Fixing A Boat With A 454 Big Block Engine 

You should get an award for that bolt removal

"I'm gonna need a bigger bar" - That deserves to be on a Farm Craft 101 T-shirt.... Keep up the good work John.... Always entertaining and educational...

That engine came back from almost death, the rebar wrench award definitely earned that one.

One of the top 3 most satisfying engine starts in RU-vid history

An almost 2 hour long video from FarmCraft?! This is going to be a good weekend!

Who else loves this channel as much as I do?? This is by far one of the best channels on RU-vid! The whole farm setting makes me feel like it's me working on my equipment. He doesn't have any crazy tools that most people wouldn't own, hands down one of the best channels on this platform. Oh and Mr Jon, that plate in the distributor is more than likely a tachometer. Like a wheel speed sensor or camshaft sensor in the newer engines?

very few people are going to truly appreciate what you went through and accomplished here, well done.

Great job! I am a Mercury certified tech. I’ll be honest, it was frustrating to watch some things, but super gratifying to see you succeed! A couple tips; -Put a timing light on the plug wires and leave it on there the whole time you’re diagnosing. -you can use a battery load tester through the engine and your battery to test you positive and negative cables. -pumping the control handle in throttle only position will activate the accelerator pump within the carb and shoot streams of fuel into the intake. I.E. - pump the handle 3-4 times, crank the engine for 3-5 seconds and repeat. All carb sterndrives have an accelerator pump. - trim the gear case down while running to straighten the u-joints in the transom assy. Due to how the boat is made, let’s talk about that piece you kept hitting your head on… That piece appears to end right over the top of the carb, so when it rains, water will run right off of that and on top of the carb, bad boat design…thanks engineers. Now to combat this issue, there is suppose to be a metal washer with a rubber seal on top of the motor cover that has all of the motor info on it. That washer usually disappears or erodes. Take the boat to the lake and put a load on it, then compression test again. And yes, we would have said it needs an engine, due to shop warranty issues, or a disclaimer would have to be signed.

Gotta say, one of the best things I’ve seen on this channel so far is the drill as a hammer on a 2 foot bar

Great job! You showed so much patience and tenacity. Your brother owes you big time. It was really enjoyable going along on this journey with you. Gave me a good chance to test my engine knowledge and troubleshooting ability with you doing the actual work. And I wasn’t the one hitting my head over and over and removing and replacing that starter over and over. Well done!

In the purest of forms, you are a true engineer! People like yourselves are sadly getting rarer and rarer. the depth of knowledge and experience, the curiosity of a child, the pursuit of solutions, the LOGIC of your discipline and the determination of that never say die attitude ensure you stand head and shoulders above 95% of others who have stood in your shoes! That is what raises you above so many of your contempories. What a brilliant outcome! Absolute respect!

New bolds, Starter, Coil, Distributor, sensor coil, working hours. You already know: BOAT = Bust Out Another Thousand. Your brother should give you a lifetime of free boat usage.

Been doing that for a living for a while (40 years) and personally shoot the two bolts at the back of the engine, the two or three for the engine mount, remove the exhaust rubbers and unplug the electrical then pull the darn thing. Oh and your starter is MISSING the support bracket that goes from the end of the starter where the solenoid wires hook to the block that keeps the starter from twisting and breaking the bolt. Be glad it had the small starter on it and not the big one we used to run ( twice the weight and size. Well done for going in blind John.

When I saw how long this video was, I figured that I would watch it in bits and pieces. Once I started watching, I couldn’t quit watching until the end. Great video Jon. I assure you that I would have taken that boat to the lake, remove the drain plugs and watched it slowly sink to the bottom.

Farmcraft101 just keeps getting better... The amount of work that is put on each content is worth every single second I spend watching it. Keep up the good work...Sir John.

Superb mechanic and problem solving skills. Masculinity at its finest.

Seeing that bolt unscrew I thought “It’s a Christmas miracle!”

Definitely change the oil asap! it's safe to assume that that if there was water in the cylinders, that some made it past the rings and is sitting in the bottom end, and after running i'm sure a lot of that junk made it down there too. Good save!!!

