'99 Merc 3.0 w/ Cracked Head... Fixable? New head? Epoxy?

[1MeanC3]

Hi All,

I've got a '99 Stingray w/ a 3.0L Merc in it. Back story: I serviced the drive at the end of last season, new impeller, gaskets, oil. I misaligned the water tube so when I started it last week for the first time, it was pumping water, but not thru to the motor. Only ran it a few minutes until the temp on the gauge spiked to around 180. Pulled the drive off, fixed the water tube, re-assembled. Start it, runs great, cools well, never goes over 160. Now the issue: I see a small drop of water coming off the motor behind the manifold. Upon closer inspection, it's coming from the back of the head. IE. Cracked head. What's the best course of action to fix this? Used head? Could it be welded, or epoxied? I believe the head is cast iron, so not as easy to weld as aluminum. I have access to a seasoned welder. I have attached a video as well. I feel like I didn't run it long enough to crack the head, and I drained and antifreeze'd it last winter, so I don't think it froze. Is it possible this could have been happening for a while? Oil has always been clean, it's a really small leak. It looks as if the motor has actually been out of this boat before, there is a broken piece of casting near the rear bolt on the head.

Anyways, onto the video:

 

[tlewis1]

Might have just wrecked the head gasket and possible warped the head. Time to pull the head and inspect. You can take into a shop and have the machine it and get a new gasket while your at it. Probably all it needs but you won't know until you pull it.

 

[1MeanC3]

Might have just wrecked the head gasket and possible warped the head. Time to pull the head and inspect. You can take into a shop and have the machine it and get a new gasket while your at it. Probably all it needs but you won't know until you pull it.

It looks like droplets are coming out of the actual head, above the head gasket. Unless its splashing up from the seam?

 

[Scott Danforth]

I would pressure test to be sure.

most likely if you did overheat it, you simply warped the head and toasted the head gasket

 

[Bt Doctur]

Almost looks like the gasket is backwards, and yes the gaskets go fit perfectly backwards, ask me how I know that
FEL PRO 17000

 

[1MeanC3]

So what's the deal with the water droplets? Illusion?

 

[tlewis1]

I'd say it looks like it might just be splashing that way.

 

[Bt Doctur]

................

 

[1MeanC3]

Alright. I'm going to check it once more and see if its splashing up, or cracked. I'll pull the head if it isn't cracked, and send it out for machining. Head gasket upon its return.

 

[1MeanC3]

So it's been a few months... things have happened. I pulled the head, it was cracked/corroded right where I had figured. Head gasket was on correctly, water was seeping right out of the back wall of the head. Sent it out to have it repaired, and was told it couldn't be done. Fast forward a couple months, and I finally found the correct cast head to replace it with. All of the heads I was finding were incorrect, and would result in power loss.

My question now is: Is there a large difference in manifold gaskets? The gasket I took off looks like it restricted some of the ports... When I look up new gaskets, my search returns the same gasket I took off. When I look at the Mercruiser part, it appears to be the correct gasket with enlarged ports on the end, and in the middle. I've attached pictures of the manifold, and the gasket. Thoughts?

 

[1MeanC3]

Bump. Any advice?

 

[Bt Doctur]

If the ports in the head are the same as the ports in the manifold then you have the wrong gasket
If the ports in the manifold are different than the ports in the head you have the wrong head

 

[1MeanC3]

Head/Manifold that I pulled appeared to be original. Thinking some work was done, and the gasket was changed. Maybe that's how the gasket is supposed to look? I'll grab a shot of the head.

 

[Bt Doctur]

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