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I need some help and guidance. My 350 has blown the engine! Very sad this early in the season. I am told that water has gotten in, not sure how, but the inside of the engine is rusted and shot.
So, where do I go from here? My boat is in Rock Hall, but I would love to start the search for a used/rebuilt engine as soon as possible and need the help of this wonderful group.
In any case, the old engine has to come out. I would then have a dealer/tech with good reputation on that engine series pull the head off before concluding that you need to replace it vs just rebuilding the old one. You would likely have around an hour of labor invested in making sure you are making the correct decision.
The next decision is long block vs complete new motor-- price both.
The head has been removed and the diagnosis is fatal. One piston the rings are shot, rust inside etc.
Understand the engine needs to come out. My marina does not do engine rebuilds. My boat is currently in Rock Hall Marina.
I am just trying to find resources on long block or a rebuilt engine.
Contact your engine maker/distributor and ask for the name of a REAL mechanic who they would trust to either overhaul or do the long block.
Doesn't have to be right there-- removing the engine can be a completely separate job from working on it.
And, plenty of engines with frozen pistons/rings have been either honed or bored and rebuilt.
Again, you want the opinion of someone who knows how to overhaul that motor, not someone who can't/won't work "inside" the engine.
AND, DID YOUR BOAT HAVE THE ANTI-SIPHON KIT ON IT? The real question is how did water get into the cylinders. Certainly one way would be to keep cranking the engine without it starting. No anti-siphon kit would be another.
I believe the basic engine block is a Kubota V-1305.
Used complete engines are on Ebay for about $ 3K.
Your engine can be removed and rebuilt is the second option with new pistons, sleeves and valves. . But you should find the root cause of the water intrusion as a first step. I have removed my exhaust elbow and cut it in half this past winter. Looks like the walls were about to corrode through in two places. This would have put water in the engine via the exhaust valves. I have pix of the elbow. My engine had about 1500 hours run time mostly in salt water.
Good luck with the project.
Leigh and Donna Weiss
Brisa #155
Georgetown, MD. USA
Keep the suggestions coming, it is appreciated.
My engine is a Universal M35b.
I agree that the cause of the failure will need to be sussed, and it will be. Some of the quotes I am getting for a new engine
and the install are running $21,000! $11+ for the engine BETA 30 and $10k to install. I still have feelers out as these numbers are
staggering, to say the least.
I am taking every post seriously and looking forward to more. If nothing else, I am certainly learning a great deal during the process.
I would like to keep with the Universal/Kobota, but if one cannot be found for a decent price in decent condition, I will need to switch it
out. We certainly would like to be back on the water this summer, right now it is looking like perhaps October, if at all.
Insurance claim has been submitted and the surveyor should be there any day now. In talking to the insurance rep, their goal (and mine) is to get this done ASAP so that we can claim some of the summer. Boat will be pulled on Nov 1, so hoping we can enjoy October here on the Chesapeake.
I am also located in Rock Hall, MD. I’ve been based here for more years that I’d like to admit.
I don’t know the marina you are in. However, I think you wintered at Gratitude Marina last year. Blue Wing was in the same yard.
I suggest that you talk to Gratitude about the engine replace/rebuild options. They have a very good diesel mechanic, but not sure they do rebuilds or engine replacements.
Another good option is to contact Haven Harbor. Our friends had a similar issue - blown engine on a nearly new Hunter due to improper winterization. Insurance paid for the new engine (a Yanmar), and it was installed by Haven Harbor.
Good luck, hope to see you out on the water this fall.
You are correct, we were at Gratitude for the Winter. I remember your boat as well.
I will reach out to Gratitude tomorrow, Wade right? And yes, I am at Haven Harbour.
They can offer Yanmar replacement, but don't think I want to go that route. Bill Neff at HHM has been great to work with and has plenty of knowledge and has pointed me in the direction of folks that can offer help.
It's very sad to see her sitting in the water like that, you can almost feel the pain! Looking forward to getting this done and back on that water for some fall sailing.
Yes, Wade is the contact at Gratitude. Good luck, let me know if they can help.
I understand you not wanting to go with an Yanmar, although they are great engines. Someone at Catalina (I think it might have been Gerry Douglass) told me the reason for the Universal engine in the C350 Is that the M35B is 4 cylinders, while the Yanmar with equivalent HP was only 3 cylinders at the time. The Universal was smoother with less vibration so they used it. Of course now I think Catalina uses Yanmar exclusively. But I’m glad to have the Universal.
Yes, Wade is the contact at Gratitude. Good luck, let me know if they can help.
I understand you not wanting to go with a Yanmar, although they are great engines. Better to go back with the same block, less fabrication and chance of a poor fit or some other problem.
Someone at Catalina (I think it might have been Gerry Douglass) told me the reason for the Universal engine in the C350 Is that the M35B is 4 cylinders, while the Yanmar with equivalent HP was only 3 cylinders at the time. The Universal was smoother with less vibration so they used it. Of course now I think Catalina uses Yanmar exclusively. But I’m glad to have the Universal.
Leigh, you stated "I have removed my exhaust elbow and cut it in half this past winter. Looks like the walls were about to corrode through in two places. This would have put water in the engine via the exhaust valves." This is a bit alarming to me. Do you know what the cost of a replacement elbow is and what would be a prudent interval to replace it on a boat that is in and operated in salt water 365 days a year? Alternatively, what is a reliable method to monitor the condition of the elbow and ID the issue before it fails? Thanks!
Mark,
I don't know of a simple way to check the condition of the inner walls of the exhaust elbow without cutting it in half.
I thought it was a matter of time and exposure to salt water that prompted the destructive testing. Maybe some one has a better way of checking the inner wall thickness. Glad I did!!!
The external view of the elbow was pristine.
As for a supply for the part, check on the web for prices using the part number on the casting.. I think mine ran under $300. I look at these cast aluminum elbows as a ware item with a finite life span. I planned to replace mine based on age and engine hours. My engine has 1500 hours and the boat is over 16 years old.
I hope this saves someone the heart break of loosing an engine to sea water intrusion from a failed elbow.
Good luck and have a safe end of summer.
Leigh
Leigh and Donna Weiss
Brisa #155
Georgetown, MD. USA
Just for info, we removed and inspected and replaced mine at about 1100 hours, it hadn't gone through but had pinholes indicating it wouldn't be a lot longer before it started to leak. If you want to play safe change at least every 1500 hours as Leigh said, if you want to play very safe, replace each 1000 hours. By the time you have spent money pulling it all apart to check, and then being left with some doubt about whether you can see how much metal remains, you are as well off to bite the bulllet and just put a new one in! (IMHO).
I wrote an article in Mainsheet on the riser replacement "5 Year Maintenance & Exhaust Riser (2011)" which has link in the technical section of this website. At that time the riser was about 5 to 6 years old and wasn't in too bad of shape. There are photos of it cut in half in the article. I just replaced it again for the second time but have not cut into the old one yet. I think 9 to 10 years is probably close to the limit for safe lifespan. I was able to order the part for about $250 from Discount Marine Source. It is an easy job to replace.
