Neglected 5.0L (More questions w/pics)

Like I said, I've got a manual coming, but here's a few pics I took today at lunch. Any comments would be appreciated...


Pic 1: I found these in the driver's cup holder. Could these be the plugs that are removed to drain water from the engine?


Pic 2: These 2 are disconnected on the port side. For winterizing possibly?


Pic 3: This is on the port side exhaust manifold, aft end. Maybe one of those plugs goes there?


Pic 4: This is also on the port side. Can't tell if a plug goes here or not.


Pic 5: Intake manifold view from port side. I hate rust!


Pic 6: This brass nipple comes off the side off the port side of the distributor. Looks like a hose might supposed to be there but there isn't one.

Continued below...

Re: Neglected 5.0L (More questions w/pics)

...continued


Pic 7: Disconnected wire??? I like disconnected wires about as much as I like rust.


Pic 8: I don't know what this rusty thing is on the starboard side of the intake manifold. It looks like something is supposed to be connected to it. If this is critical, it'll need a new intake manifold I guess.


Pic 9: I don't think this splice is original.


Pic 10: Sorry this is out of focus. A little higher than center is a cut wire. I'm thinking the spliced wire may have once went here?

Re: Neglected 5.0L (More questions w/pics)

Pic 1: I found these in the driver's cup holder. Could these be the plugs that are removed to drain water from the engine?

Click to expand...

Yep, that's them. 2 in the block (1 each side) 1 in each manifold possibly 1 in a cooler somewhere.

Put as many as you can find in and when you hook water to it, the missing ones will show up. You can hook water up to the hose that comes from the transom shield, no need to run the engine.

Yes hook the hoses up, one on the manifold, one on the cooler.

Pic 4, no plug

Pic 6 No hose on it, just a strange vent fitting.

Oops posted to quick

Pic 8 That is for a choke tube, not used on your carb. Yours has an electric choke visible just above it.

I'll see if I can't find you a wiring diagram.

What year is it?

Re: Neglected 5.0L (More questions w/pics)

All above as Don said, but also I'd bet the boat has power steering, somewhere on the incoming water hose (from the drive) under the motor, there should be a power steering cooler in the line, you'll have to assess the condition of it, it maybe rusted, leaking oil, or cracked due to freeze up if it was not drained, then again it maybe just fine?

P.S. I think you're gonna need something stronger then PB Blaster (rustbuster), but it all should work out fine.

Re: Neglected 5.0L (More questions w/pics)

Don S said:

I'll see if I can't find you a wiring diagram.

What year is it?

Click to expand...

Thanks.

Mercruiser 5.0L V8
Model: MCM 898
S/N: 6882840

I think it's around a 1986 model.

Re: Neglected 5.0L (More questions w/pics)

You lucked out. Wiring diagram service bulletin for your engine that updated the OEM service manual.

Wiring Diagrams

They stopped making the 898 in 84. Might want to look at the Hull ID number, that will tell you.

MikDee, he does have a PS cooler, you can just see it peeking out behind the motor mount in Pic2. Actually looked like it was coming out of the hose that goes on the manifold at first glance.

Re: Neglected 5.0L (More questions w/pics)

Oh thanks, that'll be a huge help. Hrm, I was thinking the hull said '86. I better check it again.

Re: Neglected 5.0L (More questions w/pics)

The hull says 1985. Chris Craft bought a truck load of engines and it sat in the crate until the boat was constructed in 1985? Sounds plausible to me but what do I know.

This is pretty discouraging...

I took the engine cover completely off so I could get a better look at things. I located where all the plugs go. The one that looks like a pipe plug goes in the starboard side exhaust riser. The threads on the plug are gone. The threads in the riser appear to be gone as well.

The exhaust manifolds look pretty rusty to me where they mate with the engine. The intake manifold doesn't look much better. The mating surfaces are probably still good.

I just know if I try to take these off to clean them up I'm going to have broken bolts everywhere. Been there and done that with my antique outboard.

The two front engine mount bolts don't look much better.

The water pump looks pretty rusty as does the PS pump. I also found a few more cut wires. Looking at the wiring diagram it appears as if the trim sender wires have been cut off the terminal block. Educated guess it this just makes the trim gauge in the console work? I don't know where the sender is or why it has been cut.

Take care of your boats guys. They will deteriorate QUICKLY if you don't.

I need a plan.

Re: Neglected 5.0L (More questions w/pics)

I looked at your Chris Craft album pictures. The rust actually looks more surface rust than anything major at this point. You still have bolt heads on the intake bolts. Manifold and riser gasket looks like it needs taken apart and inspected, but nothing looks bad enough to creat fear. Well, IMHO........

Re: Neglected 5.0L (More questions w/pics)

The trim sender and limit switch are mounted on the drive.

Look on the gymbal ring mid way up at the pivot point of the drive. The sender and limit switch are the plastic black devices one on each side. The gauge sender is the Starboard unit and the trim limit switch the port side.

Check the wiring on them. Id guess and say they are shot by now if the insulation on the wire is cracking off and the copper is showing wich by now is green the wire looks shredded. These are just another set of wires you will be fixing since you have said a number of wires have been cut.


Chris Craft huh sounds like my old Wellcraft I had 10 years ago. Lots O cut wires.

Its due to that experiance that I bought a brand new boat last summer.

Re: Neglected 5.0L (More questions w/pics)

Don S said:

I looked at your Chris Craft album pictures. The rust actually looks more surface rust than anything major at this point. You still have bolt heads on the intake bolts. Manifold and riser gasket looks like it needs taken apart and inspected, but nothing looks bad enough to creat fear. Well, IMHO........

Click to expand...

I have to agree with Don, surface rust is not enough to scare me away, as long as the internals are ok. Generally, the bolts on an I/O engine don't break internally, like an outboard, but sometimes the heads rust, just making them a little difficult to remove, but once you get them out usually all is good, and they can be easily replaced. The drain plugs can be replaced with brass pipe plugs usually. Also, the trim guage is a nice feature but usually the wiring is the 1st thing to get messed up, I haven't had a used I/O with a working trim gauge yet,,,lol. One more thing, if, and when, you get ready to run water through thgat engine, I'd leave the drain plugs out at first, and try to blow out all the caked up rust in them, then take a wire, and clean out what you can, before putting the drain plugs in. Finally Don't get discouraged, I think it's salvageable, just keep going ahead with the plan, unless you find something really serious wrong internally,,, from a distance to me, it looks doable!

By the way, at least it appears the block was drained with the plus out, & hoses off, thats good news, chances are there are no cracks in the block or heads

Re: Neglected 5.0L (More questions w/pics)

Pic 9 looks like a splice to add the electric choke heater which wasn't what that engine originally had.

Re: Neglected 5.0L (More questions w/pics)

bruceb58 said:

Pic 9 looks like a splice to add the electric choke heater which wasn't what that engine originally had.

Click to expand...

Not sure about that.

I did take the diagram to the boat last night and study what I saw a bit. It looks like all the connections there still make the same circuit. I just can't figure why it was cut. I also found a shift cutout switch in a plastic bag. I think he changed it and put the old one in the bag. My guess is he was trying to fix the shifting problem. It's like detective work sometimes.

I think I will carefully pull that riser tonight. I don't think the mating surfaces are compromised but this is my first I/O so what do I know. Nothing really. I do know that I have never had a positive experience with old bolts that go in parts that get hot.

One step at a time I guess.