454's Rebuilt with White Smoke and Low Oil?

[Oscarlyy]

Hi there,

I bought this boat with 15 hours on Rebuilt engines, and was confident as I got to see the entire invoice leaving the previous owner paying $20000 in the end.
So far have had no issues and have about 100 hours on them since rebuild but when I checked the oil yesterday I noticed the port engine was at the add mark (About 1 litre missing) and than I thought there is also a bit of white smoke from the port exhaust at about 3000rpm. Starboard smokes a bit but not as much as port. I'm worried, seems odd with only 100 hours. And the smoke was there from day one but I didn't really think too much about it. I would love some input on this subject, engines perform perfect at least! :smt024

 

[Xplicitlnck]

Having fresh engines I would start with an oil analysis and then do one every 50 hours or every season. This will tell you how your internals ate wearing. How many hours did it take to burn that oil?

 

[hottoddie]

If a newly rebuilt engine burned 1 liter of oil in 100 hours I would not consider that excessive at all. Has that rebuilt engine had its oil changed yet? It should have been changed at around 20 hours. I expect the "white smoke" you are seeing is steam and not oil being burned. If it were oil the smoke would not dissipate and the boat would be leaving a trail of white smoke.

 

[outlaw32]

Not unusual for a 454 to use a little. My Baja had 454 mags would use a quart if I ran them hard.

 

[Oscarlyy]

If a newly rebuilt engine burned 1 liter of oil in 100 hours I would not consider that excessive at all. Has that rebuilt engine had its oil changed yet? It should have been changed at around 20 hours. I expect the "white smoke" you are seeing is steam and not oil being burned. If it were oil the smoke would not dissipate and the boat would be leaving a trail of white smoke.

http://i345.photobucket.com/albums/p396/oscarlyy/Mobile Uploads/FullSizeRender_zpsrqpavz8l.jpg

That's the best photo I could find and it usually smokes a bit more than that. Apparently the oils were changed before I got the boat, and I just changed them again yesterday Starboard engine was perfect, right at the full line and port was right at the add line. :smt101

 

[Oscarlyy]

About 80 hours to burn that oil.
I had a oil analysis done when I bought it and a mechanical survey and had about 140-150 psi all across and saying it needs carb cleaning. I will be getting the carbs rebuilt in the fall. The oil analysis didn't come up with anything really to worry to much about. I'll see if I can find the papers and I'll put pictures of them here.

 

[CliffA]

sometimes it takes a little while for the oil rings on the pistons to seat properly in the cylinders and on the pistons in a newly rebuilt engine....until the rings do seat properly it is not unusual to use (burn) some oil during the engine break-in period....

if this applies I would suggest using regular oil during the break-in period instead of synthetic oil.....

cliff

 

[Oscarlyy]

sometimes it takes a little while for the oil rings on the pistons to seat properly in the cylinders and on the pistons in a newly rebuilt engine....until the rings do seat properly it is not unusual to use (burn) some oil during the engine break-in period....

if this applies I would suggest using regular oil during the break-in period instead of synthetic oil.....

cliff

Thanks,
How long is the break in period?
And I just changed the oil and put in non-synthetic

 

[Warwgn]

I have yet to see a 454 that does not sip on the oil, sounds like normal what you are describing.

 

[Xplicitlnck]

Your picture shows exactly what 90% of our boats do.
http://clubsearay.com/showthread.php/79626-Does-your-8-1-s-blow-steam-out-of-the-exhaust
As for the oil I have 1400 hours on my 454 and after 100 hours I burn little to no oil.

 

[CliffA]

Thanks,
How long is the break in period?
And I just changed the oil and put in non-synthetic

hard to say really......the smart a!s answer would be 'until it stops burning oil'....but seriously it depends on how often you run the engines and how you use the throttle while running the engines..you might want to look in your owner's manual about the break-in period for the engines when they were new and follow those general guidelines.....you need to vary the rpm's of a new engine during the break-in period....if you don't have the owner's manual you can find the general info about engine break-in and piston ring seating on the internet.....

here is an example.....

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Break-in_(mechanical_run-in)

cliff

 

[Oscarlyy]

hard to say really......the smart a!s answer would be 'until it stops burning oil'....but seriously it depends on how often you run the engines and how you use the throttle while running the engines..you might want to look in your owner's manual about the break-in period for the engines when they were new and follow those general guidelines.....you need to vary the rpm's of a new engine during the break-in period....if you don't have the owner's manual you can find the general info about engine break-in and piston ring seating on the internet.....

here is an example.....

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Break-in_(mechanical_run-in)

cliff

Well thanks for all your help. I'm not so worried anymore. I'll just check on the oil every once in a while and get another oil analysis when I change the oil again this fall.
Thanks again!