A little bit annoyed

[Ace52]

Re: A little bit annoyed

Thanks for all the responses i have the 4.3 Merc my owners manual came in the mail today so i plan to read through it thourgally and get this water drained today.

 

[sickwilly]

Re: A little bit annoyed

Cool -- remember to get a piece of wire or small screw driver and probe into the holes where you remove the drain plugs. Also, watch for the little rubber o-rings on the blue freeze plugs -- mine like to fall off.

 

[BRG25]

Re: A little bit annoyed

I am assuming you have not had it in the water this season yet? If you have not I would not worry about it.. It really needs to be below freezing for 2-3 days/nights in a row for any freeze damage to occur and with there being no water in the motor one night of below freezing temps will not hurt it at all....

This advice is just plain wrong. Just drain the motor...it's very easy. These are the instructions for my 2000 4.3L.

 

[pine island fred]

Re: A little bit annoyed

I agree with draining it, nothing wrong with that. Would go a step further and put a shielded drop light in the engine compartment just in case you missed something. You have the boat at home right? Would not use a space heater. FRED

 

[ziggy]

Re: A little bit annoyed

Would go a step further and put a shielded drop light in the engine compartment just in case you missed something.

assuming ya wire poked it (the drain holes) and got 'most' of the water out. like all but the last little bit. i disagree with the light trick. break a bulb and it could be the spark (ign. source) that sets off the bomb (if fuel fumes are available). + with all but the last little bit of water out. what little is left would have room to expand if it did freeze. thus not breaking anything.

that's the way i understand it anyways..

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: A little bit annoyed

you are right on the money ziggy.... go over the procedure 3 or 4 times if you need too.... don't put the plugs back in but just read over again to make sure you didn't miss anything.... a few times and you will likely not need the book next time.. .... Get a small bottle or plastic box to put all of your plugs in and put it in the glove box or storage area or in your tackle box...... That way there is never any question on whether you did it or not.... plugs out safe.... plugs in better not get cold

 

[madurodave]

Re: A little bit annoyed

be sure all the water is out. I drained mine per the instruction and didn't get all the water out. I wasn't satisfied the right side of the block had drained all the water do I poked a wire in and out, still no water. I fired up the compressor and shot a little air (maybe 15psi) into it, and out came another 3/4 gallon.

better safe than sorry...drain it. it's too simple not to.

 

[Ace52]

Re: A little bit annoyed

This advice is just plain wrong. Just drain the motor...it's very easy. These are the instructions for my 2000 4.3L.

Thanks for this pic it kinda helped i got all 4 blue plugs removed and im keeping them on board in the cup hold with my other plugs. my thoughts are if i keep them out and for some odd chance i didn't get all the water out the ice now has room to expand outwards


I just want to clarify that the 4.3 only 4 blue plugs right??? b/c i surely couldn't find a 5th

also where is the adults only section everyone keeps talking about b/c i can't find it any where on this site, do i need a certain amount of post to view it?

 

[Philster]

Re: A little bit annoyed

"Adults Only" is merely a locked topic at the top of the page. It looks just like the thread/topic you started in this section of the forums, except it is locked and near the top.

Here is the link:

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=288430

 

[Ace52]

Re: A little bit annoyed

"Adults Only" is merely a locked topic at the top of the page. It looks just like the thread/topic you started in this section of the forums, except it is locked and near the top.

Here is the link:

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=288430

oh wow, didn't even see those lol

 

[BRG25]

Re: A little bit annoyed

On my engine there are 5 drain plugs. I think the one labeled 'b' at the top wasn't obvious and I had to stand on my head and reach up to get at it.

 

[sickwilly]

Re: A little bit annoyed

My 2004 4.3 has a 5th -- if you are facing the back of the boat, its on the front of the engine, left hand side, kind of to the side of the water separating fuel filter in a brass T.

 

[Ace52]

Re: A little bit annoyed

hmm im doing some research online and from what i have found the this year only has 4

my boat is labeled as a 1998 which means it was actually released in 1997 and from what i've found online i only have 4 i even took a mirror and searched all over the place looking for a 5th but never found it

so does anyone know if Merc changed their engine layouts in the later years maybe?

 

[Bondo]

Re: A little bit annoyed

my boat is labeled as a 1998 which means it was actually released in 1997 and from what i've found online i only have 4 i even took a mirror and searched all over the place looking for a 5th but never found it

Ayuh,... Do you have a Fuel Cooler,..?? That should have 1...
Do you have P/Steering,..?? It's Cooler should have 1..

Otherwise, Pull the 4 you found, the Big hose off the circulating pump,+ 1 of the Big hoses off the P/S Cooler, if so equiped...
And you're Good to go....

 

[Ace52]

Re: A little bit annoyed

^^ ya i did pull the hoses and all 4 that i found