Do not trust single plug or 3 plug systems

[Searay240sd]

Just wanting to give some advice. Do not trust that all the water drained out of the block. Disconnect the hoses going to the block and poke them. I just winterize my boat and the one drain was completely clogged.

 

[Bt Doctur]

That the reason I remove that system and use regular plugs

 

[achris]

Just wanting to give some advice. Do not trust that all the water drained out of the block. Disconnect the hoses going to the block and poke them. I just winterize my boat and the one drain was completely clogged.

Often called the 'one tap crack' system.... And yes, completely agree, do not trust it. Pull the hoses and poke the holes.. Not optional, imperative!

Chris....

 

[Scott Danforth]

Pull the system off and go back to plugs

 

[Lou C]

And use the nice metal plugs that Merc used to use and Volvo still does, instead of another bad idea by Merc, a plastic drain plug that breaks off and causes grief, for no reason. I have those brass plugs in my old boat raw water cooled in salt water and I have never had trouble getting one out. Get a set of those picks sold at Harbor Freight for winterizing, they are good for poking out holes and getting off stubborn hoses.

 

[achris]

Wow. Seeing so much on the forum the last few days that's making me cringe...

Incorrect winterizing procedures (one moron even tried to tell me an engine has 8 water jackets :facepalm
People disconnecting chokes because they don't know how to adjust them correctly.
Recommendations to remove a perfectly good plug and fit a metal one, because the plastic ones 'break'. Yeah, they do that when you crank the living b-jesus out of them!

Guys, just listen to yourselves... The people who design and build this stuff have DECADES more experience at it that any of us. They don't get it that wrong! Stand back, look at the situation, and fix the machine, don't try to redesign it....

Chris...

 

[achris]

Those plastic plugs only need a couple of INCH pounds of torque... Not a 300lb gorilla hanging off the end of a 3 foot cheater bar... Lightly finger tight... No more!

It's the rubber sealing washer that does the work of sealing, not the torque on the threads....

In over 30 years of working on dozens of boats I haven't broken any of those plugs, not one! Why? Because I understand how they work....

Chris....

 

[Bt Doctur]

Me neither just snug with a bit of lube, just make sure the O ring is there because no amount of tightening will seal it without the O ring. The people who design and build this stuff have DECADES more experience ,maybe but no practical field experiance

 

[Walt T]

I agree wholeheartedly you MUST poke the block drains. Plastic plugs just need to be snugged by hand so they can be easily removed. It's cranking them down that makes them break next time.

 

[harringtondav]

:behindsofa: Whew! There's a good chance I'll buy a new boat before I go toes up. Twofootitus, etc. And it will be a Merc. 4.5, with it's notorious single point drain. I just hope some of you have come up with a workaround back to multipoint draining before I have to. I've noticed Merc is offering a 5 yr warranty (in lieu of their std, worthless 1 yr warranty) on 'select boat models'. I'm thinking their assumed market for this thing may be a little soft.

 

[achris]

... And it will be a Merc. 4.5, .... I've noticed Merc is offering a 5 yr warranty (in lieu of their std, worthless 1 yr warranty) on 'select boat models'. I'm thinking their assumed market for this thing may be a little soft.

Yeah, Merc's history on producing the engine side of a sterndrive package isn't great... 470. :facepalm:

 

[harringtondav]

Yeah, Merc's history on producing the engine side of a sterndrive package isn't great... 470. :facepalm:

It's a bummer. The 4.3 and 5.7 were rock solid with regular maintenance and sensible use. If it ain't broken.... Volvo Penta's V6-2xx/SX drives would give me the GM 4.3. But I'm fully invested in Merc. Alpha tools and knowledge. That drive is also rock solid, and the drive is where any of my maintenance issues have lived...mostly self inflicted.

Tough choice. I'll wait it out. Maybe Merc will eventually come to their senses, or prove themselves.

 

[achris]

It's a bummer. The 4.3 and 5.7 were rock solid with regular maintenance and sensible use. If it ain't broken.... Volvo Penta's V6-2xx/SX drives would give me the GM 4.3. But I'm fully invested in Merc. Alpha tools and knowledge. That drive is also rock solid, and the drive is where any of my maintenance issues have lived...mostly self inflicted.

Tough choice. I'll wait it out. Maybe Merc will eventually come to their senses, or prove themselves.

It's not about Merc and their 'sensibilities'... GM have stopped making that engine.... in early 2014... GM are now producing an all aluminum 4.3 (heads and block), but to use that in a marine environment would mean mandatory closed cooling, and that adds a lot of cost... I guess Merc figured it might price them out of that engine size market and allow Volvo to get a better foothold...

Any cast iron 4.3 being sold 'new' is now 'old stock'. And as Merc outsell Volvo by about 3:1, it's likely Merc ran out of stockpiled 4.3s before Volvo did... It's also possible that Volvo have moved to using the all ali engine. :noidea:

Don't worry, I'm in the same 'boat' as you... All my knowledge is with Merc, and when I need a new engine, it will not be the 4.5... Not EVER! Likely I'll buy a reman'd 4.3 long block and just transfer all the goodies.

Chris.........

 

[achris]

...... It's also possible that Volvo have moved to using the all ali engine. :noidea:.........

Yep.... :facepalm:

 

[Walt T]

Nothing wrong with the closed system

 

[achris]

Nothing wrong with the closed system

Completely agree. Had a closed system on my previous engine. Still kicking myself for letting the dealer who I bought the MPI from talk me out of a closed system on this engine...