Water Coolin

"First time one, hope you guys

"First time one, hope you guys with all your knowledge can help!!

I have a 19' sea ray with a Ford Mercruiser 188 with an 888 outdrive. I have just redone the entire interior, including deck and all panels. Of course I got way too ahead of myself, or too excited to get it looking good and in the water.

It starts immediately and runs great, but I have water coming in from both the port and starboard side from what looks like the manifold or block. Below the risers there are three silver dollar sized (1 1/4 inch) holes, the far left has a cap on it, the far right has a rubber plug with a bolt through it, but the center hole is open and this is where the water is coming out, looks like everything going in is coming out there.

Should this be capped as well and is so does anyone know a place or part number for this item?

Thanks for the help!"

"It sounds like your freeze pl

"It sounds like your freeze plugs are leaking. It is an easy fix if you have good access to them. The rubber one with a bolt through the middle sounds like an aftermarket deal. I believe marine freeze plugs are brass but I have an automotive background so I may be wrong. Try to pry out the leaker with some sort of bar and to put in the new one, use a socket on an extension and bang it in. Use the biggest possible socket that will fit inside the new freeze plug. Don't go in too far and make sure it is going in straight. Also, put some type of sealer around the new plug before you install it. Good luck."

"I have a 1984 Mercruiser 140

"I have a 1984 Mercruiser 140 HP in a SeaRay Seville 5.6. The engine is a 4 cyl GM with carb. The engine will not start after it has been running and is hot. If I shut it off and drift, on a hot day, it will not start. After towing off the water, and waiting 2 hours, it starts right up."

"Colin: Hate to say it, but y

"Colin: Hate to say it, but your motor is probably scrap--another victim of poor/ and or a lack of winterizing. (That makes 22 this year.) Those "freeze out" plugs are NOT freeze plugs--they're core removal plugs. By the time they are forced out by ice, the block is usually cracked just under the intake. Better have the manifold pulled to see before wasting any more time and $$.

JCS: Common problem with that engine since its carb sits on top of the EXHAUST manifold! Had the same problem with mine, and the solution is this:

1. When you know you're going to stop, open the dog house a few inches to let the heat out.

2. Let the engine run at low idle, in neutral, for at least 5 minutes, and

3. Never shut the blowers off when the engine is running.

Jeff"

"I don't see why you could

"I don't see why you couldn't just pry the plugs out and replace them using a mallet. Since they are leaking, this is a sign that you have had water to freeze inside the block. The expansion when it turned to ice forced these plugs out and that is how they leak. Hopefully the pressure was all released by poppn the plugs but otherwise it may have cracked the block. If I had to guess I would say that it probably didn't."