Buying a pontoon with a Mercruiser 3.0

[beermunk]

Hey all!

Wife and I just put money down on a 2004 Tracker Suntracker Party Barge 22' Regency Tritoon. Boat has a 3.0 Mercruiser IO. Driving from Wisconsin to Oklahoma to pick it up this weekend.

So tell me I didn't make a huge mistake! Really my biggest concern is the IO engine because I've never dealt with one before, always had outboards. But I trust the Mercury name - anything to look at when I get on site?

We're going to take it out on the water first before we give them the check so any advice on what to look for? I'm not a new boat owner (still have the Whaler) but new to IO's and this type of boat.

Also because it's 70f down there and not yet above freezing up here, I'll have to have them winterize it before we haul it up, right?

 

[Bondo]

Re: Buying a pontoon with a Mercruiser 3.0

Also because it's 70f down there and not yet above freezing up here, I'll have to have them winterize it before we haul it up, right?

Nope,... What you have to do is Drain it....

The 3.0l is a rock solid little motor that's been pushin' boats since the early-mid 60s....

When you load out of the water for the trip Home,....
Pull up to a comfortable reasonably flat area,...
Lower the drive,.. Hop in, open the motor hatch, look Under the manifold, there's 2 Drain Plugs...
Remove them, 1 in the bottom of the manifold,+ 1 at the bottom of the block, about mid-way along the oil pan rail,...
Poke a screw or nail into them if the water doesn't come Gushing out....
Then remove the Big Hose from the water circulating pump on the front of the motor...
If by chance it has P/Steering,...
There'll be a Cooler on the in-coming waterline from the outdrive,... That'll need draining as well....

Then close the hatch,+ Raise the outdrive to the top,+ you're on your way....

 

[beermunk]

Re: Buying a pontoon with a Mercruiser 3.0

Nope,... What you have to do is Drain it....

The 3.0l is a rock solid little motor that's been pushin' boats since the early-mid 60s....

When you load out of the water for the trip Home,....
Pull up to a comfortable reasonably flat area,...
Lower the drive,.. Hop in, open the motor hatch, look Under the manifold, there's 2 Drain Plugs...
Remove them, 1 in the bottom of the manifold,+ 1 at the bottom of the block, about mid-way along the oil pan rail,...
Poke a screw or nail into them if the water doesn't come Gushing out....
Then remove the Big Hose from the water circulating pump on the front of the motor...
If by chance it has P/Steering,...
There'll be a Cooler on the in-coming waterline from the outdrive,... That'll need draining as well....

Then close the hatch,+ Raise the outdrive to the top,+ you're on your way....

Wow that is outstanding information, thank you! I'm going to have them show me how to do it before I leave the dealership. It's good to know that you think highly of the motor as well. My lack of experience with IO's has put the fear into me about owning one.

Any suggestions on stuff to look for on the motor when we finally see the boat?

 

[Don S]

Re: Buying a pontoon with a Mercruiser 3.0

If you go up to the Adults Only sticky, you can download the engine and drive manuals for that engine and drive. They are the OEM manuals and free.
You want manual 26 for the engine, and 14 for the drive.

 

[bigbob_FTW]

Re: Buying a pontoon with a Mercruiser 3.0

Driving from Wisconsin to Oklahoma to pick it up this weekend...

Where in OK? just curios, I'm from there. Great motor, by the way.

 

[beermunk]

Re: Buying a pontoon with a Mercruiser 3.0

If you go up to the Adults Only sticky, you can download the engine and drive manuals for that engine and drive. They are the OEM manuals and free.
You want manual 26 for the engine, and 14 for the drive.

Very nice - thank you!

 

[beermunk]

Re: Buying a pontoon with a Mercruiser 3.0

Where in OK? just curios, I'm from there. Great motor, by the way.

Grove OK. I guess it's on the north east side of the state. My wife and son will be down there on Sunday to pick up our boat!

 

[bigbob_FTW]

Re: Buying a pontoon with a Mercruiser 3.0

Grove OK. I guess it's on the north east side of the state. My wife and son will be down there on Sunday to pick up our boat!

My old stomping ground. Very nice lake there. Good luck!

 

[Rocky_Road]

Re: Buying a pontoon with a Mercruiser 3.0

My 3.0L has two quick disconnect hoses...that drain the engine of any water.

The hoses are blue in color...and you can see them in this picture. They release by hand, just below the plate with the handle.

 

[Don S]

Re: Buying a pontoon with a Mercruiser 3.0

If that was my boat, those would be gone in a heart beat. If the fitting in the block or the fitting in the manifold get plugged up for any reason, the water will not drain, but you will see water coming out because one or the other did drain. Then the one that didn't drain breaks because the water is still in it.
Remove the hoses and the plugs and use a wire to make sure the holes are open. All it takes to plug the holes is a couple of brass pipe plugs from a hardware store you can get when you get the boat home.
Go to section 6 of manual 26 starting on page 6A-7 is the draining instructions.

 

[govols019]

Re: Buying a pontoon with a Mercruiser 3.0

I was just about to make a post about this very thing. Thank goodness for the search feature.

I used the blue hoses to drain my 3.0 just in case it dropped below freezing since I put my boat in the water a little earlier than usual this year. How much water would be normal to come out? Judging by sight I'd say a little over a gallon came out.