1987 chris craft, missing bolt on side of motor, waters coming out?

arctyler · Apr 29, 2012

i just bought a 1987 Chris Craft 19ft, and I'm fairly new to boats, when i got the boat yesterday, i hooked up a set of earmuffs, and started it up, the battery was dead, but we jumped it, but then once it was started, water started to squirt out of the side of the engine, if you are looking at it while you are on the boat, it is squirting out the right side of the engine, and i looked in it and it looks like it is missing some kind of bolt, so i bought the boat, and now I'm looking for a plug bolt for it, any one know where i can get one and what are the dimensions? I'm not sure what they are called but the engine is a Mercruiser 4 cylinder.

dubs283 · Apr 29, 2012

Re: 1987 chris craft, missing bolt on side of motor, waters coming out?

go to your local merc dealer and give them the engine model and serial number and tell them you need an engine block drain plug assy

they will get you what you need

Bondo · Apr 29, 2012

Re: 1987 chris craft, missing bolt on side of motor, waters coming out?

Ayuh,... Welcome Aboard,.... Ya need a 1/4" brass pipe plug...

Don S · Apr 29, 2012

Re: 1987 chris craft, missing bolt on side of motor, waters coming out?

Bond-o said:
Ayuh,... Welcome Aboard,.... Ya need a 1/4" brass pipe plug...

ANY hardware store ...............

You might want to get two, there is supposed to be one in the manifold just above that one, and they were both probably removed during winterization.

arctyler · Apr 29, 2012

Re: 1987 chris craft, missing bolt on side of motor, waters coming out?

How long does it need to be?

Bondo · Apr 29, 2012

Re: 1987 chris craft, missing bolt on side of motor, waters coming out?

arctyler said:
How long does it need to be?

Ayuh,... They only come in 1 size,... a brass 1/4" pipe plug....

arctyler · Apr 29, 2012

Re: 1987 chris craft, missing bolt on side of motor, waters coming out?

I just went to a marine store and they told me I had to buy this plastic plug, so I got that and I also was at the hardware store and they didn't have any brass plugs but I did pick up a galvanized steel one, so if one of them don't work I'll use the other one

arctyler · Apr 29, 2012

Re: 1987 chris craft, missing bolt on side of motor, waters coming out?

i didnt think anything else could go wrong, but i guess it could, i went to put the plastic blue plug in first, it starts to turn then it stops, then i tried to get it in for about 5 minutes, nothing, then i tried the galvanized 1/4" plug, its to wide, doesnt fit the hole, now i have no idea what to do

arctyler · Apr 29, 2012

Re: 1987 chris craft, missing bolt on side of motor, waters coming out?

another update: i went to home depot again and someone said they are different, the galvanized and brass, so i got the brass, and it still does not fit, so im not to sure what to do anymore

achris · Apr 29, 2012

Re: 1987 chris craft, missing bolt on side of motor, waters coming out?

Post up a photo of the engine and where this water is coming out... Then we can give you a more accurate idea of what you need...

Just to help us, is the carburettor on the port side or the starboard side? (That will tell us which type of engine you have) Also remember that the port and starboard DON'T change if you are facing the front or back of the boat... Always reference sides of the engine in relation to their location IN THE BOAT....

Chris......

Don S · Apr 29, 2012

Re: 1987 chris craft, missing bolt on side of motor, waters coming out?

Post a picture of what you are trying to plug. Merc did use blue plastic plugs, but that was in newer models than what you have. Of course it's also not uncommon to have newer engines in boats when the old ones get mistreated.

arctyler · May 1, 2012

Re: 1987 chris craft, missing bolt on side of motor, waters coming out?

i finally got it, it was a 1/8 plug, but now it leaks a little bit and its a tiny bit loose, and it doesnt snug up either, like the bolt has no stop to it, it just keeps screwing

achris · May 1, 2012

Re: 1987 chris craft, missing bolt on side of motor, waters coming out?

Did you even read our posts? We can't help you if we don't know what engine it is! In the particular year your BOAT was built there were 3 different 4 cylinder engine used by Mercruiser. If the boat has had an engine re-power in the meantime, all bets are off.....

Until you can tell or show us what it is, we can't offer any more help....

arctyler · May 1, 2012

Re: 1987 chris craft, missing bolt on side of motor, waters coming out?

achris said:
Did you even read our posts? We can't help you if we don't know what engine it is! In the particular year your BOAT was built there were 3 different 4 cylinder engine used by Mercruiser. If the boat has had an engine re-power in the meantime, all bets are off.....

Until you can tell or show us what it is, we can't offer any more help....

yeh i read the posts, i tried to post a picture, but the uploader said the file was too big and my iphone is my only working camera i have, and also i bought a 1/8th bolt to try and see if it would fit, and it did, and im not asking for anymore help, im just saying that it fit incase some one else was to have this problem, i hope im not sounding like a ****

achris · May 1, 2012

Re: 1987 chris craft, missing bolt on side of motor, waters coming out?

arctyler said:
yeh i read the posts, ....

So, which side of the engine is the carburettor on?

chriscraft254 · May 1, 2012

Re: 1987 chris craft, missing bolt on side of motor, waters coming out?

Even if you don't want more help, it sounds like you need more help and you aren't helping others if you didn't install the right thing. There are many helpful people here on iboats and every thread when brought to completion has the oppurtunty to help others with the same issues or similar ones.

Please inform us of what motor you have and where the carb is located as someone above asked and someone here will tell you exactly what you need.

My rebuilt motor also had the blue plastic drain plugs for the block. The risers haave 1/4 brass. By your discription that it doesn't tighten down and its loose, I wonder if it is even a drain plug? Is the hole even threaded?

Please reduce the size of your pics. It can be done easily by opening a free photobucket account. Then when you have more issues in the future you will be able to post pics easily and help others. good day and good luck.

arctyler · May 2, 2012

Re: 1987 chris craft, missing bolt on side of motor, waters coming out?

sorry about what i said a few days ago, wasnt in too good of a mood, but i noticed the plug started to leak and i noticed when i pulled out the plug that the threads were flat and my guess is the thing is stripped, but anyway here are the pictures of it, idk how to describe the location of the carberator but it is on top, and here are pictures taken from inside the boat of the engine and the hole, and yes the hole in it is threaded

fat fanny · May 2, 2012

Re: 1987 chris craft, missing bolt on side of motor, waters coming out?

Boy that suckers really rusted been reading this from the start if you tried the original 1/4 npt plug and it's still loose you may have to go a size bigger and possibly metric (BSSP) I believe. But I would make sure I did have the correct original size to begin with!

Pete104 · May 2, 2012

Re: 1987 chris craft, missing bolt on side of motor, waters coming out?

Take a small round wire brush & try to clean the threads with it. Use oil to help loosen the rust in the hole.
You can then finally use a 1/4" pipe tap (gently) to get them true again.

Don't be real aggresive with the tap if you don't know what your doin'! Do a little research or ask somebody at a parts store.

Don S · May 2, 2012

Re: 1987 chris craft, missing bolt on side of motor, waters coming out?

Find a marine mechanic and have them fix it. It's an NPT pipe thread and takes a tapered pipe tap to fix. There is no such thing as a 1/8" bolt, you don't listen, and you haven't a clue what we are saying or what you are doing. So before you mess up the block completely. Find someone that can fix it right for you.

1987 chris craft, missing bolt on side of motor, waters coming out?

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