Mercruiser 228 - Block Filled WIth Water. Help!!!

[JGKoenig]

Here is the deal. I got an 84 Sea Ray with a Mercruiser 228 in it from a friend of mine. Ran great 2 years ago when the starter died (I was in it when it happened). From sitting I ended up replacing lots of tune up stuff and rebuilding the carbas well as replacing the starter.

I checked the oil this morning and it was fine. I started it for about a minute and it ran great. I shut it off to give another quick oil check (I wanted to see if any water was getting in there.

I found that my whole block was filled with water and oil. RIght up to the oil breathers. All this happened in about 1 minutes time.

What can cause this much water to get in there so fast? Do I just have a really bad manifold or should I be looking in another direction?

 

[DHPMARINE]

Re: Mercruiser 228 - Block Filled WIth Water. Help!!!

I would expect major engine cracks internally if it happens that fast.

DHP

 

[JGKoenig]

Re: Mercruiser 228 - Block Filled WIth Water. Help!!!

HHMMM I was thinking that might be the case too. It ran pretty darn smooth for the little time I had it running. Wouldn't I have heard some noise or something if that were the case.

That would have to be one big crack to put that much water in there. I just pumped around 7 gallons of water and oil out of it.

I was cranking the hell out of it this morning and even got it to run for a few secs. This was before I rebuilt the carb. I forgot about that piece of info. No doubt some water got in there then too.

 

[Don S]

Re: Mercruiser 228 - Block Filled WIth Water. Help!!!

Is this a raw water cooled engine? Was it winterized? Freezing water will crack a block.

 

[JGKoenig]

Re: Mercruiser 228 - Block Filled WIth Water. Help!!!

I was thinking of rebuilding the motor, but if the block had cracks in it obvioulsy that is not an option. I guess I would not know until I got it out. Never rebuilt a motor before (other than my old Chrysler 140 Outboard). It might be a good learning experience. LOL

Should I go ahead and throw a 350 in there. They seem to be a dime a dozen in junk yards up here in NJ. I could problem get a decent one pretty inexpensively. I assume that the blocks are the same between a car and marine application. The 305 that is in there now looks like a standard 305 block.

Anything that I should be looking out for?

 

[JGKoenig]

Re: Mercruiser 228 - Block Filled WIth Water. Help!!!

Is this a raw water cooled engine? Was it winterized? Freezing water will crack a block.

I just asked the PO about that. He says that he drained all the water before he parked it. I know his maintenance habits pretty well and I know that he takes care of his toys. I beleive that it was winterized properly.

That is what lead me to think that it was a big hole in one or both of the exhaust manifolds. I guess the only way to know for sure would be to take the manifolds off and have a look. Can they be repaired? I have a good welder down the road that specializes in cast iron.

 

[Don S]

Re: Mercruiser 228 - Block Filled WIth Water. Help!!!

Water getting into the oil from bad exhaust manifolds is just a small amount of water at a time. Just the water that leaks by the rings.
When the engine is running, the water is blown out the exhaust. So that could NOT fill your engine in one minute?
When the PO drained the block, he may have pulled the plugs, but didn't clean the holes out to make sure the water is all out.
Besides that, what former owner would admit he didn't drain it properly to the new owner.

 

[JGKoenig]

Re: Mercruiser 228 - Block Filled WIth Water. Help!!!

Ahhh OK. Looks like I am screwed as far as this motor goes. Thanks for the explanation.

Now about my other question. Anything bad about taking a 350 out of a car and putting it in this boat. Seems like they are a very common and inexpensive motor. I assume that the intake is different between the 350 and the 305 (Mercruiser 228). Would the exhaust manifolds bolt right on? Anything else to beware of?

 

[mtnrat]

Re: Mercruiser 228 - Block Filled WIth Water. Help!!!

Lots of info on that if you search. Many differences between auto and marine, but not rally hard to make work if you have the right engine. I just finished putting in a 350 longblock as a relacement for a 305. All the marine stuff from the 305 bolts right over.

 

[JGKoenig]

Re: Mercruiser 228 - Block Filled WIth Water. Help!!!

"The right engine" seems to be the key phrase here. I did a little searching and it appears that you are referring more to the vintage of the engine. If my boat is an 84 I should be looking for a motor of that vintage. Right??

What are the differences. Seems like the bell housing is a big one. Anything else I shoudl be looking for. Obviously I need to use all of the electric stuff (alternator, starter, etc), as well as the carb, manifolds, etc from my old motor. What differences should I beware of? I don't want to buy something that I can not use.

 

[mtnrat]

Re: Mercruiser 228 - Block Filled WIth Water. Help!!!

search marine vs auto. It seems one of the biggies is the cam and brass frost plugs. You need an engine that is cammed for low end torque. I am sure some with more experience than I will chime in. In the meantime start searching and reading. There are hours on info on this board.
Cheers.

