Water in 3 cylinders and crank case?

[firstdanbb]

I have a 95 maxum with a Mercruiser 4.3 and gen II drive.

Bought the boat begging of season, had a ball all summer. Pulled out of water mid October and drained water from manifolds and block. Winterization took place mid December and engine hydrolocked while fogging. Wasn't exactly sure what was wrong so buttoned up the boat and went on my way. (I drained all water again, and the oil looked clean.) A friend at work advised it sounded as if it hydrolocked and advised to pull the plugs to verify if any water comes out. Sure enough, pull the plugs and here comes water. Drained the oil which now was thicker than consistance of a Wendy's milkshake.

Local mechanic advised to start over and see what happens. Sure enough, the engine started sounded "funny", so I shut her off, pulled the plugs and again, more water. Oil too.

Had a long conversation with mechanic (convo mentioned above) at it was pretty clear I had properly drained the water from the engine before the cold snap so no freeze damage should have occured. Therefore, no reason for cracked anything.

All of this occured with muffs, not in water. As this is the end of the year, the shops give their mechanics the last two weeks off so I cannot call to discuss with him again. I was lucky that a sales guy who answered the phone called the meachanin at home, who in return called me on his vacation (i like this guy).

Anyway, I'm not desperate, but close to it to know what in the hell I did to cause this.

Anyone have any idea's?

By the way this is my first post and thanks in advance for any input.

 

[WillyBWright]

Re: Water in 3 cylinders and crank case?

There must've been water trapped inside. Sometimes rust and sand blocks the drain midway through draining. You have to probe the hole after it drains to make sure nothing's trapped inside yet. That's where adding a gallon of RV antifreeze can be well worthwhile.

 

[firstdanbb]

Re: Water in 3 cylinders and crank case?

I'm assuming you are suggesting a crack? A cracked Block, manifold or ???

I'm no expert by any means, but I would think this is one helluva crack in the block for water get into all three cylinders. Do the water jackets run horizontaly or verticaly through the block?

 

[firstdanbb]

Re: Water in 3 cylinders and crank case?

I was just infromed by a friend that there may be 6 drains plugs instead of 4.

NOTE: the manual is not with boat.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Water in 3 cylinders and crank case?

There are 2 Block Drains,...... 1 each side, down low on the Block, just above the Oil Pan,.......
There is 1 on each Manifold, just above the Block Drains,...
There's the P/Steering Cooler, which needs 1 of the 2 Big Hoses removed, it's just Under the motor on the Port-side....
And,... The Big Hose should be Pulled from the Engine's Circulating Pump.......

Like Willy said,.... If you didn't Root Out the Drains with a Screw or Nail,.... They may have been Restricted,+ didn't allow the Water to Drain.......

IF this Happened,......... It Doesn't take much of a Crack to cause the Issues you're dealing with,.....
The Water Jacket doesn't "run horizontaly or verticaly through the block?".........
It runs ALL Thru the Block........
And,.......
IF this Is in fact the Problem,........
I'd suspect that when you Pull the Intake Manifold,.......
You'll be Looking at a Crack in the Lifter Valley...............:%

Good Luck..........

Btw,...........
1 way to "Test" your problem is to Drain the Water,+ Pressurize the Cooling System with Compressed Air,........
And,............Listen............

 

[firstdanbb]

Re: Water in 3 cylinders and crank case?

If this Is in fact the Problem,........
I'd suspect that when you Pull the Intake Manifold,.......
You'll be Looking at a Crack in the Lifter Valley...............:%

Good Luck..........

Btw,...........
1 way to "Test" your problem is to Drain the Water,+ Pressurize the Cooling System with Compressed Air,........
And,............Listen............

Are you suggesting a possible crack in the intake manifold? This does suck, but better than the block.

When I drained the the block, water was trickeling out, I then stuck a phillips in the whole and water started to freely flow. I didn't pull any hoses off.

After I shut the engine down a second time, I could here what sounded like a river underground except in what in the engine.

I just hope my problem is not in the block...:'(

 

[Bondo]

Re: Water in 3 cylinders and crank case?

Are you suggesting a possible crack in the intake manifold? This does suck, but better than the block.

Well,...... It Could be the Intake,......
But,....
I'm refering to the Lifter Valley,..... That's what the area Under the Intake is called,...
It's Part of the Block....

Until you do some Testing,......... This is All Purely Speculation.........

After I shut the engine down a second time, I could here what sounded like a river underground except in what in the engine.

That,............ Shouldn't be Too awlfully Hard to Find.......

 

[Lou C]

Re: Water in 3 cylinders and crank case?

What concerns me is that you said you didn't remove any hoses, I know that when you remove the big hose from the front circulating pump to the thermo housing, a lot of water drains out. It may be that there was some trapped water...but to hydrolock, you should have been getting water from hole rusted in the exhaust, into the cyls, so checking the riser/manifolds is important, and if that was a salt water boat, they are WAY overdue for replacement.

 

[firstdanbb]

Re: Water in 3 cylinders and crank case?

Update...

Well, here it is two years later and I found my post. As it turns out the mechanic I chose liberated me from being at fault for a for an improper winterization.

There was a crack on the inside cylinder wall so somehow water was induced into the cylinder and again cracked from the inside (I got all of the water out). I explained the muff theory which he (mechanic) didn't give much thought too. I am terrified of putting muffs on my boat now and have not done so since. I now pay the high fee to have this taken care of for me until I can decipher why this happened. I help a friend winterize his boat every year with no problems.

Anyways, this was the first boat I have owned and was pretty bummed about it. But after a nice rebuild and two more summers on the lake, I am so addicted. I now have a Jet Ski too. I am sitting in the warmth of my basement day dreaming about the water. I can't wait!

 

[chiefalen]

Re: Water in 3 cylinders and crank case?

And yea what did he do exactly to put that block back in service may i ask ?

Cracks into the water jacket from the cylinder wall, he fixed that how ?

 

[firstdanbb]

Re: Water in 3 cylinders and crank case?

And yea what did he do exactly to put that block back in service may i ask ?

Cracks into the water jacket from the cylinder wall, he fixed that how ?

With some special pooky coming out of China these days...

No just kidding. I mislead there in stating he rebuilt my engine. He built me a complete new engine. My block went to scrap I suppose.