Hi all, My boys and I are trying to get our project boat started 85 17Ft Sportcraft Ski King with Mercrusier 3.0 and Alpha 1.
I got the boat for a good price and went and bought a used spare alternator and Starter. It looked like the boat had been sitting and hull drain plug took in a lot of water at some point. We did have to spray the cylinders with PB blaster to get it freed up so starter would turn it over and it so far has cranked slow. Not so slow with the plugs out. Compression test was low under 100 all across figured the rings were frozen and should free up if we get it running. We pulled the valve cover and did need to free a stuck valve, seems just rusted in place not bad it popped right up with a screwdriver levering on the spring cap.
Just recently drained water and old water out of bottom end. swapped starter and alternator cleaned tested Carb. and Fuel pump. cleaned Fuel tank Replaced main wiring plug and starter solenoid. checked point gap and confirmed spark. Lifters seemed collapsed on the position that had the stuck valve after cranking some we did start to get oil up the push rods 3 of them didn?t have oil coming out when cranking . Used a syringe with some light oil and got the 3 dry ones filed with oil and felt any blockage clear out pushing hard on syringe through pushrox oil hole. Finally got all the lifters getting oil and rockers fim and looking as they should, replaced the valve cover.
Put Muffs on the outboard with the hose on but didn't look like water was getting up to motor when cranking figured when it started maybe that is when impeller in Alpha would be spinning fast enough. Cranked while slowly rotating Distributor to best position started almost starting several times. It seemed to really drain thebattery fast and we are always needing to stop and let charger recharge battery before we can continue.
While we were waiting we went to see if any water was getting to motor. Pulled Ft hose from thermostat to Water pump it was dry and a bit crusty washed hose out. Pulled hose from alpha to thermostat and put hose water through it. exited out the inlet side vents in alpha casting RT and LT. Put the large O.D. FT water pump hose back on. Went and put the hose into the thermostat housing figuring maybe we should have some water in the engine to help it prime we waited until we saw it come out at alpha figured it would exit out the prop it seemed to exit out two holes in stern drive under the bellows. Both Bellows looked good no rips and there was no water exiting bellows.
Decided to try and crank it and see if water exited out the Alpha hose taht went to thermostat with the muffs on hose on and engine cranking .
Engine would not crank it strained the starter to the max tried it a few times. Maybe the battery just died but also worried we filled the engine with water somehow. Oil still looked good and at same level in the pan. We stopped for dinner left the battery charger on.
After dinner pulled the plugs and figured try and crank it expecting water to exit out the cylinders it didn't want to turn over. Looked in with flash light really didn?t see water in there. Checked all battery connections and got a very slow crank 1/4 turn before I needed to stop due to battery or some type of engine load. Pulled the alternator belt loose water pump and alternator were free. We stopped for the night.
May try one of my batteries from the car before I run out and buy a new marine battery.
Did I do something bad trying to prime the block with water? Should I have been getting some water from the Alpha to motor while cranking with the muffs & hose running?
Tks
I got the boat for a good price and went and bought a used spare alternator and Starter. It looked like the boat had been sitting and hull drain plug took in a lot of water at some point. We did have to spray the cylinders with PB blaster to get it freed up so starter would turn it over and it so far has cranked slow. Not so slow with the plugs out. Compression test was low under 100 all across figured the rings were frozen and should free up if we get it running. We pulled the valve cover and did need to free a stuck valve, seems just rusted in place not bad it popped right up with a screwdriver levering on the spring cap.
Just recently drained water and old water out of bottom end. swapped starter and alternator cleaned tested Carb. and Fuel pump. cleaned Fuel tank Replaced main wiring plug and starter solenoid. checked point gap and confirmed spark. Lifters seemed collapsed on the position that had the stuck valve after cranking some we did start to get oil up the push rods 3 of them didn?t have oil coming out when cranking . Used a syringe with some light oil and got the 3 dry ones filed with oil and felt any blockage clear out pushing hard on syringe through pushrox oil hole. Finally got all the lifters getting oil and rockers fim and looking as they should, replaced the valve cover.
Put Muffs on the outboard with the hose on but didn't look like water was getting up to motor when cranking figured when it started maybe that is when impeller in Alpha would be spinning fast enough. Cranked while slowly rotating Distributor to best position started almost starting several times. It seemed to really drain thebattery fast and we are always needing to stop and let charger recharge battery before we can continue.
While we were waiting we went to see if any water was getting to motor. Pulled Ft hose from thermostat to Water pump it was dry and a bit crusty washed hose out. Pulled hose from alpha to thermostat and put hose water through it. exited out the inlet side vents in alpha casting RT and LT. Put the large O.D. FT water pump hose back on. Went and put the hose into the thermostat housing figuring maybe we should have some water in the engine to help it prime we waited until we saw it come out at alpha figured it would exit out the prop it seemed to exit out two holes in stern drive under the bellows. Both Bellows looked good no rips and there was no water exiting bellows.
Decided to try and crank it and see if water exited out the Alpha hose taht went to thermostat with the muffs on hose on and engine cranking .
Engine would not crank it strained the starter to the max tried it a few times. Maybe the battery just died but also worried we filled the engine with water somehow. Oil still looked good and at same level in the pan. We stopped for dinner left the battery charger on.
After dinner pulled the plugs and figured try and crank it expecting water to exit out the cylinders it didn't want to turn over. Looked in with flash light really didn?t see water in there. Checked all battery connections and got a very slow crank 1/4 turn before I needed to stop due to battery or some type of engine load. Pulled the alternator belt loose water pump and alternator were free. We stopped for the night.
May try one of my batteries from the car before I run out and buy a new marine battery.
Did I do something bad trying to prime the block with water? Should I have been getting some water from the Alpha to motor while cranking with the muffs & hose running?
Tks