 

[Haut Medoc]

Re: Mercruiser 228 - Block Filled WIth Water. Help!!!

Since you are in Jersey & are forking for a new engine.....
Think about going with a closed cooled system......
You will need to fork up for new manifolds anyway....
How much do you like this boat?
Salt water is hell on engine internals....
A few extra $ will go far.......
I lived in Jersey for 30 years.....
Salt kills.......
Go closed, young man!........JK

 

[Bondo]

Re: Mercruiser 228 - Block Filled WIth Water. Help!!!

"The right engine" seems to be the key phrase here. I did a little searching and it appears that you are referring more to the vintage of the engine. If my boat is an 84 I should be looking for a motor of that vintage. Right??

What are the differences. Seems like the bell housing is a big one. Anything else I shoudl be looking for. Obviously I need to use all of the electric stuff (alternator, starter, etc), as well as the carb, manifolds, etc from my old motor. What differences should I beware of? I don't want to buy something that I can not use.

You're Correct about the "Vintage" Issue.........
There has been many small subtle changes to the basic SBC since 1955 when it was introduced,.....
Most noteable is the changes of 1986/1987 when the Rear Main Seal was changed from a 2pc. to a 1pc. seal......
And again in 1996 when the "Vortec" Heads were introduced....

Btw,...... All Chevies have the Same Bellhousing Bolt Pattern,........
The 4cyls.....
The 6cyls.... Both the In-lines,+ V-motors.....
The SBCs,+ the BBCs..........
All the Same.....

So,....... Find yourself a Pre-1987 SBC,... 305, 350, It Doesn't Matter...... They're the Same Block Casting...... Preferably out of a Truck,......It'll have a Truck Cam Grind, which is So Close to a Marine Grind, You'll Never know the Difference.....

Drop it into your boat,+ Have Fun..........

Imho,......
If you Pull the Intake Manifold,..........
You're going to See 2 Very Large Cracks on each side of the Lifter Valley,............
That's Where the Water is coming from.........
It's the Classic place for a SBChevy to Split when Frozen........

 

[JGKoenig]

Re: Mercruiser 228 - Block Filled WIth Water. Help!!!

Since you are in Jersey & are forking for a new engine.....
Think about going with a closed cooled system......
You will need to fork up for new manifolds anyway....
How much do you like this boat?
Salt water is hell on engine internals....
A few extra $ will go far.......
I lived in Jersey for 30 years.....
Salt kills.......
Go closed, young man!........JK

I use my boats in Greenwood Lake and have never taken any of them into salt water. If I did I would just put them back in the lake to flush them out anyway. I usually have a slip so they stay in the water for the summer.

Not sure how much I like the boat. I have not paid anything for it yet. Not sure what it is worth with a blown motor. If the motor wsas good I was going to pay $2000 for it. What do you think it is worth? (84 Sea Ray 18.5' Bow Rider)

 

[Reel Poor]

Re: Mercruiser 228 - Block Filled WIth Water. Help!!!

Not sure how much I like the boat. I have not paid anything for it yet. Not sure what it is worth with a blown motor. If the motor wsas good I was going to pay $2000 for it. What do you think it is worth? (84 Sea Ray 18.5' Bow Rider)

See if they will pay you to take the boat. By the time your done,,,,if you don't drop 2 grand in it, to start with, I would be suprised. For 2 to 3 grand, and some real shopping, you could buy something running.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Mercruiser 228 - Block Filled WIth Water. Help!!!

Ayuh,.........
A Dead Horse is about Worthless,...... Especially This Time of Year..........

1980s vintage boats that Run,.. can be bought All Day Long,.. for the kind of Money you're looking to Spend.......
Again,... Especially This Time of Year...............

 

[Haut Medoc]

Re: Mercruiser 228 - Block Filled WIth Water. Help!!!

Being from South Jersey, I forgot about Greenwood Lake.....
Is it the only one that you can still boat on?
What RP & Bondo said.....
If it has a trailer it might be worth $500.00.....
You will have to sink 2 G's into it right off the bat.....
I would wait till after Christmas when the real deals show up .....JK

 

[JGKoenig]

Re: Mercruiser 228 - Block Filled WIth Water. Help!!!

Just wondering. Is there any way to troubleshoot where the water is comming from. Somebody here at work suggested that the intake manifold gasket (or a crack in the manifold) might be the culpret. That seems easy enough to take off so i guess I should be able to tell if it is the problem. I don't want to replace the motor if the block is not the problem.

 

[bomar76]

Re: Mercruiser 228 - Block Filled WIth Water. Help!!!

What part of "Run away from this disaster" is hard to understand?

The boat is just about worthless bordering on negative value.