Working on Engines

[riverrunner1984]

Personally for me, I do not know the first thing about engines. Unfortunately, I have to take the boat and car to a shop whenever something needs to be done.

I wish they offered auto shop at my high school lol.

Thinking of taking a class at a local CC to start learning about them. I hate that I have to take the boat in for an oil change or simple services.
I tried a little DIY project last year and it did not turn out very well lol.

So who here does their own Engine work whether it be boat or car?
Where did you learn to work on the engine?
Do you do your own boat maintenance?

[2manymustangs]

I put my first V8 together when I was still barely 14 and never looked back... Before that it was dirt bikes/go-kart engines...

I graduated to automatic transmissions about 12 years ago...

[obnoxious001]

Personally for me, I do not know the first thing about engines. Unfortunately, I have to take the boat and car to a shop whenever something needs to be done.

I wish they offered auto shop at my high school lol.

Thinking of taking a class at a local CC to start learning about them. I hate that I have to take the boat in for an oil change or simple services.
I tried a little DIY project last year and it did not turn out very well lol.

So who here does their own Engine work whether it be boat or car?
Where did you learn to work on the engine?
Do you do your own boat maintenance?

I build engines(most for boats, but some other various racing engines, as well as high performance street engines). It's not rocket science but requires attention to detail and a certain amount of knowledge. I got interested when I was a kid and my dad used to help Lou Brummett racing at the boat marathons. Louis Unser was building his engines back then, and "Unser" was a household name around racing, and I met him on one of my many visits to the shop. My family never owned a boat, but as soon as I bought my first one, I have never been without one.

[riverrunner1984]

I put my first V8 together when I was still barely 14 and never looked back... Before that it was dirt bikes/go-kart engines...

I graduated to automatic transmissions about 12 years ago...

So how did you learn? Did someone teach you or just learned as you went???

[Brian]

I do both. I was fortunate enough to grow up with a family who raced and I shared the same marine / automotive interest as my family and close friends. My suggestion is to not go to the CC to learn about performance engines. Although the general automitive information you will get will be usefull, it will not fufill your goal. If possible, I would try to find someone, maybe on here that is willing to mentor you and help you if you are really wanting to be able to do engine, pump rebuilds, etc. I don't expect you to be able to rebuild an engine or pump via the forums, but we should be able to help you do a basic service right here.

Tackle them 1 at a time and ask lots of questions, even if you think they are dumb.

[76Bonneville]

Not an engine builder, but do the maintenance.
Usually pull the motor at the end of the season and put it in the garage. Change the oil and fire the motor just before pulling it out. With a jet boat, it's literally an hour and a half from when you start to when your tools are put away. Learned to adjust valves, set timing, and mess with the carb by doing it.
Can't see paying somebody to do what I can figure out myself. On cars, oil changes on the deisel because they want $100.00 + to do it, brakes, water pumps etc, no biggie. On the foreign cars a Chilton book helps, it gives you the sequence to remove and reinstall.

[Stainless]

Not an engine builder, but do the maintenance.
Usually pull the motor at the end of the season and put it in the garage. Change the oil and fire the motor just before pulling it out. With a jet boat, it's literally an hour and a half from when you start to when your tools are put away. Learned to adjust valves, set timing, and mess with the carb by doing it.
Can't see paying somebody to do what I can figure out myself. On cars, oil changes on the deisel because they want $100.00 + to do it, brakes, water pumps etc, no biggie. On the foreign cars a Chilton book helps, it gives you the sequence to remove and reinstall.

Mostly the same, I do maintenance on my stuff.


CH3NO2

[riverrunner1984]

Good info guys.
Im thinking I need basic knowledge before I can actually work on something.
For example. In the thread "post the last pic you took on your phone" I dont even know what engine component B&D Marine posted the pic of.
Thats what little knowledge I have lol.

Thinking about getting the boat out of storage next weekend and going to try and tinker on it a bit.

[gn7]

It's not rocket science .

Don't tell them that!!'

Don't listen to him. Its voodoo black magic stuff and not for amateurs. Its top secret stuff handed down generation to generation. In the wrong hands it can be lethal.

[2manymustangs]

So how did you learn? Did someone teach you or just learned as you went???

Watching over my dads shoulder at first, tractor/lawnmower/flathead V8s/putting in new mains on our worn out junk...

Once I picked up the wrenches and started playing I never stopped... I did alot of machine/machine shop/design work where I learned/developed an understanding about tolerances/fit/finish... (tech school - board drafting/autocad - manufacturing engineering - building machines)

I'm far from advanced but by paying close attention to details/feel/fit and reading alot/studing failed parts has got me by for well over 35 years...

Some of the guys like Obnoxious and others have had the blessing of meeting/watching some of the all time greats... Louis Unser, mannnnn...

In recent conversation at Needles with Mr. Bubby Wilton, I found out he was rubbing elbows with Ed Pink and other big names in the history of engine building...

I try to keep my ears/eyes wide open when Im around the old timers and ask as many questions as possible without being a pest...

SoCal was/is MECCA for drag race fans. I spent the first 10-15 years of my trips to SoCal touring every piston/header/crankshaft/engine builder that would allow me in their shop... Many of you all don't realize (or care) what was in your own back yard from a history perspective in drag racing... Cool stuff IMHO!!!

We grew up boating but it wasn't "performance boating" like most of you folks grew up with... Just "social" boating/ski/swimming...

S.S., I think I was 6 also when I learned to ski, just never had hotboats like you grew up with...