Water jacket question

[1999 Searay 180BR]

1999 Sea Ray 180 Bowrider, 3.0L Mercruiser...

The last time the boat was winterized, the square headed plug on the bottom of the water jacket rounded forcing me to remove the water jacket in order to remove and replace it. It was the end of season so I reassembled with the existing gasket.

Procrastination now has me in a position in which I'd like to take the boat out this weekend but am leery of running it without installing a new gasket.

I ran the engine on a flusher for about 20 minutes yesterday and saw no leaks but then again I'm pretty sure the thermostat never opened so there may have been no water in the jacket to leak...if that's even how it works...Thoughts?

 

[Scott Danforth]

get a vice grips and remove the plug, then install a new one

the way raw water cooled thermostats work is more of a mixing valve. the block will always fill up first.

 

[1999 Searay 180BR]

get a vice grips and remove the plug, then install a new one

the way raw water cooled thermostats work is more of a mixing valve. the block will always fill up first.

Yea, vice grips is what got me into trouble to begin with. I already removed the plug and installed a new one but had to remove the water jacket to do it. I had to drill out the old plug because there was nothing to grip.
My concern is reusing the old gasket...Thoughts?

 

[Scott Danforth]

if it starts to leak, replace it. or if it bothers you, replace it now

 

[Bt Doctur]

Throw the solid plugs away and get the ones with a removable plug

 

[achris]

Water jacket? Are you talking about the water PUMP maybe? (as far as I know, the engine water jacket is the engine block, and can't be 'removed'.)

Chris......

 

[1999 Searay 180BR]

Throw the solid plugs away and get the ones with a removable plug

I like this !!! thx

 

[1999 Searay 180BR]

No Title

Water jacket? Are you talking about the water PUMP maybe? (as far as I know, the engine water jacket is the engine block, and can't be 'removed'.)

Chris......

Sorry...wrong terminology i suppose...exhaust manifold maybe?

 

[Bt Doctur]

Those are 1/4 inch pipe thread the one on the bottom of the manifold is 1/8th pipe thread and they make a instead of a square one.

 

[achris]

Sorry...wrong terminology i suppose...exhaust manifold maybe?

Ah, thanks. Makes sense now.