water backing up into engine from outdrive?? help

[mrsrobinson]

If he has a seacock and strainer, well, he is pulling water from the thru hull, correct?

 

[Lazy Daze]

I he has a seacock and strainer, well, he is pulling water from the thru hull, correct?

It depends, Greg. Depends on who did the install and how they did it. Yes, you are correct that water is being pulled in through the thru hull. The question is whether or not it is ALSO being pulled in through the drive.

 

[scoflaw]

Even if it was pulling from both they would be tied in before the strainer. My 06 280 DA pulled from both.

 

[Lazy Daze]

Even if it was pulling from both they SHOULD be tied in before the strainer. My 06 280 DA pulled from both.

I corrected that statement

But you know as well as I do that not all owners (or marinas) do it the proper way! (We haven't yet figured out if it done from the factory, or not)

Hopefully, in this case, it was just wasn't left draining long enough.

 

[StormSplurge]

No, you are correct about the exhaust gas mixing with the cooling water. But think of the manifold elbow as a one-way valve. It's fine going out - but if water came backwards, it would be a problem.

FYI, it's not condescending - or at least not meant that way - just trying to respond with facts. It wasn't clear that you were actually checking the hose and inlet which was why I asked again. It would be easy if I was there with you - but it's hard to see your setup from where I am

Just to be clear... there are many cases where the inlet from the drive is T'd in AFTER the strainer. Which, again, is why I was curious to know "for sure" in your case.

If you are positive that the inlet hose from the drive is not T'd into the system (possibly further back where you can't readily see it?), then it's just a matter of not waiting long enough to drain. Often what "feels" like 10 minutes in cases like this are actually much less. It's like waiting for a pot of water boil - it seems to take forever.

Thank you for your reply. Lets just chalk it up to a misunderstanding, which is common online, texts, whatever your using. I do understand what your saying, and no, i checked as well as I could. a bit difficult looking under the motor. There are no other inlets thru the hull. And like I said in another post, there is nothing between the strainer and the water pump, so Im sure there is no other inlet. It would have no way to be sucked into the engine. In other words, water comes in from the thru hull, into the strainer, and is routed to the water pump, leaving and going to the engine. Any T would have to be before
the water pump for it to pull the water from the outside.

 

[Lazy Daze]

Yes, correct. If you traced the hose from the strainer to the raw water pump 100% and saw no T, then there is no other source for the inlet. You could also look at the inner transom plate where the inlet hose from the drive would normally be attached... if for no other reason than to familiarize yourself with more things.

 

[StormSplurge]

Yes, correct. If you traced the hose from the strainer to the raw water pump 100% and saw no T, then there is no other source for the inlet. You could also look at the inner transom plate where the inlet hose from the drive would normally be attached... if for no other reason than to familiarize yourself with more things.

hey, thats a good idea. Ill check it out. Its a lot easier to see that then under the engine.

 

[techmitch]

Yes, correct. If you traced the hose from the strainer to the raw water pump 100% and saw no T, then there is no other source for the inlet. You could also look at the inner transom plate where the inlet hose from the drive would normally be attached... if for no other reason than to familiarize yourself with more things.

Isn't part "g" a problem child, with some kind of valve in it?

Im marking 5 connections?

 

[spikedaddy99]

Storm, you will find Dennis (Lazy Daze) is one of the "helpingest" people on this forum. He is truly trying to help. You will also help all of us help you with pictures and even video when you get the chance (I know you already covered this, just throwing it out there again) Hopefully it is just the time issue and you will get this solved!! Keep us posted. It may help the next guy!

 

[Jimmy Buoy]

Isn't part "g" a problem child, with some kind of valve in it?

Im marking 5 connections?

There is NO valve in G. It is simply a hollow plastic ball with different sized outlets. One for water in, smaller one for water out feeding the exhaust elbows, another feeds the engine's main cooling system, and a drain on the bottom. The drain can either be a simple blue plug or some have a vertical threaded steel rod going in the large capped top, through the middle of the ball, and threads into a drain hole in the bottom of the ball. When the rod is unscrewed it allows water to drain out the bottom of the ball through a small tube (seen on the diagram curved and pointed forward).

 

[Woody]

It depends, Greg. Depends on who did the install and how they did it. Yes, you are correct that water is being pulled in through the thru hull. The question is whether or not it is ALSO being pulled in through the drive.

