sometimes > these studs have been stretched and won't tighten down. it gets a new bite > on higher up threads. same idea with bolts except could be bottoming out > (maybe filings or stuff in the holes) or head or block being milled out of > range, so washers under them could work. you could try that just around the > area the leak is occurring before replacing the head gasket. if they > "decked" the block, studs may have been switched around or even > misinstalled, wrong studs or dirt underneath. the term "flathead" comes > from the use of many more studs or bolts to hold the head flat-that's why > retorqueing and heat cycles are an important part of the install. Helen By > the way, this is my fourth marriage, i just couldn't find a guy who could > sail AND keep things running. > > > ------------------------------ > *From:* Allen Edwards <al… [at] gmail.com> > *To:* Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com > *Sent:* Thu, May 10, 2012 7:40:30 AM > *Subject:* Re: [Cal_Boats] Van Ness Engineering and my Gray Marine Engine > saga -- Mike and Chris et all. > > > > I replaced the head gasket on this engine myself and the head didn't leak. > I hope he is right on the gasket swelling up but I don't know. > > I did resolve the carb issue. He remembered the color wrong. It was > green. I know I have red engine enamel so when he said red, I assumed he > was correct however I just reviewed one of the thousands of photographs I > have of my boat and it was in fact green so I have to think that is OK even > though the shaft seemed like the wrong diameter... > > I just got off the phone with him and he says they don't seal the > transmission inspection plate in case it needs adjustment the first time > the boat is run. It would have been nice if he told me that ahead of time. > Like, how was I supposed to know that? By noticing the oil leak and > phoning him? Seems like an odd way for it to come up. But that is his > story. > > Mike, I fear all the things you are talking about while I hope he is > telling me the truth. > > The sensors are a pain in the butt. The missing 1/8" flare to 1/8" NPT > bushing looks like it will be hard to find. > > Allen > > On Thu, May 10, 2012 at 7:22 AM, mike farrell <ve… [at] yahoo.com>wrote: > >> ** >> >> >> Allen, >> I have worked on many hundreds of engines in the time that I ran >> my German Car shop in Marin from 1970 to 1989. I have worked on >> Ford, Chrysler, Hudson and Jeep flatheads in my teenaged years. I have >> never seen an engine that has been properly assembled leak coolent from the >> head/headgasket/block joint. The possibilities are: head not properly >> torqued, head gasket failure/wrong gasket, cracked head, cracked >> block. Retorquing a head is normal after heating and cooling cycle but >> water leaking out is not normal! It's not good that the estimates were >> short for the work and shipping. Also the carb issue is a real red flag as >> are the missing sensors. At best a retorque of the head may work. Next >> best is a new head gasket. From there possibilities go downhill quickly. >> The block or head may need to be resurfaced if this was not properly done >> before by Van Ness. This brings up the question if this much is wrong that >> you can see now what may be wrong inside that is not visible. >> As always, My Best, Mike Farrell >> >> *From:* Allen Edwards <al… [at] gmail.com> >> *To:* Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com >> *Sent:* Thursday, May 10, 2012 5:35 AM >> *Subject:* [Cal_Boats] Van Ness Engineering and my Gray Marine Engine >> saga >> >> >> >> I am having some problems figuring out if I am getting the truth from the >> guy who just rebuilt my engine. It started with him saying it would take 2 >> days to ship the engine to him and having it take 2 weeks out and one week >> back. Best I can tell, it took him a week to put the order in. A week >> with him telling me it would be picked up that day (every day). California >> to New Jersey in 2 days seemed like a stretch so I allowed a week, not two. >> It didn't help that the bill was over the "worst case" number by about >> $800. New crank, new head, new starter, OK that is expensive so fair price >> for that stuff. He shipped it back COD and told me it would be $275 but it >> was $429. He said the engine weight was 320 pounds but the freight company >> said 465 pounds. Got the engine back and the two sensors I asked to make >> sure were there didn't make it back. The final "little thing" was that the >> carb that I made a special point saying was working so well I wasn't even >> sure I wanted him to touch it came was switched. He said it was not >> switched and I would find my red paint under his black but I found green, >> indicating he didn't even boil it out but just gave me another carb. All >> this makes me wonder who I am dealing with. >> >> But the real question comes with the fact that there is water dripping >> out the side of the engine between the head and the block. He claims that >> is normal and will go away if I re-torque the head. I never heard of such >> a thing and it didn't go away torquing it cold, or hot but I have been told >> by someone else that I need to torque it cold after being hot, something I >> can't do until Monday when I return from a trip. Should I believe him? Do >> I have a non-issue or a serious problem. I don't know. >> >> The final thing is that he says he ran it for 15 hours but I am wondering >> how it is that when I ran it for 15 minutes I had oil dripping out the >> cover plate on the trans. Maybe he ran it flat and I have it at the normal >> angle in the boat so I am going with the possibility that there is an >> innocent explanation. There is about 1/4 quart too much oil in it (he put >> the oil in) which someone told me is a sign the engine was run flat >> (horizontal). There is oil dripping from the bottom of the engine. I sure >> hope it is from this cover plate leak and not a rear main seal. Probable >> dripped down and under until it got to the back of the engine where it then >> dripped into the bilge. >> >> Has anyone dealt with Dave? Anyone think it is normal to have water drip >> from a newly re built engine with a new head? >> >> Allen >> >> >> >> >> > >

