Chances of Engine block cracking?

[cantaris]

Ok so I goofed up and waited too late to drain raw water engine. Actually it wasn't too late but... I have a Merc 165 GM L6 inline 6 mid 70s, cast iron. The problem that I have is that opned the drain plugs to drain but the boat is sitting bow low and I could not jack it up high enough to get all of the water out. It dropped below freezing that night and has been since then( aweek ago). What are the chances of the engine block surving? I would guess that 80-90% of the water was drained. I am thinking of repowering with v8 and out drive but do not know how hard it is to do. Thanks for any advice.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Chances of Engine block cracking?

I would guess that 80-90% of the water was drained.

Ayuh,...

The motor doesn't care has much as the hull does, as to the Angle,...

If you got 90% of the water Out of the Block,+ Manifold,...
I'd give it a solid 90/ 95% Chance of survival......

50/50 for 75% of the water,+ the Odds drop rather Quickly after that.....

Good Luck.....

 

[HVSTRINE]

Re: Chances of Engine block cracking?

You still have a fair chance in my opinion of the block being OK. I would definitely put a space heater or at least strong light bulb in there and button it up good. Make sure the heat can get to the engine. I took my doghouse off and got a little 700 watt heater and am keeping it under the cover until our global warming reappears. I also made sure that there is nothing close to the front of the heater that could catch fire. I definitely would NOT try starting the engine until you are sure it is thawed out.

 

[Don S]

Re: Chances of Engine block cracking?

Everyone can guess all they want, but if it's raw water cooled, the only way to know for sure is to start it up and run it for a while and see what happens. If water leaks into the bilge, the block or manifolds are creacked,
If you get milky oil after a short run. The block is cracked internally and you need a new block.
If after a day water is on a piston or two, well, you probably need a new manifold or riser.
And you thought it would be a yes or no question/answer ............. right????

 

[happycamper]

Re: Chances of Engine block cracking?

Since you did open the drain plugs, I'm confident that your are OK. As Don said, the only way to know would be to start it up and run it. I would be anxious to do that ASAP to know for sure if it survived.

I froze my motor 3.0L 8 years ago without opening the drain plugs. I was lucky becaue the the freeze plugs popped out and I had no damage.

Good Luck

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: Chances of Engine block cracking?

Ok so I goofed up and waited too late to drain raw water engine. Actually it wasn't too late but... I have a Merc 165 GM L6 inline 6 mid 70s, cast iron. The problem that I have is that opned the drain plugs to drain but the boat is sitting bow low and I could not jack it up high enough to get all of the water out. It dropped below freezing that night and has been since then( aweek ago). What are the chances of the engine block surving? I would guess that 80-90% of the water was drained. I am thinking of repowering with v8 and out drive but do not know how hard it is to do. Thanks for any advice.

I went to a local truck/pickup wrecking yard not too long ago, and they had more than 20 230/250/292 6's sitting on the shelves. http://www.waltandverns.com/

So the good news is that you can replace it fairly easily.

It was 15*F here this morning and has been about that cold every morning for the last week on and off. If you had it outside and it has enough water still in the block, There's a good chance that it has already cracked. It doesn't have to be full of water.


sorry about that.

 

[Surfdancer]

Re: Chances of Engine block cracking?

Sometimes the block survives a freeze, but the head fails. I bought a 1976 Starcraft American 18 last year that had suffered that fate. The block had heaved a freeze plug, but the freeze plugs on the head were intact. After getting it started, I got the dreaded motor milkshake. "Pancake batter" started hissing out of the oil fill / breather cap - that was the telltale sign that I had an internal water / oil separation failure.

The freezing caused the casting on one of the heads to fail, beneath two of the valve rocker stud mounts. See photo below...

Bottom line of this story is that blocks can survive, but other parts can fail if cooling water remains in the engine during a freeze.

 

[chiefalen]

Re: Chances of Engine block cracking?

Why are you waisting time posting and not pouring ani-freeze down the hose into the block and manifold ?

Pull the top part of the u hose and pour a half gallon of anti-freeze in. Stick a funnel in the hole or a small hose on and pour thru that.

You will see it come out the manifold plug and the block plug.

Than pull the t-stat long hose at the t-stat hold it high and pour some till it comes out the drive.

The drive is all the way down correct ?

And wait till spring maybe just maybe you will alright,BUT DO IT TODAY, NOW !

 

[a70eliminator]

Re: Chances of Engine block cracking?

Probably because it's only 19 degrees outside besides antifreeze isn't going to melt the ice. If there's any damage it's already done.

 

[chiefalen]

Re: Chances of Engine block cracking?

Is this more of a thread on giving you advice on changing out to a larger motor ???

Because you posted you were thinking of doing that ?

