Cracked Block : options

daniel262

daniel262

Member
May 6, 2012
68
lake michigan
Boat Info
2000 270 Sundancer DA Twin 4.3 Alpha's
2003 Ford Anniversary Edition F350
Engines
4.3l w/alpha 1 drives
Well I just went to change plugs and do a compression test today and when I hit the starter water shot out of the plug holes:smt089 My son and I ran 5 gal of antifreeze into the motor last fall and warmed the engine first so the stat was open ran it till we saw pink running out the exhaust . What the heck did I do wrong :huh:. It's the port engine and it does have water hose going to the water heater . I'm stumped ? Not to mention the $5 g's I will have to shell out for a new engine. I ran it afterwards and it runs fine but the oil got milky right away ,Possibly a cracked head and not the block ,I PRAY ?
 
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you cant winterize that way UNLESS you drain everything first.Pink will exaust regardless of thermostat position. it has to , to cool the rubber parts.pouring A/F into the motor and manifolds on a GM V8 is about 3 1/2 gallons. Figure the dilution and you get freeze damage.
 
Raw or FWC? If FWC and if the cooling system had the correct AF solution then the block is not cracked and the water came from somewhere else like the risers or water entering thru the carb. If RWC then the week spot in the GM small block is under the intake manifold in between the lifters. Of course to check then pull the intake to inspect. Good luck.
 
I run pink through mine after draining but I pull the t-stat first and then when I run 4-5 gallons through it I pull the drain plugs just to make sure everything is protected if it does not drain with the plugs.

As far as options - Well, you are definately going to have to do some investigating. My guess is the block but you never know till it's torn down, good luck.

LK
 
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FYI, reman longblocks can be had for around the $2K. While I do have some experience with pulling engines, I do not have extensive experience... but, the labor to R&R should be a whole let less than $3K. Here's one of the places that offers remans: perf pro tech dot com. There are others.

Not to beat this into the ground, but for your own sake (in the future) and others that are reading this... as soon as the pink AF hits the t-stat, the stat will close, thereby bypassing much of the engine. The ONLY acceptable way to use the "bucket" method is to first drain the block/manifolds, pull the t-stat and then run the pink through.

Other than that, it's a gamble as to whether or not the bucket-method will work. Sometimes it does... but the drain/refill method ALWAYS works.
 
I pull the thermostats and drain. Then, I run antifreeze through it. As an experiment I asked my dock neighbor who didn't drain or pull the thermostats to drain a little antifreeze after 5 gallons. It was barely pink. So he then ran another 5 gallons. Still light pink. So he now changes his procedure. It is more work.
 
Daniel,

Good luck and sorry for your troubles..
5k might be close if your not doing the work yourself.
New long block with shipping 3k, 1k to remove (this is high as its quick to pull an engine), 1K to swap over the brackets and reusable things and replace and align engine to outdrive.

You could save maybe, a grand if you go with a rebulit long block or spend more on a new complete 6.2L injected motors.
If you really like the boat and plan to keep it your options vary greatly.

Best of luck and let us know which way you go..

Mark.
 
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Thank You everyone for your advise . I guess I can be thankful I did not ruin the stbd engine as I did that one the same way. I used to use the drain plugs on my single screw but with twins I thought I would try this method (Thanks YOUTUBE) . I know hind sight is 20/20 but this one is going to sting for a while. PLEASE ADVISE ME ON A GOOD REPUTABLE PLACE TO BY A REMAN'D LONG BLOCK , my mechanic wants to use one from mercruiser and they seem pretty high $$$
 
daniel262 said:
Thank You everyone for your advise . I guess I can be thankful I did not ruin the stbd engine as I did that one the same way. I used to use the drain plugs on my single screw but with twins I thought I would try this method (Thanks YOUTUBE) . I know hind sight is 20/20 but this one is going to sting for a while. PLEASE ADVISE ME ON A GOOD REPUTABLE PLACE TO BY A REMAN'D LONG BLOCK , my mechanic wants to use one from mercruiser and they seem pretty high $$$
Click to expand...
Michigan Motors might be close by.
I have used them for parts and been very happy with their service.
Or,
Jasper.
1800runsnew.
Both good paces.
 
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A bit of a side note. I read a LOT of winterizing blogs on here in the fall. Many about what to use for coolant in the block, RV anti freeze VS normal engine coolant. Next year I will try engine coolant. There was a TON of rust in the motor. Not sure if this is a consequence of RV antifreeze or just the way it normally is.
 
I actually just bought my bellows trim senders , plugs, wires etc... from them . Taylor and Jesse are great , I'll call em tomorrow after we take off the head ,Thanks
 
If you can get a block locally, that would be the best route - local is great. If not, the one I mentioned above is good.