Allen - We missed seeing Papoose out there on Tuesday's beer-can race. You may be happy you missed it anyway. There was a wind hole at mark 2 and caused not only a traffic jam of 9+ boats coming around it, but a three boat pileup. Mostly was hulls rubbing a little bit but one of the three trying to get out of it had a pulpit come down across (with contact) across another's pushpit. Was a little bit of commotion going on. Heard rather than saw most of it as my gaze was on the boat next to us & their boom which was looking like it could crown Paul (who I crew for) any minute. I give them credit as one guy was on their deck trying to keep this from happening. The current pushing in the wrong direction as well. The race was called at sunset with everyone stuck there hoping to get enough of a breeze to finish. I don't think anyone did. Will see ya when you come back, looks like it will take a little longer than you hoped. Bring wind with you when you do. Good luck with the engine... Dyer From:Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com [mailto:Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Allen Edwards Sent: Thursday, May 10, 2012 10:06 AM To: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: [Cal_Boats] Van Ness Engineering and my Gray Marine Engine saga -- Mike and Chris et all. Bolts. Probably new and the head is new. Off for a few days so the boat will have to wait until Monday. Allen On Thu, May 10, 2012 at 9:32 AM, Helen Horn <he… [at] sbcglobal.net> wrote: Allen, Edward is asking: do you have head bolts or studs with nuts? if you have bolts they could be bottoming out thus giving you torque readings but not holding the head down. he suggests that if you have studs, remove the nuts and put thick flat washers under them and try to retorque, sometimes these studs have been stretched and won't tighten down. it gets a new bite on higher up threads. same idea with bolts except could be bottoming out (maybe filings or stuff in the holes) or head or block being milled out of range, so washers under them could work. you could try that just around the area the leak is occurring before replacing the head gasket. if they "decked" the block, studs may have been switched around or even misinstalled, wrong studs or dirt underneath. the term "flathead" comes from the use of many more studs or bolts to hold the head flat-that's why retorqueing and heat cycles are an important part of the install. Helen By the way, this is my fourth marriage, i just couldn't find a guy who could sail AND keep things running. From:Allen Edwards <al… [at] gmail.com> To: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com Sent:Thu, May 10, 2012 7:40:30 AM Subject: Re: [Cal_Boats] Van Ness Engineering and my Gray Marine Engine saga -- Mike and Chris et all. I replaced the head gasket on this engine myself and the head didn't leak. I hope he is right on the gasket swelling up but I don't know. I did resolve the carb issue. He remembered the color wrong. It was green. I know I have red engine enamel so when he said red, I assumed he was correct however I just reviewed one of the thousands of photographs I have of my boat and it was in fact green so I have to think that is OK even though the shaft seemed like the wrong diameter... I just got off the phone with him and he says they don't seal the transmission inspection plate in case it needs adjustment the first time the boat is run. It would have been nice if he told me that ahead of time. Like, how was I supposed to know that? By noticing the oil leak and phoning him? Seems like an odd way for it to come up. But that is his story. Mike, I fear all the things you are talking about while I hope he is telling me the truth. The sensors are a pain in the butt. The missing 1/8" flare to 1/8" NPT bushing looks like it will be hard to find. Allen On Thu, May 10, 2012 at 7:22 AM, mike farrell <ve… [at] yahoo.com> wrote: Allen, I have worked on many hundreds of engines in the time that I ran my German Car shop in Marin from 1970 to 1989. I have worked on Ford, Chrysler, Hudson and Jeep flatheads in my teenaged years. I have never seen an engine that has been properly assembled leak coolent from the head/headgasket/block joint. The possibilities are: head not properly torqued, head gasket failure/wrong gasket, cracked head, cracked block. Retorquing a head is normal after heating and cooling cycle but water leaking out is not normal! It's not good that the estimates were short for the work and shipping. Also the carb issue is a real red flag as are the missing sensors. At best a retorque of the head may work. Next best is a new head gasket. From there possibilities go downhill quickly. The block or head may need to be resurfaced if this was not properly done before by Van Ness. This brings up the question if this much is wrong that you can see now what may be wrong inside