Hydro very broken

[infotraker]

My 77 Sanger hydro (No Control) lasted 5 minutes on Eagle lake last week, came to a abrupt stop. Motor was full of water, seemingly a blown head gasket. Upon taking the one head off with most of the water found a broke off exhast valve. Valve head was pushed into the exhaust port, broke thru the wall into the water jacket. The piston is gauged but no hole in the top. Maybe the valve head broke and then water filled the engine, maybe not a blown head gasket. I now need a head, valve and maybe a piston.
How do you know if piston is damaged or if connecting rod is bent ? any way to tell without taking entire engine apart ? Any idea how valve head would break off ? If it was head gasket, can water pressure break a valve ? Head gasket looks good, no evidence as to where leak would be. No water in the oil. Any ideas would be appreciated.
Jim
[ August 04, 2003, 07:23 PM: Message edited by: infotraker ]

[BigBoyToys]

I'd replace the piston.....I hate repairing an engine just to have it break again and for the few $$ that 1 piston would cost, it may save you lotsa $$ in the future. I doubt that you have a bent con rod. You'd see more damage to the piston, assuming that the problem started on the top end. I've never seen "water pressure" break a valve. I'd lean more to thinking that a lock let go partially and held on just enough to keep the top of it in while letting the valve drop down enough to hit the piston, hence the broken (usually bent) valve. Just my opinion but there's alot of folks on this board that knows alot more about engines than I do....
Anybody, anybody :confused: :confused:
[ August 04, 2003, 07:31 PM: Message edited by: BigBoyToys ]

[126driver]

I dunno, whenever something like that breaks, I'd do a complete tear-down and mag everything to make sure. Just not that much dough for piece of mind. Was your deal balanced? The rotating assembly will have to be sent out anyways. I have a cigar ashtray on my desk that used to be a TRW but when we tore it down after a minor break, had a hairline crack at the wrist pin. Would have made small pieces out of big ones in a hurry if we would have stepped on it hard again. eek!

[FlatStupid]

It just so happens Ive got some of those 427 connecting rods 7 to be precise if your looking. Blown headgasket 1 bent connecting rod maybe stuff you need. Let me know. Craig

[BigBoyToys]

I agree with Scott....Tear it down and check it all out. Better to be safe than sorry. wink
[ August 04, 2003, 08:00 PM: Message edited by: BigBoyToys ]

[GofastRacer]

Definitly tear it down and check everything!.. eek!

[AZKC]

Must be something in the air. Heres my intake valve...
http://www.***boat.com/image_center/data/504/57again0011-med.jpg
At least I got an hour cry
KC

[Unchained]

Were you running one piece stainless valves?
If they were stock welded valves to start with you definitely need to replace the whole set with one piece stainless valves. Two piece valves don't like high rpms or heavy spring loads.
The same thing happened to a friends boat but when the valve head broke off it hit the piston and caused the piston to cock in the bore and broke out the side of the cylinder which broke the rod and knocked out the side of the oil pan.
The entire engine was scrap.

[dannyUALsanger]

Ugly! Like the guys are saying, I'd tear the entire engine down and start over. I think that replacing just one piston and obtaining another head is asking for trouble and/or living on borrowed time. Like maybe less than an hour again!

[ACCEPTENCE]

When you do reassemble the thing, don't forget to check valve to piston clearence. Consider expansion and motor growth. Exhaust valves are usually the first thing to go when there is a clearence problem. Good luck.

[T-Bag]

Who assembled the engine to begin with??? If this was a home job, how big of cam are you running and was the piston to valve clearence checked????

[T-Bag]

ACCEPTENCE:
When you do reassemble the thing, don't forget to check valve to piston clearence. Consider expansion and motor growth. Exhaust valves are usually the first thing to go when there is a clearence problem. Good luck. Ypu just beat me to it.. So whats going on???? I would like to try to make it next year to the needles bit.. If I have a river cruiser to take. It's a long way to sit on the shore!!!! Hope we can all get together again soon and have some cold ones!!!!!