And it ain't gonna hurt to do what i first posted to do. No matter what anyone else posts.

I drain, and pour anti-freeze in in just in case theres a low spot and water is laying in it.

I still think you will be alright next spring,we will see, one way or the other.

 

[cantaris]

Re: Chances of Engine block cracking?

Is this more of a thread on giving you advice on changing out to a larger motor ???

Because you posted you were thinking of doing that ?

And it ain't gonna hurt to do what i first posted to do. No matter what anyone else posts.

I drain, and pour anti-freeze in in just in case theres a low spot and water is laying in it.

I still think you will be alright next spring,we will see, one way or the other.

I was just asking if there are any chances of the block/accessories surviving with a little water in them. When I drained the water last Friday the temp dropped to below freezing that night and has been below freezing for a week now. So if there is going to be damage , it has probably happened already. As far as repowering, I was under the under standing that the 165 was underpowered for a 24 foot FG boat. I was originally going to go with the 165 for a couple ofyears and then maybe repower. I was going to rebuild it. But if the chances of it not surviving the freeze arehigh then I am going to go ahead and lok at repowering to a v8 and changing everything out. I just need to be able to make my plans accordingly($$)
Engine has to come out anyway for transom rebuild. Just hate to rebuild and find out it is cracked.

 

[a70eliminator]

Re: Chances of Engine block cracking?

Ice has more mass than water, if the glaciers melted the oceans would recede, in other words ice takes up more space than water, the residual water in your block will have somewhere to grow as it freezes, if your block was full of water there would be nowhere for it to grow resulting in enough pressure cause cracking, I think your block will survive just fine.

 

[chiefalen]

Re: Chances of Engine block cracking?

I would be surprised that boat gets on plane. Yes way underpowered.

A nice 350 vortec out of a truck would be the ticket but than the drive will need different gears or a used drive.

Now this is my opinion you just have to have that hull ?

Than a donor boat with the package you want and move everything over and sell the package in it piece it out.

Or dump that boat, and buy something with the package you want in it.

Sorry the truth is brutal, but would you rather i bs ya ?

 

[HVSTRINE]

Re: Chances of Engine block cracking?

, I think your block will survive just fine.[/QUOTE]
I agree. Growing up in Mi. I knew several people who almost froze up their engine blocks. But if you catch it and remove the danger(get some heat to it ) your chances are good that it will survive. Especially if you left some room for the ice to expand. But don't try starting it until you KNOW there is no ice inside. Otherwise you risk pushing a chunk of that ice right through or at least cracking something. I also saw that happen. I'm not sure about the pour anti-freeze on top of it now advice. Probably couldn't hurt.

 

[Don S]

Re: Chances of Engine block cracking?

I'm not sure about the pour anti-freeze on top of it now advice. Probably couldn't hurt.

Pouring antifreeze on top of ice will do nothing. Even if it melts and is water, just pouring antifreeze ontop of water will not mix it.

 

[wallydc2]

Re: Chances of Engine block cracking?

Ice has more mass than water, if the glaciers melted the oceans would recede, in other words ice takes up more space than water, the residual water in your block will have somewhere to grow as it freezes, if your block was full of water there would be nowhere for it to grow resulting in enough pressure cause cracking, I think your block will survive just fine.

(Do you mean the oceans would expand if the glaciers melted?)

 

[Bondo]

Re: Chances of Engine block cracking?

Quote:
Originally Posted by a70eliminator
Ice has more mass than water, if the glaciers melted the oceans would recede, in other words ice takes up more space than water, the residual water in your block will have somewhere to grow as it freezes, if your block was full of water there would be nowhere for it to grow resulting in enough pressure cause cracking, I think your block will survive just fine.

(Do you mean the oceans would expand if the glaciers melted?)

Ayuh,....

This is the I/O,+ Motors forum,....

There's a Global Warming thread simmering down in the cellar,...

Glaciers are Not motors, nor I/Os..... Take it to Dockside Chat....

 

[cantaris]

Re: Chances of Engine block cracking?

Just curious. Has any tried to use magnetic engine heaters like you use on your cars and plugin?

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: Chances of Engine block cracking?

There have been people that have used them successfully. same with lightbulbs, space heaters, and other devices.

They're a problem when something in the device (like the T-stat in the space heater) creates a spark. If there's fuel vapor present: "boom" (!) Light bulbs too.......sometimes critters get in the socket and ZAP....

block heaters will work to some degree (sometimes they don't protect the oil/power steering coolers well) but you have the problem of the power going off/out or someone pulling the plug, the GFI/CB tripping or a critter chewing the cord etc....at the wrong time. (usually when the weather is really bad (and maybe cold) in the middle of the night. By the time you figger it out it's a little too late.