Anyway to prevent a disaster?

Zapper Z

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Jan 18, 2010
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I hope someone on here can help. I had an unforeseen emergency that pulled me away from home for the past 3+ months. Since I was gone, I was unable to winterize my engine. The boat was pulled out of the water for me and covered up, but nothing was done to the engine. I live in Maryland and we have already had hard freezes. It hasn't been started since Sept/Oct. What can be done to prevent a disaster before I attempt to start it in the spring? Or, if we get a few days of thaw, should I try and winterize it now. I assume it's too late. What can I do?

It's an I/O Merc V8 that I just replaced new in 2005...please help. Can't afford to replace again.
 

Don S

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Re: Anyway to prevent a disaster?

Sorry about your emergency, but it doesn't slow mother nature down at all.
Nothing can be done now, whatever damage from freezing that could happen has already happened, and there isn't much you can do besides start it up and see how bad it is.
 

skargo

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Re: Anyway to prevent a disaster?

I agree with Don. While it was near 60? today, you know it's been FRIGID for awhile now in MD.

What part of MD do you live in? I am wishing you luck, you might need it. Since it is warm now, maybe try and start it and look for weeks, then at least drain everything until the spring.
 

Bondo

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Re: Anyway to prevent a disaster?

Ayuh,... If it's warmed up abit,... Check the Oil,... If it's Way High,...

Start shoppin' for another replacement motor...
 

scipper77

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Sep 30, 2008
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2,106
Re: Anyway to prevent a disaster?

maybe if you are handy, you can get the help you need to swap out the block yourself reusing the old motor's internals. That of course assumes a busted block and that paying for a new motor is out of the question.
 

Zapper Z

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Re: Anyway to prevent a disaster?

Boo...not what I was hoping to hear...but expected.

I thought maybe it was possibly a rust problem and maybe the engine can be pulled apart and cleaned prior to starting. guess not...

So you say whatever damage could happen has already happened. We still have over a month of cold weather on the way. Does it benefit me to do anything now? or just wait until the weather breaks in March or so?

What are my chances of nothing being damaged? is it like 50/50 or most likely toast?
 

Bondo

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Re: Anyway to prevent a disaster?

What are my chances of nothing being damaged? is it like 50/50 or most likely toast?

Ayuh,... From the Info presented,... I'd say it's 99/1 that you'll be buying a new motor...
 

robert graham

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Apr 16, 2009
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Re: Anyway to prevent a disaster?

Maybe go crank it up and see...maybe you get real lucky on this! Good Luck!
 

Don S

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Re: Anyway to prevent a disaster?

We can all speculate and give odds on it surviving for whatever good that will do, but till you try it, you will never know.
 

Silvertip

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Sep 22, 2003
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Re: Anyway to prevent a disaster?

What can happen and what has happened depends on a number of factors but the most important one is the longest continuous period of below 32 degree weather. It varies greatly by time of the season, but generally temperatures are coldest just before daybreak to about an hour or so after daybreak. If you've had several periods (12 hours or more) of below freezing (32 degree) temperatures, the damage has likely been done. If overnight temps have dropped below freezing for a few hours but daytime temps get into the 40's or higher, you may have dodged a bullet. Engine blocks retain a fair amount of heat. If the tarp is dark in color that helps by acting as sort of a solar collector. However, at your earliest convenience you need to drain the block and leave it. You will then need to keep your fingers crossed until spring to see if any damage was done.
 

Alpheus

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Re: Anyway to prevent a disaster?

If Floridians are having problems with cracked blocks, its almost a given that a Maryland based boat is gonna be cracked. If that block was full of water, you can rest assured that something gave out when it froze...
 

skargo

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Re: Anyway to prevent a disaster?

Yeah we had continuous freezing periods below 20?. I'd bet it's toast.

Start her up and see. If you need a hand let me know, depending where you are I would be glad to meet up and check it out with you.
 

havasuboatman

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Mar 5, 2009
Messages
904
Re: Anyway to prevent a disaster?

Whatever you decide, DRAIN THE BLOCK, NOW. If by some miracle it hasn't cracked, it still could.
May the boat gods smile upon you.
 

Maclin

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May 27, 2007
Messages
6,761
Re: Anyway to prevent a disaster?

Regarding original question, invent that time machine thingy.
 

arks

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Nov 7, 2002
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Re: Anyway to prevent a disaster?

Whatever you decide, DRAIN THE BLOCK, NOW. If by some miracle it hasn't cracked, it still could.
May the boat gods smile upon you.

I fully agree!!!
For future reference, a boat left IN THE WATER is less likely to freeze than one on land due to the relative 'warmth' of the water.
It should still be winterized though!
 

rjwoodrome

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Aug 23, 2008
Messages
202
Re: Anyway to prevent a disaster?

Remember someone pulled it out for him, but didnt do anything for winterization. our prayers are with ya...
 

northernmerc

Chief Petty Officer
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Apr 6, 2009
Messages
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Re: Anyway to prevent a disaster?

Best wishes and let us know if you experience a miracle! Although it seems unlikely that it will make a difference at this point, you still should winterize it.
 

"G"

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
May 2, 2009
Messages
150
Re: Anyway to prevent a disaster?

I've seen several cases of blocks that should have been cracked wide open but weren't. If the freeze was over an evening or overnight for several days in a row but got up to just barely freezing during the day that's one thing. If the freeze lasted for days and was below 28 degrees you may be SOL. Hopefully the LU was down and that helped you out with draining or that will be another cracked case to fix.

Still, drain it and see what comes out. That may tell you a lot right there. Then pull the plugs and do a compression check, run it and see what shows up in the heat exchanger or in the non FWC engines, the oil pan.

Wishing you luck...
 

Zapper Z

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Joined
Jan 18, 2010
Messages
3
Re: Anyway to prevent a disaster?

Sorry i haven't been able to provide an update yet. I pulled the blue drain plugs and a lot of dirty, grayish colored water came out. I checked the oil and there was not any water in it. it looked nice and clean and at a good level. I couldn't see any visible cracks on the outside of the engine and no water in the oil. So good news, right? i didn't try to start it yet. will probably wait until March/April to start it.
 
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