Only half way through - and you've just removed the broken bolt from the engine block from the starter motor! ABSOLUTE RESPECT fella! What a legend! I'm 100% , if its not an owner mechanic, owner enthusiast, or family-friend : this fix is not happening and it's an engine out job! What a legend, pure tenacity and determination, coupled with logical steps to repair! By the way, get a soft cushion cover orsimilar for that edge of fiberglass in case you hit your head going in and out!!!!🤣🤣🤣🤣 You've not mentioned it - but I bet you catch your head!🤣🤣🤣🤣 Now for the second half!

Good morning, John. I rarely post comments... but this time I have to. I would like to congratulate you for your perseverance, your patience and your know-how. It's impressive ! 👍 I watched this video and didn't see the time passing... Without forgetting the quality of your videos! THANK YOU for all of this. Best regards from the south of France. Jean Claude

I didn't know that Bosch made hammers.🍻

Oh my, You are a brother who deserves an endurance medal!

What an amazing save. As soon as I saw those crusty cylinders I thought there is no way that'll run. Simply amazing work. You have so much patience and perseverance to fix stuff and film it at the save time. Farmcraft 101 is the best! 💪🏻👨🏻‍🌾✌🏻

Ever think about taking a compression test? That engine needed to come out, taken apart cleaned up, cylinders honed and new rings installed along with complete inspection. You must enjoy wasting your time..But I am impressed with the starter bolt extraction. And also appreciate the time and and effort you put into make this video. It was too painful to watch til the end, I did make it an hour shaking my head the entire time. I could not leave it alone and watched the video to completion, it blew my mind and my hat is off to you. I could not believe my eyes never mind my ears. I just subscribed to your channel. You are living a blessed life!!!!!! If I could I would Saint you for your patience and Fortitude.

Your content is the best on the internet. The step by step troubleshooting and great camera work is second to none. And no matter how perplexing, you never give up. You have my respect.

I have two brothers, and three sisters. If you add up all the love that I have for all of them, it wouldn't be enough to warrant the amount of effort that you put into that engine! Truly impressive.

That starter bolt coming out is proof that the boat gods love you

I think you got a world record for pulling out that broken bolt. No one on planet earth has been that lucky. NO ONE.

Fun fact, That is not an air filter as there is little to no particulates on the water they are not necessary. It is a flame arrester in case of a backfire. It prevents the ignition of gas vapors in the engine compartment, keeping the back of the boat from departing without warning.

I've had three boats, One outboard, one I/O and one inboard. Watching you struggle with limited access brought back some serious PTSD. 😱

I felt your pain and triumph when you got it to run. Man how awesome was getting that broken bolt out. I would not thought it possible. Just goes to show what perseverance can do. Your brother owes you big time, fishing trip and beer come to mind. Cheers John from County Durham,England

An old mechanic told me this trick. A teaspoon of powdered laundry soap will clean up the cylinder pretty well. The best part of your video was the 10 minute joyride!

Your pain and frustration is our entertainment. The carb did have rust, so makes sense there was water there. Seriously, your troubleshooting is without equal. Thanks for taking us along.

That bolt removal is darn near a miracle.

By the way, that RUN OFF switch on the throttle assembly is actually meant for a dead man's lanyard, usually they're thrown in the glove box the day the boat is delivered and never seen again. The mercruiser style one is just a loop that gets stuck in there and if it's pulled out it flips the switch off.

One of the first videos of yours that I watched was the fixing of the little Johnson outboard. Been hooked ever since. You know plenty.

Nice save! FWIW, the "air filter" is actually a spark arrestor. That's also why there are marine rated alternators. They typically have a fine mesh screen over all the openings so that should there be any spark, it can't ignite any fuel/air mixture that might be in the bilge. That's why you run the bilge blower for 5 minutes before starting the engine. Boats going boom is a Bad Thing(tm). Lived on a houseboat for 10 years. Had two 350ci Mercruiser engines and outdrives, and a 10KW Onan generator. BOAT == Break Out Another Thousand.

A boat is a hole in the water that you pour money into. The only day that's better than the the day you buy it is the day you sell it.🍻

- You deserve to have a nice long ride on your pond. Tie down steering wheel tight left, idle a bit high, open up a six pack. - Hope your brother gives Whack A Mole a very good detailed cleaning and polishing. That’s a beautiful boat.

