www.iFourWinns.com

As you know my old 4.3 blew the head gasket and had salt water in a cyl. I was able to pickle the engine (fogging oil works great for this) and took it apart in Feb, we had an unusually warm winter this year. Then had the old cyl heads checked out. Machine shop said was better to buy re man heads, because of internal corrosion and two exhaust valve seat areas were cracked. I took really big high res pix of the block surface to show the machinist and he felt the block was good enough to try a top end rebuild...so here are the pix......

https://www.dropbox.com/s/1yyauruiipe64 ... 0.JPG?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/k18krrafa3489 ... k.JPG?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/n9z4y4puche6t ... 1.JPG?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/8fhnjbtutfjej ... 2.JPG?dl=0

Next is to fully clean up the surface of the block and the intake manifold.
Then paint everything in OMC Charcoal
Then re-assemble.
Got a set of Fel-Pro marine gaskets for the job.......

_________________
88 Four Winns 200 Horizon
4.3 OMC Cobra-4bbl
2002 Walker Bay 10/2012 Suzuki 2.5
2008 Walker Bay 8

1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0/Selectrac
2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7 Hemi/Quadradrive II

Great stuff Lou, good luck.

You putting Vortec heads on i assume?

Nice looking new heads.

At 25 years old, it's really amazing that the block cooling passageways look as good as they do. I think that's the benefit of always being filled with water (unlike the exhaust manifolds that are exposed to air when the engine shuts down). And of course you have always winterized with AF.

Ray

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"Knot Easy" 2000 Horizon 240 Volvo 5.7GS /SX
tow: 2017 Honda PILOT EXL-AWD
prev. boats:
'87 Chaparral 198CXL 4.3 OMC Cobra
'69 Jetstar 16ft Ski Boat, 115hp Yamaha
'68 Aluminum Jon Boat, 3hp Sears
'64 Water Wings

Actually I just went with the same style non Vortec heads because Id also have to get a new intake for the Vortec heads (old one still ok).....got the same casting #s as the old heads. There are many variations in the 4.3s over the years and keeping everything the same just seemed simpler to me...

PS: if you ever suspect water in a cyl remove plugs and blast it out right quick(plugs out ig disabled). Then flood the cyls with fogging oil, crank it over (plugs out) then spray each cyl again and the replace plugs to keep it clean. Drain water out of the engine first and the msnifolds too!
This all began with a reluctance to start last August. I did not suspect water in a cyl at first instead checked both the ignition and carb. When it finally started it ran rough so I suspected sticking valves. Found water in a cyl doing a comp test. The use of fogging oil promptly really prevented the rings from rusting to the cyl walls.

Oh and even with both head gaskets blown it had close to normal comp test results, once I got the water out. The water in the oil did not show up on the dipstick till it was run for a while..

_________________
88 Four Winns 200 Horizon
4.3 OMC Cobra-4bbl
2002 Walker Bay 10/2012 Suzuki 2.5
2008 Walker Bay 8

1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0/Selectrac
2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7 Hemi/Quadradrive II