My block is drained, right?

[nola mike]

On a roll yesterday. Once again drained my neighbor's VP (I'm waiting for it to freeze so I'll get the boat for cheap...). Changed my oil in the fall! Also drained my 4.3, and didn't get a drop out of the starboard block drain. It was the last drain and I for sure got in there with a wire. PS cooler also drained by that point, I don't remember about the T-stat hose. The port side needed poked before continuing to drain. The boat is listing slightly to port, so guessing that's the reason. Anything to worry about?

 

[Scott Danforth]

how far in did you push the wire. there is usually a layer of sand/gravel/rust/dead fish in the bottom of the water jackets that you have to break up to get water out the drain plugs.

 

[nola mike]

how far in did you push the wire. there is usually a layer of sand/gravel/rust/dead fish in the bottom of the water jackets that you have to break up to get water out the drain plugs.

Naw, it was in there a few inches, wiggled around, repeated a few times. Felt like I hit the back wall of the water jacket. The other side had a bit of sediment that didn't take much effort to poke out.

 

[racerone]

Water MUST come out.----Assuming it is drained can cost many beer tokens.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Mike, do you have a portable air tank? sometimes you can blow air into the port to clear out the debris

the cylinder wall is only about 3/4" into the drain port. a bent wire can be fed in and turned. dont think I ever had a motor that didnt drain by probing with a wire.

 

[Chris1956]

Crap, dump some full-strength antifreeze into the block and manifold hoses and watch for it to emerge from the drains. It will push out any residual water.

 

[Scott06]

Naw, it was in there a few inches, wiggled around, repeated a few times. Felt like I hit the back wall of the water jacket. The other side had a bit of sediment that didn't take much effort to poke out.

you can always pour some AF in the thermo and it will come out the block drains eventually. After I drain mine then put the plugs back in, take off the hose coming up from the outdrive (at therm hsg), I have a short piece of old cut off radiator hose that has a 90 in it so it points up easy to back fill the block if you want. I just use about a gallon to back flush out the outdrive and get any residual in the block.

 

[Lou C]

I don't think this is your problem but some 4.3s like mine that originally came with the large Delco direct drive starter had a 90* fitting on that side to clear the starter. Not needed with the smaller PMGR starters. Mine still has it because I didn't want to chance breaking it by trying to remove it but I got it to drain, by using a few different picks with angled tips on them. It took some digging but now it drains without even have to rod it out, which you should do anyway. Not sure if it helps but I do put in AF with corrosion inhibitors every winter. Last time I did it (about a week ago) both just drained without even poking. Then when I poured in the AF, I measured the strength with an antifreeze refractometer and it was at -25*F which is what I mixed it at.

Here's a pic, maybe it's just an OMC thing, not sure of Merc used these.
if using AF, definitely get one of these, it can really save you from having a BIG problem, much better than the crappy parts store ones! Plus it can be used for EG or PG.

 

[Lou C]

head over to horror fright and get a set of these.....