Need feed back please...

Davefasinc

Cadet
Joined
Jul 13, 2005
Messages
8
1st time poster..love the site. I have an 02 Four Winns w/4.3L Volvo Penta. Launched boat from winterization finally this past weekend. Started right up, let it warm up and headed across lake with in a 1/4 of a mile the alarm went off..overheating shut down imed. Figured not getting coolant and got a tow back in. Took to dealership that winterized, they said it was the water pump off front of engine and they replaced,,,they just called after their test drive and said ran great at first then rough Idle and found water in the oil...Yikes! This doesnt sound good...
 

Haut Medoc

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Jun 29, 2004
Messages
10,645
Re: Need feed back please...

Welcome to iboats. :) Who did the winterizing? I'm not a Volvo man but...You either have a cracked block/head/intake manifold,(worst case) or a cracked exhaust manifold/riser (not as bad). If you stick around and ask smart questions, you will get all the help you need right here....J
 

Ralph 123

Captain
Joined
Jun 24, 2003
Messages
3,983
Re: Need feed back please...

They own it! I wouldn't pay them a nickle to fix it. The boat worked fine when you handed it over to them to winterize it. You can bet if it had water in the oil when they winterized it they would have documented it and told you. You pay a pro a premium to do the work and a big part of what you get in return is them standing behind their work... make sure they know you just now got around to putting her in. Don't let them think you've been using the boat for months...
 

Davefasinc

Cadet
Joined
Jul 13, 2005
Messages
8
Re: Need feed back please...

Yeah I'm a little freaked..they kinda hinted at "your just launching it now" and I said here is the registration (registered that day) and said come up the road to my yard to see all the "ribs" , plastic and cleaning ****e laying arround still...update they are looking for where the water is comming from and they are also IMO covering by saying the blown water pump on my time caused the overheat and may have blown a gasket or cracked the block and they want to know how long I ran it overheating. (i'm not mechanicly inclined and when I heard the alarm shut it down imed. and accecpted the tow offer because I had no idea what was happening!)
 

Ralph 123

Captain
Joined
Jun 24, 2003
Messages
3,983
Re: Need feed back please...

Don't let them pull that CRAP on you DN!!!! That is pure Bull. Let them know you shut down the minute she got hot, that the pump worked fine when they winterized it, etc., etc.. The messed up and probably cracked the block and let them know that you know what's going on, and they OWN IT! Be aggressive or they will try to screw you. Sounds like they are already trying! If they mess with you at all, and refuse to take ownership, call your lawyer immediately and have him get involved.... Man, I could see this coming... Document everything now. Everything that shows you just launched it. Your receipt for the winterization, etc., etc... get all your ducks in a row now.
 

Davefasinc

Cadet
Joined
Jul 13, 2005
Messages
8
Re: Need feed back please...

The marina just called said they are still looking into but that its not a freeze up issue from winterizing because none of the the "freeze plugs" had popped or were missing. Now how would I know if that was true!!
 

Limited-Time

Vice Admiral
Joined
Mar 30, 2005
Messages
5,820
Re: Need feed back please...

FYI if you’re above idle i.e. moving through the water with any speed, the circulating pump (water pump on car engine) on the front of the engine has no effect on the cooling system. (Pro's, jump in if i am wrong) The water is forced through the system by the forward movement through the water. I know of several boaters who remove those pumps completely, and have run their engines for years. Sounds to me like your service guys are setting ya up to take a fall. Don’t let em screw ya. BTW welcome to iboats.
 

Limited-Time

Vice Admiral
Joined
Mar 30, 2005
Messages
5,820
Re: Need feed back please...

OK that’s B.S. Doesn’t prove any thing. They need to find out at their expense why there’s water in the oil. It’s the least they can do for starters.
 

QC

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Mar 22, 2005
Messages
22,783
Re: Need feed back please...

Originally posted by Limited-Time:<br /> The water is forced through the system by the forward movement through the water.
I don't know about that, but I do know that a circ pump has to be way fooked up to cause an overheat. They may leak etc., but they usually still pump. Once the thermostat is open the seawatwer pump would push water through, but it is definitely not about forward motion IMHO.
 

