Mercruiser 3.0 engine sieze question

[healy55]

Hello,
Some facts:
I have a 98 bayliner 1952 cuddy 18 feet boat with a I/O mercruiser 3.0 and alpha drive. It sat in my driveway covered for a year without starting. I live in florida. I go to start it after charging the battery and engine clicks. Trouble shot starter and starter ok. Pulled plugs and found I couldn't manually crank engine (using a 1/2 inch ratchet wrench with 1 inch metal tube as a breaker bar) on the upper puller. Tightened belt at alternator adjustment real tight. I filled each piston with Marvel mystery oil and soaked it a day. I was able to break it free but it is still tight. I soaked it again with Marvel's mystery oil and PBC blaster and waited another day. Same results..still too tight for the starter to turn engine. Same thing after 4 days of soaking. How loose should the pistons move? I can crank it with the wrench but when I engage the starter (jumping the relay) it only turns about 3-4 inches and "Click". Should I be more patient and keep soaking and manually turning day after day? It did not seize while running. Just by sitting in my driveway with a boat cover. I'm guessing condensation got in the cylinders and rusted. But....? The battery is holding 12 volts and only 3 years old. Maybe a new battery? Thanks for any insight in this.

 

[dubs283]

Re: Mercruiser 3.0 engine sieze question

you should be applying force to the balancer pully, not the water pump pully

unless you had water running down the carb and into the engine, i don't really see how a running engine would just sieze up after a year of sitting

 

[Don S]

Re: Mercruiser 3.0 engine sieze question

I doubt you can get to the balancer pulley with that mount in the way.

Pull the outdrive off. Could have water in the bellows, rusty gimbal bearing that won't turn or other drive problems. If the drive was full of water, after a year it's junk.

 

[tpenfield]

Re: Mercruiser 3.0 engine sieze question

Well, it is possible that the internals of the engine rusted . . . if it was not fogged before layup.

Based on what you described . . . I would do the following

- Make sure the spark plugs are out . . .

- Make sure the cylinders have lots of oil in them , as you were doing

- Manually crank the engine using the breaker bar and the lower pulley as 'dubs' said . . . do at least 2 full revolutions of the engine, 4 would be better.

- See what the oil discharge from the cylinders looks like (rust? or OK)

- Also check the electrical connections to the starter . . . it may be the connection has built up some resistance during the layup so that the voltage to the starter is not high enough. Make sure you have good voltage at the battery as well, even though you charged it.

- If you can get 4 full revolutions of the engine, you could try cranking it with the starter, (plugs still out)

Let us know how it goes . . .

 

[Don S]

Re: Mercruiser 3.0 engine sieze question

- Manually crank the engine using the breaker bar and the lower pulley as 'dubs' said . . .

It's a 3.0L engine guys. How do you get to that pulley? The motor mount is in the way.

You can also put all the oil you want in the cylinders, but it's not going to help if the drive or gimbal bearing is the problem.

 

[healy55]

Re: Mercruiser 3.0 engine sieze question

Thanks for the quick reply! I already broke it free using the upper pulley using the 4 - 1/2 mount bolts on them and 1/2 inch wratchet. I cannot access the lower shaft bolt due to this big metal mount in the way. I can turn it many revolutions but seems too tight for the starter to crank. Should I be able to turn it by hand or by grabbing the belt and manually pulling? (with the plugs out)....because I cannot due that. I can only turn it with the wratchet and breaker tube for leverage. I want to rule out all the obvious first before pulling heads and drives...ugh! Going to get a brand new battery with high cranking amps. I can't really tell if there is any rust in the pinkish marvel mystery oil that discharges from the pistons when manually turning shaft. It oozes out and mixes with the oil and dust on the engine...so can't tell, it isn;t black anyways! Starter checked out ok. No dc voltage drop from battery to relay. It tries to turn the engine but only moves about 1/2 inch to the best 3 inches...real slow until starter gives up and "clicks". :facepalm:

 

[Don S]

Re: Mercruiser 3.0 engine sieze question

PULL THE OUTDRIVE OFF.

Then and only then will you know if the drive system or the engine is the problem. You will still be able to crank and start the engine with the drive off. Right now you are working in the blind not knowing if the engine is the problem or not.

 

[tpenfield]

Re: Mercruiser 3.0 engine sieze question

It's a 3.0L engine guys. How do you get to that pulley? The motor mount is in the way.

You can also put all the oil you want in the cylinders, but it's not going to help if the drive or gimbal bearing is the problem.

Yup, I'm always thinking in V8 engine terms . . . (sorry). Regarding the outdrive . . . could it possibly be in gear, even though the starter should not activate unless the shifter is in neutral ???

 

[dingdongs]

Re: Mercruiser 3.0 engine sieze question

12v is also far too low and is less than 50% of its turning ability.invest in another battery at the very least.rest as others state.