You can say you’re lucky but persistence pays big dividends sometimes. I like your willingness not to give up.

A 454-powered pleasure craft rumbling around a small pond is oddly satisfying.

Sorry dude, but the compressor "heart attack" was funny as hell. I know how it goes with that first hand. I love how you keep a video this length entertaining AND educational. Thanks for ALL the work you do. Watched all the way through.

Amazing. Looking at the rusty cylinders and valves I didn’t give that 454 hope to be anything other than a boat anchor. You know the best two days of a boat owner’s life… the day they get it… and the day they get rid of it 😂😂.

Man, I'm so glad you put that thing in the pond. I was so hoping you would. Made it all worth it. Great job. I thought you were screwed on that starter bolt.

the fact that you even consider if it's "worthy" makes you one of my top 3 yt'ers; quality is what we always get, and still uploading weekly; thanks for that man!

Heroic effort! About the time the empty shipping envelope came I think that I would have sold the boat and sent the money to my brother.

Dude the smile I had when you ACTUALLY put it in your pond! Fantastic job 👏

That sign of relief and astonishment when you realized the bolt was out was akin to man harnessing fire for the first time.

You: rock the boat. Me: spontaneous laughter. I’ve had many boats, big to small. That was a new one to me.

That was an incredible save!!!!! Still can't believe you got that bolt out! Great job and congrats!

“Don’t give up” will be your legacy John.. A very good one in these “throw away” days of our society.. Love your videos, and your attitude toward things! 🎉

I love the whispered “it’s actually working” when getting the stud out. Because god forbid that bolt hears you, it’ll break the easy out

Being “done” with 15 minutes of content left… I knew something good was coming. Watched the entire thing let ever ad run through except that one 12 minuter. Great content, Jon. One of those I wish I Could give two thumbs up

What a result. Goes to show what patience and endurance along with the resourcefulness of a clever engineer can achieve. As for the so-called 'boat mechanic'....

No boats, No RV's, No Exceptions.

It’s 2:30 AM Saturday morning in Tokyo and I can’t sleep.... enjoying watching John wrenching on a boat engine. Wishing I had a brother like him to assist with every sort of mechanical and electrical issues. Nice job!

You are an amazing and loving brother. I hope they name a child after you.

Now you get to do the bellows & the water pump impellar in the lower unit. I have 15 years experience. I love that you got the broken bolt out. AWESOME 🎉

I was a bit disappointed when you said that you couldn't test it out in your pond, because it's too small, but looks like you never disappoint! Great video as always

We used to have the same Chaparral! I think I know what happened... Water likely collected around the tarp in the engine basin due to leaks in the back seat and engine compartment. If it sat for several summer seasons, a hole in the tarp might not be the issue. The water likely evaporated and collected underneath the tarp, especially since the high point was atop the carburetor, providing a direct path to seep through and collect in the engine. Tell your brother not to cover the engine like that anymore and cover the back seat with a big ass tarp instead. Fixing that leak would also be smart too. Good work Jon!

If I were your “real” brother, I’d hand a “free and clear” title, to that boat, over to you for that amazing save on the boat. Most commercial shops, anywhere, would have looked inside those cylinders and said “you need a new engine”. Incredible save! (But we have it all on video, due to you having the patience of Jobe.)

Can’t NOT BELIEVE you got that bolt out! I do a lot of marine wrenching, I appreciate your job!

Through the early 2000's my daily driver was a '76 Impala Wagon with a 454 I got for the price of "get it started and get it off my lawn and it's yours." Dropped a new battery in it, and it fired up with 5 year old gas. Ran it for almost a decade, and found out the best maintenance was to "not". Just change the oil and filters a couple times a year and run it often. What a great engine, tons of power. Get out on the highway, and it would pass everything but a gas station. Sold it to a guy who pulled the engine for a power boat build - the body was rusted beyond bothering with by that point. Miss the sound of that thing firing up in the morning, but the nieghbours don't.

Great recovery Jon! You didn't mention the greatest frustration about working on boats is that you are climbing in and out of them every 2 minutes to go get another wrench or something. Wow what a hassle they are to work on. You persevered so Kudos to you dude.

