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Milkshake motor

Tahoe540

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I have a 555 that I took out of my offshore boat last year to put in my jet boat this year. The motor was a 548 and I had to have it bored to 4.560 and found out the block has 3 sleeves. Those sleeves were replaced. I had a problem last summer with the motor getting a pretty bad milkshake each of the 3 times I took it out. I had the heads magnafluxed and pressurized and they came back no issues. These were iron 088 heads and had offshore cooling so it was not over pressurizing.. I could see no issues with the head gaskets or the intake gaskets leaking each rebuild . I pretty much rebuilt the whole motor each time. So 3 times last year the gaskets always looked perfect with no visible leaks, and I always inspected the bottom of the sleeves and never found any issues or signs of water. I ended up buying a set of Brodix BB2 heads and Iinstalled them. I drove the offshore boat about 1.5 hours and it seemed to be fine. So after a new rail kit this motor was installed. I had my boat on the hose fully opened a few times to get all the kinks ironed out. Well after doing some reading my boat did not have a gate valve. just the T to put a hose on. I had no issues for the 2 summers I drove it with the stock 454 this way. My first time out with this new motor it was blowing oil everywhere and was seriously milked. Would the hose be too much pressure and push water in but the head gaskets and the intake gaskets look perfect. It seemed like it was milked before went to the lake. I drove it 3 minutes. I use Felpro Gaskets with the blue sealing outlines and you can see on the block and the heads there are no leaks. those seals are not broken. I am starting to think maybe I have a cracked block? I do have a gate valve installed now. I am thinking it is the block. Maybe has a crack or one of the sleeves is leaking and I could never tell?
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brgrcru

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This engine is In the jet boat now?

Way back, when we never ran (watts regulators ) with our jets . Now we do for high HP motors . The watts reg. releases Inlet excess pressure . Before it even enters the motor through another dump valve
Maybe something to look into .

Have you looked at cylinder walls? And sleeves. Maybe a hair line crack you might not be able to see with the naked eye . But with a magnifying glass it might come out . Look for a little rust . Or throughly inspect each cylinder wall .
 

renodaytona

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Definitely sucks, after all the work to get to the point of the lake test yesterday and then that happened. Super bummed for you. 👎
 

River Runnin

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Try Flex Tape! .... That shit repairs leaks inside and out! :)
 

J 2

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I've milkshake'd due to water getting in the exhaust valves when I shut off before. 2 boats, 1 with logs & 1 with overhead Bassett's. The logs because I would shut off coming into shore, no flaps in transom exit, water would wash in the logs and get in the cylinders then seep through the rings. Installed flaps. With Bassett's it was because the water was on when I shut off, water steaming in through the open valves is enough to milkshake, installed manual control lever at my seat and turn it off when I come off plane. I never liked the spring loaded Bassett T, I always removed the spring, yours doesn't have a spring, I have a T like that one.

It doesn't take much water to turn to milkshake. I'm curious about your water flow, I can see the entry in your pic, but nothing else.

Most will not run any water restrictions, if there's too much pressure which is a rare thing create another exit or larger exit than entrance.

I remember the frustration I went through multiple times, I hope you find it sooner than later. One last thing, every time I tried to slow water flow for any reason like getting the engine temp up something bad happened. Not enough water in thru transom hose, burned a hole in the hose. There is the relief valve that was created for jets to give a 2nd exit under pressure, I'll never use one.
 

Tahoe540

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Here are some pics of a few cylinders with marks, This motor sat for over a year with no oil. So any moisture could of caused the cylinder staining?
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staining?
 

J 2

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What kind of exhaust are you running, wet or dry?
 
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estaban

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Make sure you seal the head studs real good. I had the same problem
 

sonicss31

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Had a very similar problem a few years ago, turned out the 088 heads had rotted out in the exhaust valve/port area. Machine shop pressure tested heads and found leak right away. Was told this is common issue with 088 heads. I had heads on and off several times before I had them tested. Just throwing my experience at you. Good luck. 👍
 

J 2

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OK, I doubt the water is coming in exhaust valves now. The odd part to me is the 1st post reads like this motor was fine in a different boat then milk shaked in this boat.

I assume water in back of logs, out front, into waterpump connections, out thermostat housing, into snails. I see the water lines in front.

As your at it pressure check the logs or take a good look inside, if there's a crack in there that could do it too.
 

