How likely is a cracked block? 3.0LX

[Chaps]

A neighbor wants to give me a boat he has not run in 5 years. It is a '95 Glastron with a 4 cyl Mercruiser 3.0LX with an Alpha1 outdrive (extremely low hours). The boat was never winterized, block was never drained. I am in the Seattle area, we typically get one or two weeks of night temps in the mid 20's every winter. Besides all of the other maintenance issues that need to be addressed, what are the chances that the block may be cracked? Is there a way to easily tell? <br />I have not had the opportunity to try and run the engine due to a bad starter motor. I can turn the crankshaft by gently prying the ring gear with a screwdriver so I know the internals are not seized up.<br />Just wondering if I'm throwing good money after bad by buying a starter motor for this rig. Boat is in great cosmetic shape.

 

[trog100]

Re: How likely is a cracked block? 3.0LX

take apart the starter and clean it up.. free the brushes off and it will probably be okay.. is there any water still in the thing..??<br /><br />trog100

 

[Chaps]

Re: How likely is a cracked block? 3.0LX

Yes, there is still water in the engine as I found out when I took the brass plug out of the block. I took the starter partially apart, it's a gear reduction type. The shaft coming out of the motor section is frozen/seized and I decided it wasn't worth messing with. Should I take it totally apart & attempt to rejuvenate it? I might have to put it in a bucket of solvent . . .

 

[tommays]

Re: How likely is a cracked block? 3.0LX

it would be an act of god if and undrained block and manfold did not crack after after two weeks of 20 deg weather<br /><br /><br />tommays

 

[Don S]

Re: How likely is a cracked block? 3.0LX

I know for a fact that in the last 5 years that area has seen a lot of winter temps below 20°. I would say you have about a 99.9% chance of things cracked and broken. Now if it's raw water cooled and was in salt water, that might be a different story as the salt water has to be a little colder and longer at the low temps to break things. But after 5 years, like Tom said, it would be an act of god that it wasn't cracked.<br />The best thing to do is block off all the water passages to the block and pressure check the cooling system side of the block. If that is ok, then all you have to worry about is the manifold.

 

[flashback]

Re: How likely is a cracked block? 3.0LX

If its a freebee, take it, if you like working on boats.. like the folk said above, if the engine isn't trashed, the Pope is on your side, if it is, which is the most likely senario, then put a fresh one in it and have fun....Good luck.....

 

[Chaps]

Re: How likely is a cracked block? 3.0LX

Well, it's been quite a while since the Pope was on my side. I was an innocent altar boy at one time but as soon as I hit high school . . . lets just say that my chances for sainthood are pretty slim. That said, the engine is raw water cooled and was typically run in salt water but the water in the block is fresh. The owner was pretty "religious" about flushing after use.<br /><br />I'm an outboard/straight inboard type of boater. On an I/O how do you plug up the cooling system so a pressure test can be performed?

 

[who]

Re: How likely is a cracked block? 3.0LX

Heh... I guess Im one of the lucky ones... I got a boat as partial payment for a remodel job, and left it under a tarp all winter without any type of winterizing. All last fall I kept saying I'll do it next weekend, and before I knew it, we were in a deep freeze. Tommays, I'm on LI too, so you know how long my boat sat frozen. The block was still full of sea water, and while it doesnt freeze at 32 like fresh water, it was certainly frozen. Now that its warm out again, I bought two manuals, went over the entire boat, and dammit, the thing survived! Nothing cracked, and after a tune up, and a hyraulic pump rebuild for the tilt cylinders, it runs better than ever... Had it out last weekend, and I DIDNT NEED TO GET TOWED IN!!! WOOHOOO!<br /><br />I promise to take better care of it for next winter though... I know better after reading the horror stories on this site.

 

[Don S]

Re: How likely is a cracked block? 3.0LX

Block the lines in the vicinity of the red lines. At one of the hose ends adapt it to some kind of pump so you can pressureize it with AIR to about 25 psi. If it doesn't leak, the block is OK, and ya might want to rethink that sainthood thing.<br /><br />

 

[Chaps]

Re: How likely is a cracked block? 3.0LX

Thanks Don - that was above and beyond - you just might be in the running at the Vatican yourself.

