SX230 Resurrection

[Whiskey]

This is a great read and I'm learning a ton. Thank you for posting this!

 

[Scottintexas]

and that's a good looking little tractor, did you refurb it or is it original ?

 

[buckbuck]

@Brad_Ct I have been following your adventure all along. But those engine pictures make me want to not return. Disgusting.
What are you hoping to salvage off it?

 

[Brad_Ct]

@Scottintexas That tractor is a complete rebuild with power steering added and the loader was modified to fit it. I have two other 318s also one I use for snow blowing during the winter and mowing during the summer, the other has a plow on it. I bought and sold John Deere tractors for awhile and kept a few for myself.

@buckbuck I don't know how this happened but obviously the engines were never flushed for starters, all the cooling passages are plugged solid with salt. It amazes me that people can be so destructive to equipment. I do know that someone put some money into the boat trying to fix it before I got it though, The ECU box was loose on the back wall and the starter relay was bad and when I opened the box it appears that the ECU was replaced at some point. As far as salvaging parts of the engine, the block, pistons and head are junk but everything else looks to be in very good shape. Good candidate for a SBT core.

 

[Brad_Ct]

Yesterday I used CrankyGypsys idea with a few changes to flush my port engine. Instead of capping the exhaust I just pulled what he called the up pipe and let the flush flow out the three holes at the end of the exhaust through the bilge out the drain plug back into the bucket of solution. I did use Sulfamic Acid (grout remover) that I was able to get at Home Depot and soda ash from a friends pool company. I flushed it with the acid for a couple hours and then for a half hour with the soda ash. I knew my oil cooler and thermostat housing were plugged bad but after the flush they were very clean, hopefully the rest of the cooling passages are also.

 

[buckbuck]

Wow. That is great news. Do you have any before and after pictures? Sounds like all the salt water guys should consider this as occasional preventive maintenance.

 

[Gym]

Having the same year and model boat I to have been following your exploits @Brad_Ct. Those engine pics were so graphic I had to send the grandkids out of the room. I'm looking forward to your last pic where your sitting on your completely refurbished boat flushing your throat with a cold beer.

 

[Brad_Ct]

@buckbuck There really was no way to get a picture of the oil cooler lines so unfortunately I don't have any before and afters.

The one thing I found interesting and have not figured out how it happened but like crankygypsy I also got water in the cylinders while doing the flush. I was my understanding that the only way this could happen is if it backed up in the exhaust. Since I had the pipe going to the water box off that could not of happened and I'm at a lose as to were the water came from. I pulled the spark plugs before the flush so I could see if water was in the cylinders, there was not a lot but some definitely got in there.

 

[buckbuck]

Hmmm...you had the pipe disconnected and water flowing out the three holes?

 

[WREKS]

@buckbuck There really was no way to get a picture of the oil cooler lines so unfortunately I don't have any before and afters.

The one thing I found interesting and have not figured out how it happened but like crankygypsy I also got water in the cylinders while doing the flush. I was my understanding that the only way this could happen is if it backed up in the exhaust. Since I had the pipe going to the water box off that could not of happened and I'm at a lose as to were the water came from. I pulled the spark plugs before the flush so I could see if water was in the cylinders, there was not a lot but some definitely got in there.

Brad_Ct, I am amazed at your (and your wife's) energy. Have you removed the head gasket? If your water pressure flush was high enough, it may have forced some water into the cylinders in the plane of the head gasket. My starboard cylinder head and block have enough corroded spots were I think that is possible.

 

[Brad_Ct]

@buckbuck Yes water was flowing out the three holes.

@ WREKS She will not be my wife until this Saturday? But yes she helps me however she can even if it's just bringing full beers out to me. I have not pulled the head off, have been trying to avoid any more work then I need to do. Compression is 150 in cylinders 1-3 and 140 in cylinder 4 per the gauge I have. Hopefully in the next couple of weeks I can get it the water and see if it floats.

 

[Brad_Ct]

Some advanced warning, if you decide to flush your engines with acid make sure you don’t get it on any vegitation you want to survive.

 

[WREKS]

Have you water tested it yet?

 

[Brad_Ct]

Have you water tested it yet?

Not yet, hopefully next weekend. Boat has not been a priority, my better half sold her house and the closing is next week so we needed to get her moved out and we got married on the 13th. Been a busy few weeks to say the least.

 

[2kwik4u]

Not yet, hopefully next weekend. Boat has not been a priority, my better half sold her house and the closing is next week so we needed to get her moved out and we got married on the 13th. Been a busy few weeks to say the least.

Congrats on the wedding sir!

 

[mrtoastyjr]

Great read, will be following this thread for sure. I wonder if the exhaust flow through the pipe to the water box is creating a venturi effect which helps create a low pressure in the water jacket of the exhaust manifold that helps draw the water out, and since you had the pipe to the water box off there wasn't any chance to create the low pressure so the pressure of the water was enough to back it up into the cylinder?

 

[Brad_Ct]

I have not given up!!!!! Replaced both the blowers, the missing battery switch and installed both batteries, waiting on a friend of mine to come over at some point with his grandson to install the new horn because I can’t get to it. Ordered new reverse gate cables today and hopefully they arrive before the weekend.

Are these the YDS connectors?

 

[Gym]

The YDS connectors should have a Port & Starboard label on the wire harness near the connector.

 

[Gym]

Actually when I zoom in I can see the one you are holding says Port. Now just dig out the starboard connector and you're all set.

 

[Brad_Ct]

Started putting the gate cables in after work today. First one was no issue but on the second one the plastic cable end snapped while tightening up the jamb nut. Ordered two through Amazon and they are going to be delivered Sunday. Glad it broke now instead of on the water.