Might need some advice

[JoLlY_RoGeR_ARRRR!!!!]

I finally upgraded from a 1973 Reneill to a 1994 Chap. The Chap has the 3.0L LX engine in it and the alpha 1 drive if I remeber correctly. Any how, the reason I am writing is when I bought the boat I had the marina that I bought it from go over the whole engine with me. So the guy went over the winterizing process also. He showed me all the plugs that drain the block and manifold and said that this particular engine did not have a drain for the riser that it drained when the drive is down. So where I am starting to get scared is here. I started reading a little on here today only to see some theards about power steering coolers and oil coolers and removing the water from them. Well being the ignornat moron I ordered a manual but did not get it.....still waiting for it actually but went ahead with the winterizing on behalf of what the guy told me. Any ways All I did with the draning portion is pulled the drain plug from the side of the block, pulled the plug from the manifold, pulled the hoses and then poked with a wire and replaced them. I then filled every thing with marine anti-freeze. I never messed with the oil cooler or power steering cooler. May fault for not making sure I got my manual. any how I am not so sure that my boat has these. Any advice would be great. I know this post just rambles on but now I am scared as heek and would like to know if any one has this particular engine and wether it has the coolers. I never paid much attention to it since the boat runs like a dream and never had to get under the hood to work on it other then the winterizing portion. My old boat I was working on it all the time, I let the luxuary take it for granted. Thanks.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Might need some advice

Ayuh,... Welcome Aboard,...

I don't think you have power steering,+ if you Don't,... There's No oil coolers...

If you go up to the Adults Only sticky at the top of the forum,...
You'll find you can download the factory Manuals there,... Free....

 

[JoLlY_RoGeR_ARRRR!!!!]

Re: Might need some advice

Sweet thanks a lot.

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: Might need some advice

Howdy,

I did a 3.0L engine replacement last summer and it had manual steering and no oil cooler. That said, If it was an option, you could have power steering....The cooler would be in the hose that comes from the transom to the front of the manifold.
It's unlikely that you have it though...

The engine swap I did was because the owner did not winterize. The block and manifold was severely cracked!


Cheers,


Rick

 

[JoLlY_RoGeR_ARRRR!!!!]

Re: Might need some advice

Thanks Guys.
I did do the winterizing per the mechanic advice. I have been in and out of the garage lately and did not see anything on the floor where it would have drained. I am going to head over after work and check it out. My wife will kill me if I screwed up. After what she had to go through with the old boat then having a boat that actually runs great and having to go through it again. Needless to say I will probaly have to get a divorce. I think I am OK put I am going to make extra sure.

 

[Don S]

Re: Might need some advice

The 3.0LX models did use power steering quite often, but it's usually not a big deal when the coolers do freeze. Normally all that happens is the end cap pops the seam where it's soldered onto the cooler. A quick trip with the cooler to your local radiator shop and the end can be removed, cleaned, and resoldered fairly easy.
At worst case, a new one is just over 200 bucks brand new from Mercruiser.

 

[JoLlY_RoGeR_ARRRR!!!!]

Re: Might need some advice

I went and checked out the boat. The cooler is clear. When I removed all the hoses for winterizing I poured anti-freeze down all of them after draing. So this ws clear. I checked the oil while I was in it and got quite a scare. When I looked at the oil it looked milky. I thought to myself how can this be....Then I went out into the day light instead of looking at the dip stick under a hand held craftsman hologen light and it looked normal. So anyways I kept looking around and did not see anything in the bilge. What I did see are what look to be like superfucial cracks in the manifold. The paint was chipped away a little. So before I went further I opened the valve and my antifreeze came pouring out. I am a little baffled as to how I can have these little cracks. They are leaking because there was a little rust under them. I am wondering if these were there before I bought the boat. They are not to big but if you look hard enough you can see them. The boat never over heated last summer so I wonder???? I guess I am now going to have to buy a new manifold and gaskets. Just out of curiosity I want to make sure that I got all the plugs...YEA YEA .....I know if I missed one it is to late but just to ease my mind. I got the one on the block, The one on the manifold, Pulled all the hoses and let the water drain, pulled the housing going to the water pump(brass plug), poked all holes with a wire. Also was the mechanic correct in saying the the riser did not have a drain plug??? I checked today and did not see one. Any how like I said I think that I am safe. I saved the manual so I can print all 300 some pages....My wife is going to love that. Well thanks and have a good night everyone.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Might need some advice

What I did see are what look to be like superfucial cracks in the manifold.

Ayuh,... Got a Picture,..??

 

[JoLlY_RoGeR_ARRRR!!!!]

Re: Might need some advice

I can get some pics. I scraped the paint away to see what it looked like and the rust from the water came right off. It almost looks like the manifold was takin off at some point and over torqued when it was put back on and maybe caused the cracks. I will get some pics when I get off work.

 

[JoLlY_RoGeR_ARRRR!!!!]

Re: Might need some advice

Sorry it took so long. OK now I am having issues getting the pictures on here it says that I exceded the limit of 97.1KB everytime I try to upload it. Any how it has been freezing here for a while now. I went over and drained all the antifreeze out and put it into the jug. The antifreeze came out the same color it went in from the block and the manifold. Also was I correct that there is not a plug on the riser. Still did'nt see any plugs I am assuming it drains itself. Anyhow I will try and get the pics up once I down size them

 

[JoLlY_RoGeR_ARRRR!!!!]

Re: Might need some advice

Just a quick update. It has been in the low 70's here in Illinois. I had to get my boat out of the garage do to the inlaws selling their house. Anyhow I went ahead and got her ready for the season. I started it up and let her run for about 45 minutes. Checked all over I did not see any leaks, oil looks great, temp stays right at 150. The bad thing is....I went inside and watched the news and now they are calling for SNOW monday. DANG DANG DANG. So I went back outside and drained everything again. They are not calling for freezing temps but I am not taking any chances. Thanks Guys have a good one. Sorry I did not get any pics of what apperead to be cracks it still says exceeded the size limit. I think I will still replace it just in case though.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Might need some advice

OK now I am having issues getting the pictures on here it says that I exceded the limit of 97.1KB everytime I try to upload it.

Ayuh,... If you resize to 480x640 or so,... You can post them...
Lot's of programs can do it,... I use Pacasa by Google...

 

[mark1905]

Re: Might need some advice

Go upload it to Photobucket and then link the image