Coastal - there are basically two types of "pink" antifreeze (both have pics of rv/boats on them) and I try to make mention of this in most of the "winterization" posts that I see. One of them has alcohol in it and will cause corrosion in a block (I think it even says to not use it in engines on the label). The other type has propylene glycol - this is the one you want. You can use automotive AF, but you'll need to capture all of it in the spring and either save it (if it's not dirty by the time you recapture it) or recycle it.
 
most places have 3 grades of antifreeze -50F (pink) -60F (purple) and -100F (blue)


-50F pink should NOT to be used for engines (unless you use West Marines Brand or one that states for engines on the label) and most labels on the cheap pink stuff will say on them water systems only. Regardless -60F and 100F is what you should be using in the motors

http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc7/p480x480/580_457535160966145_1036955987_n.jpg

pouring antifreeze down the T-Stat housing is a great way to winterize the block but you have to remember things like trans cooler/power steering coolers/fuel coolers/raw water intake/exhaust manifolds/and lines around the impeller housing or the block will be ok but everything around it will be cracked

i use the west marine engine winterizing kit with -100c antifreeze and i dont drain the block. I warm the engine up to operating temp switch my inlet to the winterizing kit and run 5 gal thru each motor. This way I know that everything that normally has water running in it when its in the water has antifreeze in it now

http://content.westmarine.com/images/catalog/large/520411.jpg

The key is what concentration antifreeze you use. With this method you will get a small amount of water that will mix with the antifreeze but with a concentration like -100c its still way over what you would ever see temp wise and because nice hot water is still in the system when you start the process there is no need to remove the thermostat

I have used this method for 10+ years and am an ASE Certified Master Mechanic
 
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Overpowered said:
most places have 3 grades of antifreeze -50c (pink) -60c (purple) and -100c (blue)


-50c pink should NOT to be used for engines (unless you use West Marines Brand or one that states for engines on the label) and most labels on the cheap pink stuff will say on them water systems only. Regardless -60c and 100c is what you should be using in the motors

http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc7/p480x480/580_457535160966145_1036955987_n.jpg

pouring antifreeze down the T-Stat housing is a great way to winterize the block but you have to remember things like trans cooler/power steering coolers/fuel coolers/raw water intake/exhaust manifolds/and lines around the impeller housing or the block will be ok but everything around it will be cracked

i use the west marine engine winterizing kit with -100c antifreeze and i dont drain the block. I warm the engine up to operating temp switch my inlet to the winterizing kit and run 5 gal thru each motor. This way I know that everything that normally has water running in it when its in the water has antifreeze in it now

http://content.westmarine.com/images/catalog/large/520411.jpg

The key is what concentration antifreeze you use. With this method you will get a small amount of water that will mix with the antifreeze but with a concentration like -100c its still way over what you would ever see temp wise and because nice hot water is still in the system when you start the process there is no need to remove the thermostat

I have used this method for 10+ years and am an ASE Certified Master Mechanic
Click to expand...

We (Peters Marine) and myself (personally and for family/friends/customers) use the -50* which is MORE than enough protection - combined, about 450+ winterizations every season. Propylene Glycol is the key - that's all you need to look for.

By filling through the hoses you get everything.

Even though you haven't had a problem "yet", I would still warn against this method. It still allows for a variable whereas the drain/fill method eliminates any possible variables. Believe me, if we/myself could guarantee our customers that they would have no problems by doing the bucket method we would - time is money. But in the end, it's just not worth it. Granted, the -100 certainly cuts the chances down, but it doesn't completely eliminate them.

I have a friend who didn't winterize his boat at all two years ago. It was left outside and the block did not crack (nor did anything else suffer problems). Maybe this "winterizing" is all hype.:smt001
 
i have had a few people say that to me over the last few years so last year I drained a cup out of one manifold and went up to autozone and picked up an antifreeze tester that was compatible with Propylene Glycol


the -100c out of my motor came back at -40f

just for fun i tested some -50c i had and it was +14f

and that's on par with what they claim if you read on the bottle

from the -50 (pink) bottle
When testing with a refractometer or hydrometer designed for use with propylene glycol, freeze point readings on the PG scale will range from +12°F to +16°F

from the -100 (blue)
When testing with a refractometer or hydro- meter designed for use with propylene glycol, freeze point readings on the PG scale will range from -58°F to -63°F


so in closing both ways are acceptable but if your going to use the bucket method i have described use only -60 or -100 because it will mix with some water and with be somewhat diluted

and any -50c you buy make sure it has on the label for use with engines
 
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One more thing to note if you drain the block and use -50 make sure to use compressed air and blow out all the hoses because if that -50 mixes with leftover water that +14f of protection will be an even higher number
 
I do agree that you'll likely be fine. My only point is that it's a variable and not guaranteed. That's all.

That's interesting to see the freeze point difference between the two. Especially as the -100's freeze point stayed closer to the -100. Interesting. Probably would need to do it a number of times to get a good, comparable number (eliminating variables in the process). But interesting, none the less.
 
Overpowered said:
One more thing to note if you drain the block and use -50 make sure to use compressed air and blow out all the hoses because if that -50 mixes with leftover water that +14f of protection will be an even higher number
Click to expand...

That would certainly be a good thing to do, but not really necessary if one is "clearing" the drain holes/low hoses properly.
 
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