New Boater, Possible water in Motor... PLEASE HELP

[ThePhoneGuy]

Re: New Boater, Possible water in Motor... PLEASE HELP

Any idea why one of my valves would be stuck partly open even after pulling the head off? Is that the sign of something else major or somehow connected to the water / oil issue as well.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: New Boater, Possible water in Motor... PLEASE HELP

water in a cylinder could be from running water thru motor with it not running need that pressure to keep water out of cylinders, then it leaks down to crank case.

Can't happen. Water won't get past the impeller.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: New Boater, Possible water in Motor... PLEASE HELP

Any idea why one of my valves would be stuck partly open even after pulling the head off? Is that the sign of something else major or somehow connected to the water / oil issue as well.

Corrosion possibly!

 

[ThePhoneGuy]

Re: New Boater, Possible water in Motor... PLEASE HELP

OK... so I just dropped the head off to be checked for cracks, then hot tanked and surfaced if it's ok. I'm still not sure what my issue is if my head comes back fine. Only thing left I can think of doing is to have the manifold pressure tested, but I've been told than I had way too much water in the oil for it to be the manifold.

Any thoughts on what would explain the clean water in the cylinder. Cracked head, blown gasket, or manifold????

Oh, and any ideas on a good replacement head gasket for this motor. 1986 Mercruser 4cyl 140hp?

 

[bigskiohio]

Re: New Boater, Possible water in Motor... PLEASE HELP

Can't happen. Water won't get past the impeller.

It will if they bypass out drive by sticking hose in thermostat housing like it was suggested or taking out drive off and using water port.

 

[ziggy]

Re: New Boater, Possible water in Motor... PLEASE HELP

kinda late for this info. but here ya go anyways..

http://www.boatfix.com/merc/Bullet/01/01_13.pdf

 

[bruceb58]

Re: New Boater, Possible water in Motor... PLEASE HELP

It will if they bypass out drive by sticking hose in thermostat housing like it was suggested or taking out drive off and using water port.

And which post suggested that?

 

[bigskiohio]

Re: New Boater, Possible water in Motor... PLEASE HELP

Do some basics first,
Pull the plugs ,check color and for moisture
Compression test to rule out a hole in a piston
Change the oil and filter
Hook a hose to the water inlet at the therm housing and just let the water flow. If the oil level rises or comes out the dip stick, the block cracked

this one. The bulletin from mercruiser says the same about exhaust pressure keeping water out.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: New Boater, Possible water in Motor... PLEASE HELP

this one. The bulletin from mercruiser says the same about exhaust pressure keeping water out.

OK...Didn't see where the OP did any of the tests that anyone suggested including pressurizing the block before he took the head off.

 

[ThePhoneGuy]

Re: New Boater, Possible water in Motor... PLEASE HELP

I didn't pressurize the block before pulling the head because the boat was in the water at the time and I had no way to get it out until just recently. Everyone I spoke with about the issue was so sure that I had a blown head gasket or a crack in the head, so I went ahead and pulled the head off to check for obvious damage to either. Well the head is ok and has been all cleaned up and resurfaced, and the gasket did not have a physical tear anywhere. Side note the gasket had some major hot spots visible between the cylinders and the head needed resurfacing anyway after inspection so pulling it did serve a purpose. Now I'm going to look into the manifold and riser even though I was told the amount of water in the oil from just the one day was too much for it to be entering that way. I'm trying my best to figure this out on a major budget with very limited time to work on it.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: New Boater, Possible water in Motor... PLEASE HELP

You could have easily pressure tested it in the boat while it is in the water. You may still want to do that once you get the head on.

 

[ThePhoneGuy]

Re: New Boater, Possible water in Motor... PLEASE HELP

I will do the pressure test on the block once everything is back together. I stated earlier that I had a stuck exhaust valve and I just read that an exhaust valve that sticks in its valve guide can draw water backward. Cylinder will act like an air compressor. Only thing throwing me off on that scenario is that the stuck valve was on #4 and I found water sitting on top of piston in cylinder #3

 

[intrepidvoyager]

Re: New Boater, Possible water in Motor... PLEASE HELP

Did you check the riser/manifold ..... as in pressure test ..... that's the first thing to do ... I can send you pics of riser leaks that caused massive milkshake and siezed valves. seeing as you already pulled the head and found nothing go back to square one and check the manifold/riser ...... think about it ...what part of the system is more prone to corrosion ??? thats why risers usually fail before anything else in the cooling system.

 

[ThePhoneGuy]

Re: New Boater, Possible water in Motor... PLEASE HELP

Yes... If you could send some photos of what to look for that would be great. Thank you

 

[intrepidvoyager]

Re: New Boater, Possible water in Motor... PLEASE HELP

RATS .....can't add pics here ..... ok here's what to do ...make sure the inside of the riser is dry .... use hair dryer or heat gun ... turn the riser upside down, support it ...set up a light so you can see inside the riser and via a tube just in the top of the riser water jacket slowly pour water into the riser water jacket ...don't overfill or water will come out the top and run into the riser. ..... now look inside the riser for drops of water ..... sometimes you won't see any for a minute or so as you are not under pressure ...sometimes you will only notice a slight wetness ......where you see the wet area take a screw driver and bash with your hand ..... chances are you will go right thru the riser inner wall into the water jacket and you have found your problem ...big clue was you were running fine til you stopped for gas ...thats probably when the water got in .... once a bit in you lost lub to valves then siezed valve ..then more water in , etc, etc.
WARNING ...this may not be the problem, but easy to check. Best way of course is to pressure test but a bit more complicated to do yourself so try this first.

 

[intrepidvoyager]

Re: New Boater, Possible water in Motor... PLEASE HELP

just remembered ...hard to punch thru with a screwdriver cause the blade is going to be at an angle to the riser inner wall ..... try using a long point punch ... don't need a hammer ...just bang with the palm of your hand.

 

[ThePhoneGuy]

Re: New Boater, Possible water in Motor... PLEASE HELP

Thank you for the input, that sounds like a very likely scenario. I will check the riser as soon as I can.

 

[rebars1]

Re: New Boater, Possible water in Motor... PLEASE HELP

The water on the cylinder may have drained down from the riser after the engine was shut off if there was a leak between the water passage and exhaust passage and through an open valve.