 

[ktbarrentine]

Re: Mercruiser 3.0 engine sieze question

PULL THE OUTDRIVE OFF.

Then and only then will you know if the drive system or the engine is the problem. You will still be able to crank and start the engine with the drive off. Right now you are working in the blind not knowing if the engine is the problem or not.

Following this thread with extreme interest. Wondering what the outcome is AFTER the outdrive is removed. But didn't think it to be a good idea to "start" the engine with the drive off. If this is ok, I would imagine you wouldnt want to run it long? (few seconds - just for troubleshooting?)

 

[dubs283]

Re: Mercruiser 3.0 engine sieze question

I doubt you can get to the balancer pulley with that mount in the way.

Pull the outdrive off. Could have water in the bellows, rusty gimbal bearing that won't turn or other drive problems. If the drive was full of water, after a year it's junk.

blast!

i had "pull the drive" in my first post too! - i went back and edited it to say "try forcing the balancer pully"

props to don again!

this is the egg on my face for posting at home and not in the shop with a boat in front of me!!

pretty sure don has forgotten more than we could ever learn

 

[Don S]

Re: Mercruiser 3.0 engine sieze question

I'm not sure why there is such a problem comprehending why you pull the outdrive. It's a method of isolating the problem. It's easy to pull, takes 10 minutes and should be removed yearly for preventive maintenance anyway.
No one said you need to start the engine with the drive off. The spark plugs are out and he has been putting oil in the cylinders, you really don't want to put the plugs in and try to start it at that point. That is a sure hydrolock.
Besides, with the drive off, you could run the engine for 15 to 20 seconds with no problems. The impeller is in the drive, so you can't damage it. In 15 seconds, you aren't going to burn anything up.

 

[dubs283]

Re: Mercruiser 3.0 engine sieze question

don't get me wrong, pulling the drive is one of the first steps i do with an engine that wont turn over

usually the boat is towed in and sitting in a slip, so first pull the plugs and check for a hydrolock

i just wasn't thinkin 3 liter with the mount in front and thought, well better try the balancer bolt instead of the water pump pully

cant count on one hand the number of times a "siezed" engine issue has turned out to be a drive issue in my experience

 

[Don S]

Re: Mercruiser 3.0 engine sieze question

I was typing long before you posted dubs, just had to stop in the middle of my post and answer the phone. Thus the time lag.
It very well may be the engine, but if the spark plugs aren't rusty, pull the drive.

 

[dubs283]

Re: Mercruiser 3.0 engine sieze question

but if the spark plugs aren't rusty, pull the drive.

agree 100%

with all the info givin in the op's first post, i shoulda left "pull the drive" in my post

i guess at this hour i'm tryin to justify my reasoning earlier, late night posts are the best! (and worst, sometimes)

 

[ktbarrentine]

Re: Mercruiser 3.0 engine sieze question

I'm lovin' the late night posts! Hope I wasn't misunderstood. I am all for pulling the drive, too...(I'm getting really good at it) My statement "Wondering what the outcome is AFTER the outdrive is removed," was just that... I want to hear (read) what Heally55 finds out after he follows the advice, pulls the drive and then turns it over. Patiently waiting and learning, and hoping he has good luck.

 

[dubs283]

Re: Mercruiser 3.0 engine sieze question

I'm lovin' the late night posts! Hope I wasn't misunderstood. I am all for pulling the drive, too...(I'm getting really good at it) My statement "Wondering what the outcome is AFTER the outdrive is removed," was just that... I want to hear (read) what Heally55 finds out after he follows the advice, pulls the drive and then turns it over. Patiently waiting and learning, and hoping he has good luck.

amen, kt...

i feel kinda embarassed about my comments here

pullin the drive is boat mechanic 101 as it were regarding a "siezed" engine

that said, there is a 99% chance, given the original info, that when the op pulls the drive the engine turns over just fine

 

[healy55]

Re: Mercruiser 3.0 engine sieze question

You guys are awesome! My next question was....how to determine where the problem is. "Pull the drive"!!! Stated over and over. Frustrating manually cranking engine hour after hour smelling that marvel mystery oil wondering if its all in vain. Good workout though! :facepalm: I'll know soon enough if its the gimbal berring or whatever. Going to pull it tomorrow or monday. Thanks!!!

 

[healy55]

Re: Mercruiser 3.0 engine sieze question

Pulled the drive today and it is still tight to turn shaft at upper pulley. Same results. With the drive disconnected there is a berring in there (gimbel berring?) that could be causing the resistance? I took a pic of it. How do you test the berring to determine if it is the berring or the engine without pulling the heads? There was no water in the bellows btw.

 

[Don S]

Re: Mercruiser 3.0 engine sieze question

With the drive off, the gimbal bearing does nothing. You have engine problems for sure now.