Tahoe540

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Had a very similar problem a few years ago, turned out the 088 heads had rotted out in the exhaust valve/port area. Machine shop pressure tested heads and found leak right away. Was told this is common issue with 088 heads. I had heads on and off several times before I had them tested. Just throwing my experience at you. Good luck. 👍
I have new heads now and I did have my 088 heads pressure tested and they tested good
 

Tahoe540

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OK, I doubt the water is coming in exhaust valves now. The odd part to me is the 1st post reads like this motor was fine in a different boat then milk shaked in this boat.

I assume water in back of logs, out front, into waterpump connections, out thermostat housing, into snails. I see the water lines in front.

As your at it pressure check the logs or take a good look inside, if there's a crack in there that could do it too.
This motor milkshaked on me last year on 3 rebuilds in my 30 ft Advantage with the 088 heads. I bought a set of Brodix BB2 just to see if the issue went away. I ran the current motor that is in my jetboat about 1.5 hours last summer before pulling it out to sell the boat. When I removed the offshore pan this winter for a smaller pan to fit the jet boat I don't remember seeing any water in the oil. I am also running a boat cam for reversion. I had lightning headers on this motor when I had it in the advantage and never had any reversion issues.
 

Tahoe540

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I am starting to think it must be something with the block. This did not start until I got the new sleeves installed. I think (can't remember shit) it ran fine without any water in the oil before this started. When it milked I took the whole thing apart. I got so good at installing the motor, one day after my last rebuild with the 088 heads I installed the motor drove to Tahoe milked the oil and came home and removed the motor before it got dark. I also inspected the sleeves from the bottom when I had it apart but that doesn't mean anything until you can put it under pressure.
 

J 2

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You're on the right path, time to take the block in and or get a different block. Not sure what would be cost effective for you. Let us know when you have the "Ah ha" moment. Curious minds want to know. Besides that this is actual boating content right here on RDP, go figure :D
 

obnoxious001

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I am starting to think it must be something with the block. This did not start until I got the new sleeves installed. I think (can't remember shit) it ran fine without any water in the oil before this started. When it milked I took the whole thing apart. I got so good at installing the motor, one day after my last rebuild with the 088 heads I installed the motor drove to Tahoe milked the oil and came home and removed the motor before it got dark. I also inspected the sleeves from the bottom when I had it apart but that doesn't mean anything until you can put it under pressure.

If you leave the engine intact, drop the pan and set up a way to put water into the block, it will show you if the bottom of one or more of the sleeves is leaking. Most guys don't want to mess with replacing a bad sleeve in an iron block. I personally found one using that method this past year. I may have photos of how I rigged it up. I have also seen blocks that might have a leak in the valley. That can be similarly tested, but you would need to have a couple of small plates to bolt over the water ports on the heads, and do one side at a time.
 

ElAzul

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You have a good rotating assembly and heads. Ditch that block and move on before it really breaks shit
 

Tahoe540

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I asked my 3 boating buddies if they would donate their stimulus checks so I can buy a new block. Their responses were not pleasant. With all the problems I have had I really think it is the block. Time to bite the bullet and get a new one.

I have found a few places that sell a completely machined Dart block for about 3k. I can just use my parts and be ready before summer. My machinist just takes too long to get this done before boating ends.
 

BamBam

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It sounds like you said, that you may have a problem with your sleeves. I milkshaked a motor one time simply by hooking it to a hose. It pushed the gasket on the intake manifold passage and dumped water into the valley. The fact that you placed it in a jet could result in a change of water intake pressure causing a similar problem. Did you check the integrity of the intake gaskets (around the water passage) when you pulled the intake? Just a thought.
 

Tahoe540

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It sounds like you said, that you may have a problem with your sleeves. I milkshaked a motor one time simply by hooking it to a hose. It pushed the gasket on the intake manifold passage and dumped water into the valley. The fact that you placed it in a jet could result in a change of water intake pressure causing a similar problem. Did you check the integrity of the intake gaskets (around the water passage) when you pulled the intake? Just a thought.
I always use a little RTV around the water passages. Both the intake side and head side show no signs of leaking. I also had this milking issue before it was installed in my jetboat. The intake gaskets stuck to the heads so I inspected that side with no issues
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mattyc

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Obnoxious made a very good recommendation. I think it would be worth spending the time diagnosing it prior to spending the money on a block
 

Tahoe540

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I am planning on doing what Obnoxious suggested to see if that is the issue. I like to know what causes problems. Built a few motors and learn something new every time.
 

Eliminator21vdrive

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I had a glenwood manifold crack inside the port and spray water right at the exhaust valve. Not enough to hydraulic it but enough to push past the new rings and milk it down.
 

rush1

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I'd say you nailed it ,you could try running it again and put a presure relief valve to blow the excess water over the side and put a presure gauge in the system to adjust it ,no more than 12lbs of water pressure
 
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