scratches on the block where the balancer shaft bearing sits on 4.3. Does it need to be machined or can I just press the bearing over it?

[Hoover62]

I recently bought a new boat that had a 4.3 MerCruiser in it that was seized up. Water got in the cylinders and one of the freeze plugs popped. I removed the engine, to inspect to see if the block had any cracks and clean up all the rust. Disassembled it down to the block and after cleaning it up I noticed a few deep scratches/gouges on the block where the bearing sits for the balancer… maybe from me wiggling it to get it out? This is my first time taking apart a motor to the block. So my question is when I install the new bearing does it matter if those scratches are there or do I need to take it to a machine shop and have them bore out that hole or can I sand it down myself? Any input would be helpful. Thank you in advance.

 

[lintmann]

The gouges themselves won't be an issue but the raised metal around them should be removed so that the bearing won't have any possible distortion once installed. If that were mine I would carefully use a fine round file or stone to remove the high spots and leave it at that.
What are your plans for the cylinders because they caught my attention more than anything.

 

[Scott Danforth]

If the core plugs were pushed out, 99.99995% chance the block is cracked. (GM blocks never survive a freezing that pushes core plugs out)

Take it to your local machine shop and have it magnafluxed

 

[Hoover62]

The gouges themselves won't be an issue but the raised metal around them should be removed so that the bearing won't have any possible distortion once installed. If that were mine I would carefully use a fine round file or stone to remove the high spots and leave it at that.
What are your plans for the cylinders because they caught my attention more than anything.

The gouges themselves won't be an issue but the raised metal around them should be removed so that the bearing won't have any possible distortion once installed. If that were mine I would carefully use a fine round file or stone to remove the high spots and leave it at that.
What are your plans for the cylinders because they caught my attention more than anything.

Thank you for the reply. With the cylinders, I honed them out with a honing tool from AutoZone. After I had posted my first post, I went back outside and use that same tool and honed out that hole which did knock down the ridges that were in it. I figured if the bearing has to get pushed into there it’s going to be a tight fit and I don’t really think there’s much pressure up there to where I have to worry about a leak.

 

[Hoover62]

If the core plugs were pushed out, 99.99995% chance the block is cracked. (GM blocks never survive a freezing that pushes core plugs out)

Take it to your local machine shop and have it magnafluxed

One of the cylinder heads did crack. The motor itself looks good. Taking it to shop is not a bad idea to have them clean it and give me piece of mind.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Looks like a crack in the deck at cylinder #6