Mayday, Mayday, Mayday! 1GM in Distress!

[Joe Myerson]

Fellow 1GM owners, perhaps you can help me here:

As I was heading out onto Buzzards Bay on Sunday morning, I pointed Creme Brulee into the wind, set my autopilot and raised the double-reefed main for a day of heavy-weather sailing. While on the foredeck, I heard a loud electronic screech. I thought perhaps the A/P was overpowered.

It wasn't. It was the engine that was screeching. So I turned it off and proceeded to spend the day battling heavy chop and gusts up to 35 knots. (Well, that was the NOAA prediction. I don't have a wind meter.)

As I was heading back in, I rolled in the genny and tried to turn on the engine. The alarm went off, and I turned it off immediately.

I was able sail onto the mooring, at which point I looked in my engine manual and discovered that it was the "Oil pressure warning" light and alarm that was sounding.

The fellow on the next mooring, who has a 1GM in his Marshall 22 catboat, advised me to check and see if there was any oil in the engine.

The dipstick came up dry, so I looked in the pan beneath the engine: The pan was full of motor oil. Then I checked the bilge.

It was also full of motor oil.

Any suggestions (other than "get the oil out of the boat ASAP")?

Thanks,

--Joe

P.S. I had planned to spend lots of time on the water this summer. Now, who knows?

[Dean Abramson]

Joe,

Years ago, the head gasket blew on our old 1GM. Got a new head gasket, and the engine is happy to this day, in the hands of the current owners. When the gasket blew, we lost a lot of oil. But there was no long term engine damage.

Since you, wisely, turned the engine right off each time the buzzer sounded, I doubt there is any damage from low oil. But you obviously have a big-time leak. With that much oil in the drip tray, I am thinking the oil pan gasket blew, a drain plug came off, or your oil filter came unscrewed or somehow got damaged. Or if the engine shows oil streaks from the head down, a blown head gasket. Did you notice any oil in your exhaust, or now find oil on the transom? Or is there water on the dipstick? If so, think head gasket.

Buy a whole punch of oil absorbent pads. Clean the mess up well, and if still nothing is obvious, postion some new pads under the engine, pour a quart of fresh oil in, and see where it comes out.

I think that you quick thinking may well have saved the engine from an early death. But it is headed to the doctor for sure. Actually, they make house calls.

I am guessing you will be back out on the water soon. 1GMs are tough.

Good Luck!!

Dean

[Steve Laume]

I talked to the Universal rep at the Mystic Wooden Boat show, about a possible transmission rebuild.

He seemed to think the engine would be fine for a long time to come. The few things he suggested were replacing belts and hoses, (already done), then the oil pan gasket and new motor mounts.

To think that the pan gasket is the one thing he suggested replacing leads one to believe it may become a problem on older engines.

My yard mechanic showed me an engine they rebuilt a few years ago. The reason for the rebuild was a rusted out oil pan. I had just repainted my engine and was feeling pretty good about the way it looked. Seeing the rusted out pan did not add a warm and fuzzy feeling. I did not paint the bottom of the pan.

Raven may spend her winter on the hard this year, Steve.

[Bob Ohler]

Joe,

I had the 1GM on CD25D Hull #2. An external oil tube on the the port side rusted out. My local mechanic ordered one, and intstalled it in less than a week. I am praying you may have something this simple. Please keep this thread updated.

Bob Ohler
CD30 #335
sv Aloha Spirit
CDSOA Member #188

[Kevin Kaldenbach]

Though I do not have my crystal ball, loud screech and no oil would say you seezed or spun a rod or main bearing. I hope I am wrong.

[Joe Myerson]

Well, I just shelled out mucho bucks to have the boat towed to the boatyard.

Bob:

The diesel mechanic thinks it may be a rusted-out oil tube, like you said.

I hope he's right, because the oil is not running down the sides of the engine block, as it would if it were a blown head gasket.

I should have the diagnosis tomorrow.

cd30ketch:

The screech was the alarm, not metal-on-metal, so I'm hoping it isn't a seized engine. Anyway, I'm nervously awaiting the mechanic's verdict.

--Joe

[Bob Ohler]

Joe, keep us updated. Aside from the towing bill, if it is the oil line and not the engine, the total repair bill should be considerably less (boat units).

Fair winds,
Bob Ohler
CD30 Aloha Spirit
CDSOA Member #188

[Joe Myerson]

Hi All:

I got the diagnosis today: one of the oil tubes that runs under the engine had rusted through. I'm going to have all three tubes replaced.

The mechanic thinks I turned the engine off soon enough to have avoided running it dry. He's supposed to take apart the oil filter and see if there are metal fragments in it.

As of today, the diagnosis is good, and I should be back in the water late next week.

The cost might be less than the tow.

Ironic: I started a thread about SeaTow vs. TowBoatUS, and I had planned to buy unlimited towing from TowBoat this season. However, my membership runs through July 31--and last year I only opted for the minimal level. So, my towing bill was reduced by only $50.

Live and learn!

--Joe

[Bob Ohler]

Joe,

That is great news on the oil tubes! I like your plan to replace all three. I also have a hunch your quick action shutting it down saved you many "boat units" and lost days on the water. When is the mechanic supposed to have the new tubes installed?

Bob Ohler
CD30B
sv Aloha Spirit
CDSOA Member #188

[Dean Abramson]

Great news, Joe! My guess is that your engine will be just fine.
Dean

[Dick Barthel]

Joe,

Having just read the whole thread from start to finish it reads like a horror story with a happy ending. I'm looking forward to seeing you in Jamestown new oil tubes and all.

Dick

[Joe Myerson]

Bob, Dean et al,

According to the mechanic, I should be sailing by "late next week."

That's good news for me.

And thanks, everyone, for your advice, comments and encouragement. I just hope I did turn off the engine in time.

--Joe

[bobdugan]

Joe,

Some of Cricket's 1GM oil tubes are kind of rusty... I've tried to get the rust off and paint them over.. but some of the tubes are hard to get at.

I wonder how hard it would be to replace them myself?

Bob

[Joe Myerson]

Hi Bob:

I don't know how easy it is to replace the tubes yourself, because I've never had the confidence to work on my 1GM myself. (I should learn, since the engines are about as simple as you can get.)

However, based on comments on this board, and the immediate reaction of the diesel mechanic who services my boat, I'd say that this is a fairly common problem with aging engines.

A complete set of tubes, according to the mechanic, will set me back a little less than $100. All the rest of the cost will be in labor.

Sounds like it would be well worth replacing the tubes BEFORE one of them bursts.

Good luck,

--Joe

[Joe CD MS 300]

Joe,

I'm getting to this thread a little late but if the mechanic has not draied the oil yet you may be able to get enough of a sample to have an oil analysis done which could give you a clue as to whether the engine ran dry at all.

Joe