JackBronson
Petty Officer 2nd Class
- Joined
- Jun 4, 2012
- Messages
- 170
2008 Mercruiser 4.3 Alpha 1. After reading the spirited conversation in the "Just draining block is not enough", I am pondering my situation. I've had the boat 2 seasons, 240 hours on the engine. First 8 years she was moored in fresh water, last 2 seasons (80 hours total) she has been trailered to salt water.
I'm assuming the motor has never had a good probe and clean out - when I removed the blue plastic drain caps this week I got some good dirty water out of it.
So, my first question is if I was going to flush it with say oxalic acid (as was suggested), how would I do that? Mix up the solution and feed it in the intake with the muffs and a large funnel?
Then I pull off all the various cooling hoses and let them all drain, and then using tools (coat hangers? small metal picks?) I go to town trying to get any and all crud out of the passages?
My concern on this last part is what if I end up loosening up some big stuff that doesn't end up making it out of the engine through the exhaust? Could I end up creating a blockage?
Last step will be cleaning up the mess I create in the bilge, which will be excellent because only a contortionist can actually reach into the tight space with this hull.
Thanks in advance for the advice.
I'm assuming the motor has never had a good probe and clean out - when I removed the blue plastic drain caps this week I got some good dirty water out of it.
So, my first question is if I was going to flush it with say oxalic acid (as was suggested), how would I do that? Mix up the solution and feed it in the intake with the muffs and a large funnel?
Then I pull off all the various cooling hoses and let them all drain, and then using tools (coat hangers? small metal picks?) I go to town trying to get any and all crud out of the passages?
My concern on this last part is what if I end up loosening up some big stuff that doesn't end up making it out of the engine through the exhaust? Could I end up creating a blockage?
Last step will be cleaning up the mess I create in the bilge, which will be excellent because only a contortionist can actually reach into the tight space with this hull.
Thanks in advance for the advice.