I have a 2003 MerCruiser 4.3L and have removed 5 drain plugs from the
engine. I was told by the dealer that I can remove the 4 hoses that
are connected above the manifold and pour antifreeze into them. He
said that I should see antifreeze come out of the drain plugs for the
block and manifolds. If I don't, then they could be plugged and to
use a flexible piece of wire to clean it out. So, having done all
this, I can't seem to get any antifreeze to appear when pouring it
down one of the hoses, and there are a couple of drain holes that
nothing is coming out of. I'm assuming that antifreeze should come
out of all the drains? I can't seem to find any pictures anywhere
(except in my manual, which is sketchy) to help clarify this. Can
someone help?
Thanks!

Jam a short length of stiff wire in those holes and fish around.
Often they become plugged with scale and rust.

"werlax" wrote in message
m...
I have a 2003 MerCruiser 4.3L and have removed 5 drain plugs from the
engine. I was told by the dealer that I can remove the 4 hoses that
are connected above the manifold and pour antifreeze into them. He
said that I should see antifreeze come out of the drain plugs for the
block and manifolds. If I don't, then they could be plugged and to
use a flexible piece of wire to clean it out. So, having done all
this, I can't seem to get any antifreeze to appear when pouring it
down one of the hoses, and there are a couple of drain holes that
nothing is coming out of. I'm assuming that antifreeze should come
out of all the drains? I can't seem to find any pictures anywhere
(except in my manual, which is sketchy) to help clarify this. Can
someone help?
Thanks!

Not exactly sure what you're doing but you need to make sure you are pouring
the anitfreeze such that it goes into the block if you want it to come out
the drain holes in the bottom of the block. Otherwise you may be pouring it
into the manifolds. Did you remove the plugs from the bottoms of the
manifolds too?

"werlax" wrote in message
m...
I have a 2003 MerCruiser 4.3L and have removed 5 drain plugs from the
engine. I was told by the dealer that I can remove the 4 hoses that
are connected above the manifold and pour antifreeze into them. He
said that I should see antifreeze come out of the drain plugs for the
block and manifolds. If I don't, then they could be plugged and to
use a flexible piece of wire to clean it out. So, having done all
this, I can't seem to get any antifreeze to appear when pouring it
down one of the hoses, and there are a couple of drain holes that
nothing is coming out of. I'm assuming that antifreeze should come
out of all the drains? I can't seem to find any pictures anywhere
(except in my manual, which is sketchy) to help clarify this. Can
someone help?
Thanks!

If you pour it into the top of thebig hose that comes of the water pump,
you should see it come out the drains in the block. The 2 smaller hoses
go to the exhaust manifolds, and you should see it coming out of those
drain plugs too. The last plug should be on the bottom of your oil
cooler. There is a 4th line on the stat housing that runs to that. It
should be about the same size or a bit bigger than the hoses going to the
exhaust. You should see antifreeze coming from the bottom of that cooler
too. When you removed these plugs, you should have gotten water from all
of them. If you didn't, take a coat hanger and fish around in the hole
till water or antifreeze comes out. Then replace all the plugs, and fill
up everything.


"werlax" wrote in message
m...
I have a 2003 MerCruiser 4.3L and have removed 5 drain plugs from the
engine. I was told by the dealer that I can remove the 4 hoses that
are connected above the manifold and pour antifreeze into them. He
said that I should see antifreeze come out of the drain plugs for the
block and manifolds. If I don't, then they could be plugged and to
use a flexible piece of wire to clean it out. So, having done all
this, I can't seem to get any antifreeze to appear when pouring it
down one of the hoses, and there are a couple of drain holes that
nothing is coming out of. I'm assuming that antifreeze should come
out of all the drains? I can't seem to find any pictures anywhere
(except in my manual, which is sketchy) to help clarify this. Can
someone help?
Thanks!

"Doug Meredith" wrote in message ...
If you pour it into the top of thebig hose that comes of the water pump,
you should see it come out the drains in the block. The 2 smaller hoses
go to the exhaust manifolds, and you should see it coming out of those
drain plugs too. The last plug should be on the bottom of your oil
cooler. There is a 4th line on the stat housing that runs to that. It
should be about the same size or a bit bigger than the hoses going to the
exhaust. You should see antifreeze coming from the bottom of that cooler
too. When you removed these plugs, you should have gotten water from all
of them. If you didn't, take a coat hanger and fish around in the hole
till water or antifreeze comes out. Then replace all the plugs, and fill
up everything.

Thanks for the info. I figured out that I can get antifreeze to come
out of nearly all the drains by pouring into 3 of the hoses. The
fourth hose drains to the lower unit. I think there is still one
drain that hasn't seen any antifreeze come out of it. I'll have to
check which one it is exactly, but is this just a matter of closing up
one of them to get to this last drain? Does one hose feed two areas
in the block? That was the case with the hose leading to the
water/fuel seperator area. There were two drains along that route.
Sorry for being so vague, but I'm still figuring out which hose goes
to which drain and exactly what they all are.

"werlax" wrote in message
om...
Thanks for the info. I figured out that I can get antifreeze to come
out of nearly all the drains by pouring into 3 of the hoses. The
fourth hose drains to the lower unit.


Correct. That hose (4th hose) should also have your oil cooler etc in it.

I think there is still one
drain that hasn't seen any antifreeze come out of it. I'll have to
check which one it is exactly, but is this just a matter of closing up
one of them to get to this last drain?