This is one of the best videos I’ve seen on RU-vid. Even the wife watched it

I almost forgot what he was working on! Such dedication!, easily my favorite channel!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hey Jon, get yourself a 'Bump Cap' . A Baseball like cap with a hard plastic liner, good for thes kind of jobs and when working under vehicles up on your lift. Believe me I know, haha. Many thanks for ALL your always interesting videos, from UK.

Well, it’s not a Johnson, but…

That moment when it finally turned over.... Worth every head bonk from that corner I'll bet.

I gotta say John, I am so impressed with the outcome of this! Not to mention your patience and determination ☺️

Commitment and down-to-earth attitude are truly inspiring. Keep it up.

The subtle innuendo in Jon’s commentary makes his videos that much better! Thanks for the random chuckles.

Jon you are simply amazing for sticking with it. And simply amazing that it runs so good! But, if I was your brother, I would SELL IT and split the proceeds with you.

I am shocked - but it was a 454 after all. One of the best engines in its day.

Compressor "heart attack" - 😂I think many of us know that feeling all to well. Not to mention working in crazy positions to loosen a bolt. Great video - again!

Try using a Pool Noodle to cover your head-knocking point the next time you work on a boat. Split it and put it over the edge...and walla, head protection for your noodle.

You have what in the Bible is called "the patience of Job" ..... very rare and makes for an unbelievable video. Needless to say ... your brother OWES you big time !!

I reckon this qualifies as a pretty fair example of - Brotherly Love!

Your patience and tenacity Is so much more than the average person and the key to your success. Not to mention your mechanical flow of rational problem solving, near genius. Keep up the good work, your a pleasure to watch. I can't wait for the next video. Thanks, Chip

1 hour and 43 minutes...you just made my entire friday evening. Thank you Jon

I felt that! That was a well-deserved "YES"!

You need to buy a freakin' lottery ticket my friend!!!! I would have pulled the engine long before the transmission fluid...you are a real trooper!!

You have seriously impressive trouble shooting skills…..and the determination of a competitive athlete with the patience of a saint. I enjoy your videos immensely.

Id be surprised if a mechanic would try that hard for a customer but maybe a few rare ones. That was dedication 👏

Jon is a methodical, lucky, genius!

I still think your name is Job instead of Jon. You sure do have an abundance of patience. The things we do for our brother. Keep on making these superb videos which are very entertaining. I always look forward for a new download from you.

I really admire your tenacity and how you never seem to get upset even at the most frustrating things. That is an amazing quality. One of my favorite channels that I watch religiously.

There is no greater feeling then seeing the easy-out back out with bolt intact. Great work. Cheers.

I’m an auto mechanic, if I had an engine like this come into the shop, I would have priced a new engine. Unfortunately shop prices and time in the stall would exceed the value of the boat. If it was a project for me personally and I had no time constraints like I do at the shop I would give it a go to try to start it if the engine became un-seized. One thing that I noticed during diagnostics with the starter is, you didn’t do a voltage drop on the ground like you did the positive side. When ever I have a suspected starter issue with slow crank, got to check battery first, then voltage drops on positive and negative. Good job finding it though! Love the content keep it coming!

57:00 the dog is now sick of my screaming "The Center Screw!!!"

Old chevys never die....keep up your good work John.. its amazing.

Well done Jon. You made me laugh, you made me cry, and it even had a happy ending. Your brothers owes you big time.

Putting it in the pond was perfect 🤣I was hoping you was going to do that. I know I would have no doubt.

Outstanding work John , so frustrating, I would have given up. Nice to see the seals weren’t harmed again.😂. Your brother should be very thankful

Your brother is lucky to have you😊

Jon is like that kid you told NO and he kept doing it anyway, LoL. You sir are relentless, that was a lot of hard work, excellent diagnosing and once again, an amazing video.

You're a patient man. Any sane person would have given up when seeing the scope of the cylinders. I am truly impressed. Well done.

You are now a qualified marine mechanic, the same as I was in the 1970's

Heck yeah Jon nice to hear that 454 Big Block running oh how sweet the sound is 1:29:01 @FarmCraft101

I don't know how many times I used another 4-letter word. Locked up, rusted cylinders, carburetor, bolt, no spark, etc. It was an impossible ask that you totally nailed! Always appreciate the Frankenstein tools. The ups and downs...this video had it all!!