A couple of questions

[Chemdawg]

Hello everyone. Just recently I got my 3.0 mercruiser up and running like a champ again. Just in time to start shutting it down for the winter. I have a couple of questions though.

1: The two drain plugs I see on the engine are the one on the block, and one up about 6 inches on the bottom of the manifold. Are those the only two? It's a 3.0 mercruiser with alpha 1 drive.

2: I noticed a have a small spot of oil on the ground just below the outdrive. I replaced the whole impeller assembly, and the upper water tube and water base. I replaced the small fiber gasket that goes between the upper and lower halves of the outdrive on the edge. I also replaced the shaft seal that is up top. So I'm not sure where the oil is from. Kind of looks like it was coming from the little hole on the nose of the lower unit. I wonder if there was still some oil in there from when it was leaking before I fixed it, that just hasn't come out yet.

3: When I winterize it, I was thinking of pulling the lower end of the outdrive off so I could work on it over the winter. If I leave the upper half on there, and wrap it up, will this be ok to leave out over the winter? I live in Wisconsin, so it does get cold.

Thanks in advance.

Pat F.

 

[thumpar]

Re: A couple of questions

When put mine together it always had a quad ring that went between the drive halves. It was included in the impeller kit.

 

[oldjeep]

Re: A couple of questions

1) Yes, there are only 2 drains on a 3.0L
2) Shouldn't have been a fiber gasket between the upper and lower, the quad ring is rubber
3) Sure, just bag the drive so nothing crawls up there and you don't get snow blowing up into the upper and freezing

 

[Chemdawg]

Re: A couple of questions

1) Yes, there are only 2 drains on a 3.0L
2) Shouldn't have been a fiber gasket between the upper and lower, the quad ring is rubber
3) Sure, just bag the drive so nothing crawls up there and you don't get snow blowing up into the upper and freezing

The #2 is interesting. I bought the whole sierra impeller kit, and it was a fiber one that came with it. I'm going to try the vacume test and see if that's where the problem is.

 

[thumpar]

Re: A couple of questions

Look for a rubber seal in the kit. It is like an o-ring but has flat top and bottom. The fiber washer may be for the drain plugs.

 

[oldjeep]

Re: A couple of questions

The #2 is interesting. I bought the whole sierra impeller kit, and it was a fiber one that came with it. I'm going to try the vacume test and see if that's where the problem is.

The fiber gasket goes on the drain plug. And I don't think the sierra kit comes with the quad seal.

 

[Chemdawg]

Re: A couple of questions

You are correct. I'm an idiot. I put the dumb fiber gasket where the small Oring that is flat on top/bottom, is supposed to go. I will fix that. Thanks!