freeze damaged 454

[stufred]

Ok,,, quite the task at hand I thinks. I have a mercruiser 454 that was not winterized and it froze. I cautiously hooked the muffs up and muffs pump water out the dipstick which is never good. I drained all the water and oil and refilled the case with oil. Breifly, without water, the motor cranked and started right up and oil PSI read normal, I shut it right down to minimize water impeller damage. I know I have a leak in the cooling system/jacket. Can anyone offer advise on what I should do? remove the engine? check the heads? Where do I start and where can I get instructions/proceedures for correct wrenching.. Is there a diagnostic proceedure to find out if this is repairable? Do I yank the motor and trash it? Any help is appreciated.. S

 

[Haut Medoc]

Re: freeze damaged 454

Welcome to iboats.......
Drain the block, plug off the water hoses & pressurize it & listen-......
You will hear the crack/leak......
Frankly, if the dipstick shoots out water while on the muffs, I'd say it was toast......​

 

[stufred]

Re: freeze damaged 454

does that mean yank the motor and start shopping for a block? I have welded tractor blocks before with external freeze caused cracks. Is this possible or should I not waste my time with the 454 block? Thanks !!!!

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: freeze damaged 454

454's like to crack on the inside....right next to the push-rods.

Pressure it up and see if it will hold pressure. You could pull the intake manifold and look.

If the block is in fact cracked, you'll be replacing the engine. This ain't no tractor!


Sorry,



Rick

 

[Haut Medoc]

Re: freeze damaged 454

Well, you will need to at least start to diassemble it & see what is cracked.....
JB weld can work on external cracks, too.....
But yours is internal......
& those are not generally repairable......
By the time you yank the manifolds, intake & heads, you might as well pull the engine.....
I'd either look into a rebuilt or get an old suburban with low miles & use that engine.....IMHO........​

 

[stufred]

Re: freeze damaged 454

Yeah, at least with the tractor you can stand on terra firma.... I hate trying to work in the hole. can't see crap and always fearfull I am gonna fall in the engine bay. In any case it would seem to me alot easier at this point to just pull the engine and look at it on level ground. Can anyone suggest where I can find detailed instructions on the correct proceedures for engine removal? I keep googling and all I find is manuals for sale.. There has got to be a detailed guide somewhere as I imagine this removal happens often. I don't want to do something wrong>> Thanks

 

[tommays]

Re: freeze damaged 454

There has got to be a detailed guide somewhere



That is what the drive and motor and install manuals are for




Tommays

 

[Haut Medoc]

Re: freeze damaged 454

http://www.boatfix.com/merc/mainmenu.pdf
Manual 16 should be helpful....
Click on the lettered sections on page seven to download the section you want to view......

 

[stufred]

Re: freeze damaged 454

Thanks guys! At least I am moving in some direction. I did find the intallation instructions for the OEM installation of the engine and drive unit that the boat hull manufacturer used. I assume I can just reverse the directions to get the motor out. This will be todays work as I have yet to find detailed engine removal instuctions online.. It must not be that complicated or there would be more detail. Anyone have a link?
Anyways. I removed the carb and intake manifold last night and there were no visable leaks in the topside of the block. I left the muffs on and I am still getting water out of the dipstick tube. I used a remote cam and could not see any probs with the freeze plugs or external cracks. Assuming no block crack under the intake mani. Where is the next logical place to look? Generally the water is in the lower sections of the block when it freezes so I would not think I should need to check the head gaskets. Additional suggestions are helpful at this point. I beleive if no other topside visable point can be checked I will have to yank the block and do a rebuild. The point of the water leaking into the block is still a mystery to me.. I am still holding out hope to find a the crack or rupture in the block and get out my tig and nickle wire. Thanks, Stu

 

[stufred]

Re: freeze damaged 454

I am just perplexed as to how this darn water is getting in the block.. Has anyone ever had the oil cooler freeze and rupture inside and feed water in that way? I am pulling the lines off the cooler and checking it out.. Stu

 

[DreamBoater]

Re: freeze damaged 454

since it froze you may have cracked the lower part of one of the cylinders and if thats the case you might be able to sleeve it for a lot less than replacing the whole motor. Either way you really should pull the motor and tear it down to find the leak, mush easier on level ground like others have said. Not sure how many hours on the motor but this would also be a good time to take a look at your bearings and such and replace accordingly. Just my 2 cents woth good luck with it.
Scott

 

[stufred]

Re: freeze damaged 454

thanks, yeah,,,, I thought of the sleeve but the motor runs and sounds fine and generally any portion of a sleeve damaged will cause a knock or worse. Same goes for the head gasket... I removed the outdrive, water pump system and the v-belt from the engine water pump and have run the engine for almost an hour total with normal oil pressure and no pings, knocks or rattles. I am currently working on removing that darned oil cooler but I get dizzy being upside down and have to take frequent breaks.. Logically tho, I would not have oil pressure if there were a leak in the cooler,,, HMMM! You could be right, could be the bottom of a sleeve cracked out...wish I could pull the pan and take a gander,,, eh well... Stu

 

[riverjet502]

Re: freeze damaged 454

Like others have said, just pull it.... Then if you can't see a crack have it checked at a machine shop. If it were me I would yank it... Inform the wifey unit that the block it toast and need to get another one. Then secretly drop a 502 in!! Problem solved....If your 454 uses the peanut port heads, I'd upgrade those as well..... seriouly pull the motor you will make it so much easier to work on....Good Luck.....

 

[stufred]

Re: freeze damaged 454

Thanks,,,
used the forklift and yanked the motor,, pretty easy after all my fretting.. Thanks guys for the moral support as I prob would have not attempted without your causual support... The wifey is skeered to death in the boat as it is at major throttle, so I don't think a larger motor would be a worthwhile investment. I am heading home for a cocktail and will get the motor mounted up, flipped and deskirted in the AM. Stu

 

[riverjet502]

Re: freeze damaged 454

First time I pulled my engine I used some antique power.... I made a hoist to bolt onto my loader A arm....Used one toy to fix another...


Shot at 2007-08-16

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: freeze damaged 454

Stu,

I think it'll be pretty clear what's going on once you get the intake manifold off.




Cheers,



Rick

Thanks,,,
used the forklift and yanked the motor,, pretty easy after all my fretting.. Thanks guys for the moral support as I prob would have not attempted without your causual support... The wifey is skeered to death in the boat as it is at major throttle, so I don't think a larger motor would be a worthwhile investment. I am heading home for a cocktail and will get the motor mounted up, flipped and deskirted in the AM. Stu