that is not visible. As always, My Best, Mike Farrell From:Allen Edwards <al… [at] gmail.com> To: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com Sent: Thursday, May 10, 2012 5:35 AM Subject: [Cal_Boats] Van Ness Engineering and my Gray Marine Engine saga I am having some problems figuring out if I am getting the truth from the guy who just rebuilt my engine. It started with him saying it would take 2 days to ship the engine to him and having it take 2 weeks out and one week back. Best I can tell, it took him a week to put the order in. A week with him telling me it would be picked up that day (every day). California to New Jersey in 2 days seemed like a stretch so I allowed a week, not two. It didn't help that the bill was over the "worst case" number by about $800. New crank, new head, new starter, OK that is expensive so fair price for that stuff. He shipped it back COD and told me it would be $275 but it was $429. He said the engine weight was 320 pounds but the freight company said 465 pounds. Got the engine back and the two sensors I asked to make sure were there didn't make it back. The final "little thing" was that the carb that I made a special point saying was working so well I wasn't even sure I wanted him to touch it came was switched. He said it was not switched and I would find my red paint under his black but I found green, indicating he didn't even boil it out but just gave me another carb. All this makes me wonder who I am dealing with. But the real question comes with the fact that there is water dripping out the side of the engine between the head and the block. He claims that is normal and will go away if I re-torque the head. I never heard of such a thing and it didn't go away torquing it cold, or hot but I have been told by someone else that I need to torque it cold after being hot, something I can't do until Monday when I return from a trip. Should I believe him? Do I have a non-issue or a serious problem. I don't know. The final thing is that he says he ran it for 15 hours but I am wondering how it is that when I ran it for 15 minutes I had oil dripping out the cover plate on the trans. Maybe he ran it flat and I have it at the normal angle in the boat so I am going with the possibility that there is an innocent explanation. There is about 1/4 quart too much oil in it (he put the oil in) which someone told me is a sign the engine was run flat (horizontal). There is oil dripping from the bottom of the engine. I sure hope it is from this cover plate leak and not a rear main seal. Probable dripped down and under until it got to the back of the engine where it then dripped into the bilge. Has anyone dealt with Dave? Anyone think it is normal to have water drip from a newly re built engine with a new head? Allen

That sounds like it was not my kind of race even if someone did finish. I would not have been one of them anyway. Thanks for the report. I hope to be on the line Tuesday. Allen On Thu, May 10, 2012 at 12:20 PM, Dylan Crouch <dy… [at] yahoo.com>wrote: > ** > > > Allen - > > We missed seeing Papoose out there on Tuesday's beer-can race. You may be > happy you missed it anyway. There was a wind hole at mark 2 and caused not > only a traffic jam of 9+ boats coming around it, but a three boat pileup. > Mostly was hulls rubbing a little bit but one of the three trying to get > out of it had a pulpit come down across (with contact) across another's > pushpit. Was a little bit of commotion going on. > > Heard rather than saw most of it as my gaze was on the boat next to us & > their boom which was looking like it could crown Paul (who I crew for) any > minute. I give them credit as one guy was on their deck trying to keep this > from happening. > > The current pushing in the wrong direction as well. The race was called at > sunset with everyone stuck there hoping to get enough of a breeze to > finish. I don't think anyone did. > > Will see ya when you come back, looks like it will take a little longer > than you hoped. Bring wind with you when you do. > > Good luck with the engine... > > Dyer > > > > *From:* Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com [mailto:Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com] *On > Behalf Of *Allen Edwards > *Sent:* Thursday, May 10, 2012 10:06 AM > *To:* Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com > > *Subject:* Re: [Cal_Boats] Van Ness Engineering and my Gray Marine Engine > saga -- Mike and Chris et all. > > > Bolts. Probably new and the head is new. Off for a few days so the > boat will have to wait until Monday. > > Allen > On Thu, May 10, 2012 at 9:32 AM, Helen Horn <he… [at] sbcglobal.net> > wrote: > > Allen, Edward is asking: do you have head bolts or studs with nuts? if > you have bolts they could be bottoming out thus giving you torque readings > but not holding the head down. he suggests that if you have studs, remove > the nuts and put thick flat washers under them and try to retorque, > sometimes these studs have been stretched and won't tighten down. it gets a > new bite on higher up threads. same idea with bolts except could be > bottoming out (maybe filings or stuff in the holes) or head or block being > milled out of range, so washers under them could work. you could try that > just around the area the leak is occurring before replacing the head > gasket. if they "decked" the block, studs may have been switched around or > even misinstalled, wrong studs or dirt underneath. the term "flathead" > comes from the use of many more studs or bolts to hold the head flat-that's > why retorqueing and heat cycles are an important part of the install. > Helen By the way, this is my fourth marriage, i just couldn't find a guy > who could sail AND keep things running. > > > ------------------------------ > *From:* Allen Edwards <al… [at] gmail.com> > *To:* Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com > *Sent:* Thu, May 10, 2012 7:40:30 AM > *Subject:* Re: [Cal_Boats] Van Ness Engineering and my Gray Marine Engine > saga -- Mike and Chris et all. > > > I replaced the head gasket on this engine myself and the head didn't > leak. I hope he is right on the gasket swelling up but I don't know. > > I did resolve the carb issue. He remembered the color wrong. It was > green. I know I have red engine enamel so when he said red, I assumed he > was correct however I just reviewed one of the thousands of photographs I > have of my boat and it was in fact green so I have to think that is OK even > though the shaft seemed like the wrong diameter... > > I just got off the phone with him and he says they don't seal the > transmission inspection plate in case it needs adjustment the first time > the boat is run. It would have been nice if he told me that ahead of time. > Like, how was I supposed to know that? By noticing the oil leak and > phoning him? Seems like an odd way for it to come up. But that is his > story. > > Mike, I fear all the things you are talking about while I hope he is > telling me the truth. > > The sensors are a pain in the butt. The missing 1/8" flare to 1/8" NPT > bushing looks like it will be hard to find. > > Allen > On Thu, May 10, 2012 at 7:22 AM, mike farrell <ve… [at] yahoo.com> > wrote: > > Allen, > I have worked on many hundreds of engines in the time that I ran > my German Car shop in Marin from 1970 to 1989. I have worked on > Ford, Chrysler, Hudson and Jeep flatheads in my teenaged years. I have > never seen an engine that has been properly assembled leak coolent from the > head/headgasket/block joint. The possibilities are: head not properly > torqued, head gasket failure/wrong gasket, cracked head, cracked > block. Retorquing a head is normal after heating and cooling cycle but > water leaking out is not normal! It's not good that the estimates were > short for the work and shipping. Also the carb issue is a real red flag as > are the missing sensors. At best a retorque of the head may work. Next > best is a new head gasket. From there possibilities go downhill quickly. > The block or head may need to be resurfaced if this was not properly done > before by Van Ness. This brings up the question if this much is wrong that > you can see now what may be wrong inside that is not visible. > As always, My Best, Mike Farrell > > *From:* Allen Edwards <al… [at] gmail.com> > *To:* Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com > *Sent:* Thursday, May 10, 2012 5:35 AM > *Subject:* [Cal_Boats] Van Ness Engineering and my Gray Marine Engine saga > > > > I am having some problems figuring out if I am getting the truth from the > guy who just rebuilt my engine. It started with him saying it would take 2 > days to ship the engine to him and having it take 2 weeks out and one week > back. Best I can tell, it took him a week to put the order in. A week > with him telling me it would be picked up that day (every day). California > to New Jersey in 2 days seemed like a stretch so I allowed a week, not two. > It didn't help that the bill was over the "worst case" number by about > $800. New crank, new head, new starter, OK that is expensive so fair price > for that stuff. He shipped it back COD and told me it would be $275 but it > was $429. He said the engine weight was 320 pounds but the freight company > said 465 pounds. Got the engine back and the two sensors I asked to make > sure were there didn't make it back. The final "little thing" was that the > carb that I made a special point saying was working so well I wasn't even > sure I wanted him to touch it came was switched. He said it was not > switched and I would find my red paint under his black but I found green, > indicating he didn't even boil it out but just gave me another carb. All > this makes me wonder who I am dealing with. > > But the real question comes with the fact that there is water dripping > out the side of the engine between the head and the block. He claims that > is normal and will go away if I re-torque the head. I never heard of such > a thing and it didn't go away torquing it cold, or hot but I have been told > by someone else that I need to torque it cold after being hot, something I > can't do until Monday when I return from a trip. Should I believe him? Do > I have a non-issue or a serious problem. I don't know. > > The final thing is that he says he ran it for 15 hours but I am > wondering how it is that when I ran it for 15 minutes I had oil dripping > out the cover plate on the trans. Maybe he ran it flat and I have it at > the normal angle in the boat so I am going with the possibility that there > is an innocent explanation. There is about 1/4 quart too much oil in it > (he put the oil in) which someone told me is a sign the engine was run flat > (horizontal). There is oil dripping from the bottom of the engine. I sure > hope it is from this cover plate leak and not a rear main seal. Probable > dripped down and under until it got to the back of the engine where it then > dripped into the bilge. > > Has anyone dealt with Dave? Anyone think it is normal to have water > drip from a newly re built engine with a new head? > > Allen > > > > > > > >