Worst of two evils 3.7

[clydey]

Which is the quickest to get back on the water? Tonight I picked up another merc 170 that seems to be ready to drop in.My motor,which is a little older 170 needs I think a head gasket.Picked up the motor for $350 is that a good deal and which is the easier job,swap it out or do the gasket?

 

[stonyloam]

Re: Worst of two evils 3.7

Head gasket. Do a compression test and cooling system pressure check to confirm the head gasket diagnosis. If you don't need to have head work done, should be able to swap the gasket in 4 or 5 hours (if all goes well, and it never does). Swapping engines would require removing and realigning the outdrive Probably all weekend to do it (if all goes well, and it never does LOL). IMHO. Good luck.

 

[Eric 3.7LX Alpha 1]

Re: Worst of two evils 3.7

I'll take the head gasket job too. Don't forget to replace the impeller in the drive if it's been over 2 or 3 years.... tops.

 

[clydey]

Re: Worst of two evils 3.7

Started the head gasket job and of course snapped the last bolt holding the exhaust mani on.Next will try and get the exhast mani off the head with out cracking that.Any tricks you all have for separating those and dont forget the rear bolt stem is still place.

 

[Eric 3.7LX Alpha 1]

Re: Worst of two evils 3.7

Man.. nothing's easy. :facepalm:

I think you should have kept these two threads you have going as one since your kind of on the same subject on both.

Hopefully yo can get the EM off the head with the "stud" (broken bolt) still in, and work on it with a long shaft exposed.
Try putting some nice thin oil, trans fluid, PB Blaster around the broken bolt and maybe it will work itself down to help soften things up.

If you can get the rest out without breaking, maybe you can slowly twist the EM to the left and right to break free whatever corrosion may be left on the bolt shaft. If you can get it to rotate on the broken bolt, keep it lubed up and it should come off.
Good Luck!!

 

[stonyloam]

Re: Worst of two evils 3.7

You should be able to pull the head with the exhaust manifold on, if need be you can take it to a machine shop.

 

[clydey]

Re: Worst of two evils 3.7

Yup did just that,pulled both off together and man that sucker is heavy!I will take a crack at it tommorrow but if it won't budge it will go to a machine shop.I looked at the gasket and it looks fine. I did notice milky sludge at the back but like I said the gasket looked fine. I have also decided to change the water pump seals even thought it was not weeping.Oil in the antifreeze is eveywhere!How do you flush the entire engine of this junk?And where the heck did it get mixed in???

 

[clydey]

Re: Worst of two evils 3.7

Took a shot at separating the them with wood and a hammer no luck.Tried hanging from a hoist and letting them weight of the head help it along and no luck. Some times ya gotta pay to have things done and this might be one.

 

[stonyloam]

Re: Worst of two evils 3.7

If you are going to take it to a machine shop, you might find out about putting in hardened exhaust valve seats.

 

[clydey]

Re: Worst of two evils 3.7

I will ask.What will that do for me and this engine?Also looking at changing these water pump seals?Ya pull the balancer to accomplish that?It has the alternator kit on there also so that means tearing down more.Or do you think I should wait to finish the head gasket mess and fire it up to see if the oil in the antifreeze and milk in the sump is gone.I would like to put this thing in the water seeing I bought it and have'nt done that yet
I do have that donor motor that I can toss in also

 

[stonyloam]

Re: Worst of two evils 3.7

The hardened exhaust seats are for the unleaded modern gas. I think would wait to change the seals.

 

[clydey]

Re: Worst of two evils 3.7

Dropped off the head to the local machine shop guru.He said no problem with getting the head off the mani with the broken bolt. Upon further examination while scaping the gasket off the riser I noticed a fair sized hole up inside(looked like Austraila)rusted trhu so that may have been the hole problem in the first place right???oil in the anti and milky oil in the sump?or not.The head gasket looked ok and not blown anywhere that is why I was considering the pump seals.Could this have been the demon??
Also the machine shop guy will take a look at the head also

 

[clydey]

Re: Worst of two evils 3.7

Well ordered a riser OSC0879 and gasket.crossed over after research,I hope it's the right one.Hope this clears it all up I wanna ride
Got up this morning and started wondering if the frozen on exhaust manifold(last bolt on mani #4 cyl)is also so rusted inside due to antifreeze mix was the culprit and have to replace that also?We will know soon enough when it comes back from the machine shop.If so what would you do????take apart the donor motor sitting in the garage,complete and running or buy the exhaust mani if one is needed.??That would be a bummer either way.

 

[clydey]

Re: Worst of two evils 3.7

Well the owner of D & D auto parts and machine in Easthampton,Mass has always been admired by some in his racing days and now by me. He managed to separate those two without damage to either.The manifold looks o.k. for reuse.So back to an old question.....
Can the hole in the riser be the reason for oil in the antifreeze and milky oil in the pan?PLEASE PUT MY HEAD TO REST

 

[stonyloam]

Re: Worst of two evils 3.7

there is supposed to be one hole in the exhaust elbow for the water exiting the heat exchanger. Got a photo?

 

[clydey]

Re: Worst of two evils 3.7

I don't think that one is welcome...The image uploader would not go..I can tell ya it is a rot hole the size of your thumb.

 

[achris]

Re: Worst of two evils 3.7

How to Post Pictures - The Basics

 

[clydey]

Re: Worst of two evils 3.7

Tried every way Achris but to no avail.Running an old bugger of XP..Thanks anyway mate

 

[achris]

Re: Worst of two evils 3.7

I'm running XP... works a treat for me... What browser you running? (BTW, I'm with Firefox...)

Chris........

 

[clydey]

Re: Worst of two evils 3.7

Tried internet explorer and firefox