Just wanted update this thread so nobody would think I forgot about y'all. My Thanksgiving/Christmas season was ridiculously busy so I just filled the motor with anti-freeze and let it set in the garage. I recently took the motor to my engine builder so we could go through it and see what we could find. To my surprise, both head gaskets looked great. The only thing we found was something must have gotten sucked in to cylinder #8, I'm guessing due to the reversion and scored the block a little. Also, we found a TON of corrosion in the block for such a small amount of runtime. Here is a pic of what I found when I pulled the crossover off the front of the motor, and this is after only 3-4 hours of run time.
I'm thinking that part of the corrosion issue is due to the fact that I'm not running a Merc-A-Thode on the engine and with all the electronics on the motor, there might be a small electrical leak somewhere. So needless to say, the Merc-A-Thode is going back on the motor next year. Also, since the block is scored, instead of trying to bore it again and replace all the pistons, I think I am just going to replace one piston and replace the block with an iron one. Honestly, all that corrosion scared me a little. The iron block weighs about 96lbs more than the aluminum block, and in the grand scheme of things, I think that might help the boat balance out a little bit better. Plus there is a little bit of added strength with the iron block.
So, the question I have now is why did the engine run hot? The only answer I can come up with is that my cooling system design must have a flaw that I can't see. So, that being said, I am throwing in the towel on it and breaking down and buying this set up from Hardin Marine
http://www.hardin-marine.com/p-7408...s6-serpentine-pulley-accessory-drive-kit.aspx
I will be going with the full closed cooling set up. It's pricey, but it looks pretty damn good, it works, and it comes pre assembled so it bolts on in less than 30 minutes. Also, not having to winterize will be awesome!! Just drain a couple things and go. And honestly, at this point I'm over trying to figure this sch!t out. I just want to enjoy my boat and put some quality hours on it, so this will be worth every penny!!!
One of the many goofball ideas that I had on this project that actually worked out really well was my electric/hydraulic power steering system. I ended up using an electric power steering pump off a 2000-2005 Toyota MR2. I wired it to a switch on the dash with a relay under the rear seat and it worked awesome!!! I mounted the pump on the floor in the bilge behind the back seat and built hoses to run to the rack.
It took awhile to bleed the system, but once I did, the steering was great. The pump is also surprisingly quiet for being a 50amp motor. You couldn't really hear it at all, especially when I had the Aeromotive A100 fuel pump running. Its a shame that my new accessory drive will go back to a pump that is driven by the motor because I read somewhere that turning the power steering pump is the biggest power drain on an engine. But, now that I know that it works, this can be utilized on any boat, no matter what the power.
I'll update this again as the motor goes back together and I get the new cooling system all bolted on and the motor back in the boat.