 

[trog100]

Re: How likely is a cracked block? 3.0LX

it takes days and nights of frost in the higher twenties to guarantee a frozen block.. night time frost followed by day time thaw.. temps in the high twenties at night followed by day time temps above freezing is probably safe cos the block never gets time to fully freeze..<br /><br />any colder and all bets are off.. he he<br /><br />course the other factor that might have saved its life is that if it survived the first year.. some of the water would have evaporated away leaving praps not enough to crack the block if what was left did fully freeze.. and as each year passes there would be less and less water in it..<br /><br />lets hope u are lucky.. and due for sainthood.. <br /><br />trog100

 

[Chaps]

Re: How likely is a cracked block? 3.0LX

Don, I rigged a pressure test on the engine block per your diagram and it held pretty good, however, over several hours it did drop a few pounds. Can I assume a cracked water jacket would cause the pressure to drop rapidly? In looking at the exhaust manifold it appears that there isn't an easy way to plug the outlet end to do a test, is that right? Thanks for the input.

 

[rodbolt]

Re: How likely is a cracked block? 3.0LX

hello<br /> pressureize it again and using a thick mixture of dishwashing liquid and water get under and on top of the circulating pump. its vented and could have a damaged pump seal and be leaking there. there is two vent holes on most of those pumps. some only had one and its on the bottom near the pump snout and is hard to see under the pulley. but its there. also use the mixture around the circulating pump hoses and the t-stat housing. try to eliminate all other sources of leaks before opening up the block/head assy.. maybe a hose clamp is loose.<br /> if ya meke the vatican invite me to dinner

 

[Laddies]

Re: How likely is a cracked block? 3.0LX

Chaps, remove the exhaust elbow build a plate to cover the water passages, drill a hole in the plate at the center of the exhaust passage to vent it. and testy it in the same manner, then fill the elbow with fuel oil to ck it--Bob

 

[Chaps]

Re: How likely is a cracked block? 3.0LX

Well since we last talked I was passed over for the papal throne but I did finally get a new (marine) starter installed on the 1995 3.0 and cranked it over. I had squirted light motor oil into the cyclinders, installed new plugs, drained the gas tank and refilled with fresh fuel, etc. etc. She fired right up and hummed like it had just been run last week. Ran it for about an hour and no noticable side effects from sitting for 5 years! <br /><br />Now time to get into the Alpha 1 outdrive - think I'll take it to a shop and have it serviced as I've never worked on one. Assuming nothing major is wrong (it seemed to shift fine when I was running it on the hose) what should I ask to have done? I suspect everything including impeller is 10 years old. I'm going to estimate the rig has about 50-60 running hours total. <br /><br />Thanks to all who have provided advice!

 

[flashback]

Re: How likely is a cracked block? 3.0LX

Sounds like the new Pope is on your side.. A few things to do to the drive yet.. change the oil in it for one, and the impeller for sure.. grease everything that needs greasin..check the u-joints, probably need new bellows, check the shift cable although you said it was shifting OK..get ya a manual and it will help you a lot......and have fun it sounds like you came out in great shape with this one........

 

[Don S]

Re: How likely is a cracked block? 3.0LX

I would guess that nothing has been done to anything. I would have them pull the drive, check the alignment, check and lube the gimbal bearing, lube (if possible) the ujoints, new ujoint bellows, and possible a new water intake hose if its hard. Check the shift cable, if it's at all stiff, change it and the cable bellows. Change the raw water pump impeller, and pressure check the drive, dthen with new gear lube and greasing the prop shaft, you should be good to go.<br /><br />Of course you could try just putting your hands on the drive and blessing it........ It would probably last for 10 more years

 

[Chaps]

Re: How likely is a cracked block? 3.0LX

I was actually thinking about sprinkling it with holy water and calling it good but the last time I tried that on my Jeep the muffler fell off. Think I'll just let the minister at the local First Church of Mercruiser deal with it per the above suggestions.

 

[Don S]

Re: How likely is a cracked block? 3.0LX

ROFLMAO<br /><br />Good Luck Chaps.

 

[blackz3]

Re: How likely is a cracked block? 3.0LX

hope you realize that priest has a large offering plate that should and will be full when you leave