5.0L water leak from rear of engine.

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Mar 18, 2006
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OK fellas I need some help!!<br /> I have a 1988 Celebrity 190v 5.0L I/O. I have only had her out 3 times, and every time I go out I have a lot of water in the bilge. This time I let her idle with the engine cover off, after noticing the water AGAIN. I can see water coming from behind the engine. I dont know how the water travels in and out of the cooling system, so can someone lead me in the right direction PLEASE!!. I want to be able to take her out on Lake Michigan soon, and there is no way that I will go with this problem. Maybe the collector? :eek: :( Thanks for whatever y'all got.
 

Don S

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Re: 5.0L water leak from rear of engine.

There are a LOT of different items "Behind the engine" that can be leaking water into the boat. One of the most common on older boats is the ujoint bellows. When it leaks, it allows water to come into the boat through the gimbal bearing and washing out the grease. Water also gets into the ujoints, and the drive. Trust me, water is not a good substitute for gear oil and grease.<br />Find the leak fast before you use the boat again. The repairs NEVER get less expensive.
 
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Re: 5.0L water leak from rear of engine.

Don if that was the problem, where would the leak be coming from? This seems to be coming from the center about 3 to 4 inches away from the trasom. How would ya fix it? Does the engine need to be pulled? When I bought the boat I picked it up from being dewinterized, and the tech said there was no water in the outdrive and lower end.
 

Don S

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Re: 5.0L water leak from rear of engine.

I can't tell you where the leak is coming from because I don't have a clue to what you have. Mercruiser, Volvo, OMC, ???????
 
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Re: 5.0L water leak from rear of engine.

Im sorry, Mercrusier 1988 5.0L AlfaOne 200HP I dont know what generation, How can I find out (if it matters)?
 
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Re: 5.0L water leak from rear of engine.

Oh and as a side note do ya like the 41' Islander better than the trawler? If I ever win the lottery(LOL) I would like a 100' Ketch. Just a dream though.
 

Bt Doctur

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Re: 5.0L water leak from rear of engine.

freeze out plug at the rear of the engine, cracked block/manifold/riser, missing drain plug.water inlet hose.
 

Don S

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Re: 5.0L water leak from rear of engine.

The Alpha I's were 1990 and earlier, the Alpha I Gen II's are 91 and newer.<br />Both are basically the same. You could have the ujoint bellows leaking, or even the shift bellows leaking. You just need to get in there with mirrors, flashlights and even a little talcum powder to see exactly where the leak is coming from.<br />Here is a link to the Mercruiser Service manual in .pdf format. Just run your cursor over the page to find the links.<br /><br />The Islander was a FANTASTIC boat. Wish I had her back. That is me (aka the Captain) on deck handling sails, the Admiral (aka Wife) is at the helm. We are crossing Rosario Straight headed for the San Juan Islands with friends. <br /><br />
Solitudesmall.jpg
 
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Re: 5.0L water leak from rear of engine.

Drain plug...in, Cracked block... no water in oil. This is not coming from the block this is away from engine, but also away from transom. So must be a part that lays between the two. Thats where my inexperiance starts kickin in. ;)
 
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Re: 5.0L water leak from rear of engine.

Sweet, Maybe someday I'll get my Admiral, to let me get a bigger fleet. :) No Link was put into last post ;)
 
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Re: 5.0L water leak from rear of engine.

OK Don I think I got it. I will have to wait untill I take her out again to be sure. But with the rabbit ears in place, I ran her and found that the rubber fitting, connecting the riser to the exhaust pipe was a bit lose. I found all water hoses to be a bit lose also. And I see no more leakage in the driveway at home. The real test will be in the water, I know. But I feel a lot better knowing that the leak I seen has stoped :) Thanks for everything Don you have been a big help getting her ready for the Big Lake. Have a great one.
 

Don S

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Re: 5.0L water leak from rear of engine.

Don't forget, the bellows will not leak water into the boat while it's in your driveway. It only leaks when under water.<br />I would pull the drive and check for water in the bellows. If it's not completely dry, you have a problem.
 

DayCruiser

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Re: 5.0L water leak from rear of engine.

A leaking bellows sank my boat in 2 days. Ran down the pump. So listen to Don and get it checked out fast. Inexpensive repair compared to a water logged boat!
 
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