Davefasinc

Cadet
Joined
Jul 13, 2005
Messages
8
Re: Need feed back please...

Thanks for all the feed back! I will know more tomorrow...the marina is giving it top priority( will see what that means ).
 

vipzach

Lieutenant
Joined
Feb 15, 2005
Messages
1,283
Re: Need feed back please...

There have been lots of people on here with a cracked block or head that the freeze plugs never popped. Don't let them keep f'ing with you. NO WATER IN THE OIL LAST FALL......FIRST TIME OUT......WATER IN THE OIL! Good Luck!!!!!
 

Northern Eclipse

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jun 24, 2003
Messages
665
Re: Need feed back please...

O.K DN sounds like marinia may have been at fault, but they are not likley to admitt it, so you now need to play the "I'm a ignorant nice guy" what I mean by that is first do not show any signs of aggression or use words that may seems as a threat, such as " You'll be hearing from my lawyer" that will put them on the defense. What you need to do is be calm and talk nice, ask the marinia for a detailed explanation has to what is done to winterize your boat, if they state change motor oil, then ask them why they didn't detect water in oil last fall, and if they changed the oil ask them did they need to run motor first to warm oil, if they answer yes then ask them if motor overheated then and was the water pump shot. I can go on, but do you get the idea of what I'm trying to explain... make them talk and hopefully trap themselves with their words not yours .If they think you don't know jack.. then they may try to show how smart they are. Also you may have to be prepared to pay another marinia to diagnose the water in oil problem. Just remember to be patient and keep your cool and keep track of conversations and dates and time these problems may take some time to sort out because some service type business will try to use up as much time such has the boating season hoping you get frustrated and either disappear or instruct them to fix at your expense.. so if you are convinced they are responsible be prepared to be not boating and stick to your guns....good luck partner.
 

novicetech

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Jan 19, 2004
Messages
267
Re: Need feed back please...

Those plugs are really called core plugs and do not necessarily pop open when block freezes.
 

DHPMARINE

Captain
Joined
Dec 16, 2003
Messages
3,688
Re: Need feed back please...

Freeze plugs are miss named.They are actually core plugs.and are there because when the block is cast (made) sand is used to make coolant cavities.It is removed thru the core plug holes,and the plugs are used to seal these holes.<br /><br />Mercruiser even had a service Bulletin about this years ago.Many blocks crack,and the core plugs remain in place.<br /><br />If you need the bulletin #,Email me @AOL.com<br /><br />DHPMARINE
 

Limited-Time

Vice Admiral
Joined
Mar 30, 2005
Messages
5,820
Re: Need feed back please...

Quietcat, <br />The water pressure and flow generated by the movement of the out drive through the water at planing speed or above supplies more than enough water flow and circulation to cool the engine with out the aid of the circulating pump. That’s why they can by screwed up and not effect the running temps. <br /><br />DN, unless you were idling across the lake there the chances of the circulating pump causing the over heat condition are remote at best. Stick to your guns on this on this one.
 

Davefasinc

Cadet
Joined
Jul 13, 2005
Messages
8
Re: Need feed back please...

The saga continues...can someone tell me if during winterization are you able to tell if the engine is recieving and circulating the anti-freeze? Marina is saying " head is blown as a result of the water pump (probably on its way out end of last season) breaking up and plugging the waterneck resulting in no antifreeze getting thru during winterization ultimatley causing a freeze up"<br />Once again thanks everyone for you valuable feedback!
 

olbuddyjack

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Oct 23, 2003
Messages
318
Re: Need feed back please...

Isn't the water pumped into the block first then up through the heads, through the intake and then to the waterneck? If what there saying is true, wouldn't the block have cracked?<br /><br />If impellar debris plugged the waterneck stopping the antifreeze, how did it get there without overheating the engine last season?<br /><br />Things just aren't adding up.<br />These are the same guys that said it couldn't be cracked because the freeze plugs didn't pop out, right?<br /><br />I would think they are responsible for making sure it didn't freeze, bad pump or not. Thats what you paid for.
 
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