It looks to me that his seacocks and strainers are factory. The manuals don't show them in diagrams but the parts list shows them

 

[scoflaw]

Part G the distribution housing had a valve in my 2006 DA, no blue plug and it would drain when air pressure was introduced with the easy 3 point drain system for winterizing.
Poor design even after they added the blue plug. Plastic crap

 

[mrsrobinson]

It's when I see photo/diagrams like his that I think how darn complicated the systems on our boats are, and there are sooooo many points of failure.

Computers are cooled by water now, with fans to blow over the heat exchanger...can't they figure it out for boats so they do not need to use raw water?

 

[Nater Potater]

Computers are cooled by water now, with fans to blow over the heat exchanger...can't they figure it out for boats so they do not need to use raw water?

Sure, but then you'd need radiators with big noisy fans just like cars and trucks do now. You're sitting in a huge source of cooling water (lake/ocean) that's a lot more efficient at removing heat than air could ever be. Of course, we could always go the way of the VW flat-four producing 55 horsepower... Water-cooling definitely brings some complications, but it beats the alternative when it comes to making lots of horsepower in a relatively small package.

 

[StormSplurge]

Part G is a huge problem. Plastic Water distribution manifold made of cheap plastic. The way mercury has it set up with 3 different types of drainage systems and none of them work is nuts. and they crack easily. Iv'e replaced one already.

There is NO valve in G. It is simply a hollow plastic ball with different sized outlets. One for water in, smaller one for water out feeding the exhaust elbows, another feeds the engine's main cooling system, and a drain on the bottom. The drain can either be a simple blue plug or some have a vertical threaded steel rod going in the large capped top, through the middle of the ball, and threads into a drain hole in the bottom of the ball. When the rod is unscrewed it allows water to drain out the bottom of the ball through a small tube (seen on the diagram curved and pointed forward).

there is another one also. trhere are three types of these manifolds depending on which type of draining system you have. ig they crack or stop working, that is when u replace with the hollow one. plz excuse my short and bad typimg. i just had shoulder surgery and am chicken picking the key board. there is a manual twist type of drain, an air actuated type that uses a hand pump and little plastic hoses to open a valve in the manifold, which i had and the hoses melted and rendered it useless, si i replaced the manifild with the hollow one.

 

[StormSplurge]

Storm, you will find Dennis (Lazy Daze) is one of the "helpingest" people on this forum. He is truly trying to help. You will also help all of us help you with pictures and even video when you get the chance (I know you already covered this, just throwing it out there again) Hopefully it is just the time issue and you will get this solved!! Keep us posted. It may help the next guy!

yes we figured it out. just miscommunication.

 

[Jimmy Buoy]

Part G is a huge problem. Plastic Water distribution manifold made of cheap plastic. The way mercury has it set up with 3 different types of drainage systems and none of them work is nuts. and they crack easily. Iv'e replaced one already.


there is another one also. trhere are three types of these manifolds depending on which type of draining system you have. ig they crack or stop working, that is when u replace with the hollow one. plz excuse my short and bad typimg. i just had shoulder surgery and am chicken picking the key board. there is a manual twist type of drain, an air actuated type that uses a hand pump and little plastic hoses to open a valve in the manifold, which i had and the hoses melted and rendered it useless, si i replaced the manifild with the hollow one.

I agree that the plastic manifold is a lousy idea. I replaced one of mine last spring since the blue plug broke the plastic threads out while tightening. The new replacement actually separated at its main seam the first time out. Luckily we caught it right away since there was a change in engine "tone". The ball split on the welded seam at 4000RPM+ which doused the ER with water. The replacement's replacement held the rest of the season without issue. How long? Who knows! Merc...

 

[StormSplurge]

I agree that the plastic manifold is a lousy idea. I replaced one of mine last spring since the blue plug broke the plastic threads out while tightening. The new replacement actually separated at its main seam the first time out. Luckily we caught it right away since there was a change in engine "tone". The ball split on the welded seam at 4000RPM+ which doused the ER with water. The replacement's replacement held the rest of the season without issue. How long? Who knows! Merc...

I read somewhere else that some one created something out of brass or copper fittings. you can buy the plain manifold for about $40 on Amazon.

 

[scoflaw]

BT doctor was making them out of copper tubing. Schedule 40 pvc fittings should hold up well, a lot thicker than the oem pc.

 

[OllieC]

Part G the distribution housing had a valve in my 2006 DA, no blue plug and it would drain when air pressure was introduced with the easy 3 point drain system for winterizing.
Poor design even after they added the blue plug. Plastic crap

Yup - replaced my cracked one last Spring. Had the notorious slow drip at the blue plug.