How to Drain Water from Power Steering Cooler on MerCruiser 4.3L (w/ pics)

[RollinEEZZ]

How do you properly drain the power steering cooler on the MerCruiser 4.3L?

The cooler location on the engine is circled in yellow ...




The hoses circled blue flow oil to and from the power steering cooler. The hose circled yellow leads to the seawater pump and the hose circled red goes to the thermostat housing.

To properly drain the power steering cooler do you ...

• pull the hose circled yellow
• pull the hose circled red
• pull both the hose circled yellow and the hose circled red

 

[tpenfield]

All of the above will be fine.

I would actually pull both, if I were me.

 

[Baylinerchuck]

Mine is in a slightly different location, but I pulled the one closest to the transom. My owners manual states to pull the hose that comes from the outdrive off of the cooler to properly drain it. Unfortunately mine didn't want to come off so I had to cut it. :facepalm: It looks like I cut it close enough to reuse, but I think I just might replace it. Seems to me that would be a great place for a drain.....:eagerness:

 

[Bt Doctur]

Life is so much easier removing the drive . removing the inlet hose from the T stat and blowing air thru the hose to the transom

What, no patience
Unfortunately mine didn't want to come off so I had to cut it

 

[JoLin]

Some will disagree, and if I lived in Alaska I might not do it this way, but...

One of my engines has the cooler located as in the above diagram, the other is the older type located down on the port side of the motor, under the manifold. I can't do the contortionist stuff anymore. I pull the hoses off at the t-stat housings and pour 1/2 gallon of antifreeze into the hose. It displaces the water in the cooler and hose, and runs out the bottom of the drive. If I had an air compressor I'd blow it out first, then pour the AF through it.

My .02

 

[Grub54891]

Mine is in a slightly different location, but I pulled the one closest to the transom. My owners manual states to pull the hose that comes from the outdrive off of the cooler to properly drain it. Unfortunately mine didn't want to come off so I had to cut it. :facepalm: It looks like I cut it close enough to reuse, but I think I just might replace it. Seems to me that would be a great place for a drain.....:eagerness:

A hose pic comes in handy.

Your local auto parts store can get them......

 

[Baylinerchuck]

A hose pic comes in handy.
[url]https://www.google.com/url?sa=...RNUDmpVPsBUW7SSfO18OKrTw&ust=1478951140456712

Your local auto parts store can get them......[/URL]

I will definitely try those. They look like they could get into a tight space. Thanks for the tip.

 

[Jmunk]

Some will disagree, and if I lived in Alaska I might not do it this way, but...

One of my engines has the cooler located as in the above diagram, the other is the older type located down on the port side of the motor, under the manifold. I can't do the contortionist stuff anymore. I pull the hoses off at the t-stat housings and pour 1/2 gallon of antifreeze into the hose. It displaces the water in the cooler and hose, and runs out the bottom of the drive. If I had an air compressor I'd blow it out first, then pour the AF through it.

My .02

That's what I do. No issues yet.

 

[alldodge]

To make it easier next and following years you could install the Merc drain kit 861505A1 at the bottom of the hose. For those with Bravo drives another could be installed on the starboard side