My engine sprung a leak

[DonziBuoy]

I put my boat in for the first time this year, and she started right up. I watched gauges and nothing seemed out of place. Take a look at the engine and there are 2 streams of water coming from the starboard side of the block (350). I tried to find out exactly where but I could feel the heat beginning to generate from the engine. Pulled the boat out, put the hose and the leaks are definitely coming from the block under the log.

Does this sound like what I think it is?

Jim

[mrfixxall]

I put my boat in for the first time this year, and she started right up. I watched gauges and nothing seemed out of place. Take a look at the engine and there are 2 streams of water coming from the starboard side of the block (350). I tried to find out exactly where but I could feel the heat beginning to generate from the engine. Pulled the boat out, put the hose and the leaks are definitely coming from the block under the log.

Does this sound like what I think it is?

Jim

bend over and poke your head down their

could be a number of things,a split in the hose,bad freeze plug,bad heas gasket,worse case cracked block or a cracked manifold..

[Carl C]

A mirror might be a big help. It could be bad since this is your first run of the season. It could also be a freeze/core plug.

[BubbleBee]

Ive never had a good block tht a freeze plug popped out. Usally means the block cracked due to frezing and pushed it. I just had this happen. Over the weekend dropped another 351.
-Mike

[DonziBuoy]

Thanks guys, it sounds from bad to really f^#king bad.

Jim

[DonziBuoy]

For the heck of it, in the fall I ran antifreeze through the motor. Assuming there was some water in there, how do you winterize it?

thanks again for the great advice on this board.

[FISHIN SUCKS]

Possible stupid question here, but if you have the Mercruiser 350, do you have the blue wing nut plugs in? if so, how are the rubber o-rings? some of mine were split and would leak (I got twin 350 mags), so I replaced the rubber rings, no more leaks.

I don't winterize with anti-freeze, I just drain the blocks (I know this is debate-able, but it's how I roll), so I cant help ya on this. Are we talkin like water gushing or trickling? If you have a cracked block, your oil on your dipstick should be milky, check it out.

I wish ya the best Buoy,
tom

[DonziBuoy]

And everyone else, it is always amazing to me how good the information is here. I ran water at high pressure, and everything seemed fine. Checked the oil and its clear.

I tried using the mirror and could not find anything. The water seemed to be coming right below the middle exhaust pipes from the gasket.

Is God on my side?

BTW, where is the freeze plug, my sh*ty volvo manual doesn't seem to have it.

[FISHIN SUCKS]

Hey Jim, wish I could be of more help to ya. If the water was gushing out, then possibly a freeze plug (a round tin plug about 1 1/2" in diameter on the 'V' part of the block). However, if it was a freeze plug that popped out (due to freezing), my experience has been you would find milky oil on the dipstick (in the pan, cracked block). If it's a trickle of water or small flow, sounds like it is a split/pin leak in the hose going to the exhaust manifold. Don't know much about how Volvo's are plumbed, sorry,

tom

[Pismo]

For the heck of it, in the fall I ran antifreeze through the motor. Assuming there was some water in there, how do you winterize it?
thanks again for the great advice on this board.

I think antifreeze should be renamed alwaysfreeze. The only engines I ever hear that crack up are ones filled with antifreeze...

[mrfixxall]

I think antifreeze should be renamed alwaysfreeze. The only engines I ever hear that crack up are ones filled with antifreeze...

been using it for over 20+ years in my motors,never had any issues, if it was to freeze then why do they use it in cars then with no issues.

If its done properly and run through the engine and checked with a refractor then you should not have any problems,,

[MOP]

Running antifreeze through needs to be done correctly, if you just stuck a hose in a bucket of antifreeze and ran it until it came out the exhaust that DOES not work! The thermostat slams shut when the cold antifreeze hits and that leaves you with next to nothing in the block, that is not terrible if you thoroughly drained it prior to running the antifreeze through. The best way is to finish fogging the engine out then draining it and filling it with antifreeze through the thermostat housing, The ket is to drain the block and manifolds dry then get the antifreeze in!

[axelkloehn]

And everyone else, it is always amazing to me how good the information is here. I ran water at high pressure, and everything seemed fine. Checked the oil and its clear.

I tried using the mirror and could not find anything. The water seemed to be coming right below the middle exhaust pipes from the gasket.

Is God on my side?

BTW, where is the freeze plug, my sh*ty volvo manual doesn't seem to have it.

#

Did you have white smoke from the exhaust when running the engine? I had a badly sealed intake manifold and water got in the cylinder and came out from the exhaust gasket. If you just ran the engine very short you could have luck that the oil is not effected and just got straight in-and-out again. Sounds like intake manifold (cracked or broken gasket) to me...good luck!

[Pismo]

been using it for over 20+ years in my motors,never had any issues, if it was to freeze then why do they use it in cars then with no issues.

If its done properly and run through the engine and checked with a refractor then you should not have any problems,,

It is the application of it in draining boats where the problems arise. Obviously it works well in cars. The problem is which you state, it is not done properly, not mixing thoroughly, or drained afterward. Like I said, if someone states that their engine has frozen over the winter and cracked up, an attempt at filling it with antifreeze is always the next line. Avoid it like the plague unless you know exactly what to do.

[BubbleBee]

Donzi where are you from? Maybe some one close to you could swing by and check it with you. As for an intake Highly unlikely due to that is very rare.