Shouldn't be. I'm assuming that your V-6 is the same or similar to the
502's and 5.0's that I've done. Except for the block (see below) all the
drains are on seperate hoses. You may also have a drain on the elbow of
the large hose feeding the water pump. Some do, some don't


Does one hose feed two areas
in the block?

The large hose that goes to the water pump feeds the whole block, IOW both
drains on the block, left and right side. So yes, if you want to call
that 2 areas, it does.


That was the case with the hose leading to the
water/fuel seperator area. There were two drains along that route.


What hose??? There should not be a hose going anywhere near the water
seperator, unless you are talking about the hose that comes in from the
drive on the bottom to feed the whole system.

Sorry for being so vague, but I'm still figuring out which hose goes
to which drain and exactly what they all are.


Not a problem. We all get to learn sometime. ((-::

This link should show what your system looks like

http://216.37.204.206/Actionsports/m...=111&A=40&B=12


I forgot that you had an Alpha, so no impeller inside. The hose from the
drive should go directly to the coolers, and then work its way up to the
housing. "maybe" that hose has 2 drains in it. Hose #11 in the picture
is the big one that goes to the water pump. Hoses 13 and 14 go to the
exhaust, and hose 9 comes from the cooler to the housing.



"Doug Meredith" wrote in message
...

"werlax" wrote in message
om...
Thanks for the info. I figured out that I can get antifreeze to come
out of nearly all the drains by pouring into 3 of the hoses. The
fourth hose drains to the lower unit.


Correct. That hose (4th hose) should also have your oil cooler etc in
it.

I think there is still one
drain that hasn't seen any antifreeze come out of it. I'll have to
check which one it is exactly, but is this just a matter of closing up
one of them to get to this last drain?


Shouldn't be. I'm assuming that your V-6 is the same or similar to the
502's and 5.0's that I've done. Except for the block (see below) all
the
drains are on seperate hoses. You may also have a drain on the elbow of
the large hose feeding the water pump. Some do, some don't


Does one hose feed two areas
in the block?

The large hose that goes to the water pump feeds the whole block, IOW
both
drains on the block, left and right side. So yes, if you want to call
that 2 areas, it does.


That was the case with the hose leading to the
water/fuel seperator area. There were two drains along that route.


What hose??? There should not be a hose going anywhere near the water
seperator, unless you are talking about the hose that comes in from the
drive on the bottom to feed the whole system.

Sorry for being so vague, but I'm still figuring out which hose goes
to which drain and exactly what they all are.


Not a problem. We all get to learn sometime. ((-::

Chevy v blocks actually have independentg water jackets on each side. The
recirculating water pump supplies water to each side, which you can see
where it bolts to the block. The water from the two sides of the block
comes back together through the intake manifold which you can also see by
looking at the raised passages in the front of the intake manifold leading
from the heads to the thermostat housing. When you pour water into the big
hose going to the water pump and you are on an incline or pour slowly you
might only fill one side. Unlikely though.

I have not heard of pouring antifreeze into the engine with the plugs out. I
just drain at all the plugs and I'm done. I understand the idea that the
antifreeze would make sure that any remaining water would not freeze.
However if I was doing it I would first drain at all the plugs. Unclog any
I did not get water out of with a piece of stiff wire. Then put the plugs
back in and finally add some antifreeze. The drain plugs are supposed to be
at the lowest points in the coling system. If the engine is level and all
the plugs are out I would expect practically all the antifreeze you pour in
to just run out the plugs.

How far north are you?


"werlax" wrote in message
om...
"Doug Meredith" wrote in message
...
If you pour it into the top of thebig hose that comes of the water pump,
you should see it come out the drains in the block. The 2 smaller hoses
go to the exhaust manifolds, and you should see it coming out of those
drain plugs too. The last plug should be on the bottom of your oil
cooler. There is a 4th line on the stat housing that runs to that. It
should be about the same size or a bit bigger than the hoses going to
the
exhaust. You should see antifreeze coming from the bottom of that
cooler
too. When you removed these plugs, you should have gotten water from
all
of them. If you didn't, take a coat hanger and fish around in the hole
till water or antifreeze comes out. Then replace all the plugs, and
fill
up everything.

Thanks for the info. I figured out that I can get antifreeze to come
out of nearly all the drains by pouring into 3 of the hoses. The
fourth hose drains to the lower unit. I think there is still one
drain that hasn't seen any antifreeze come out of it. I'll have to
check which one it is exactly, but is this just a matter of closing up
one of them to get to this last drain? Does one hose feed two areas
in the block? That was the case with the hose leading to the
water/fuel seperator area. There were two drains along that route.
Sorry for being so vague, but I'm still figuring out which hose goes
to which drain and exactly what they all are.

"Lawrence James" wrote in message
hlink.net...
I have not heard of pouring antifreeze into the engine with the plugs
out.


I think he is just trying to see if he has cleared the passages.

I just drain at all the plugs and I'm done.

The last time I did that on a boat, the next spring, the casting plug was
laying in the Bilgh. It gets cold here in NJ. Antifreeze is cheap.
Blocks aren't

what is wrong w/ heating the boat up to operating temp. and running
antifreeze through the earmuffs w/a sump pump? of course u have to have all
the plugs and drains closed.

"Doug Meredith" wrote in message
...

"Lawrence James" wrote in message
hlink.net...
I have not heard of pouring antifreeze into the engine with the plugs
out.


I think he is just trying to see if he has cleared the passages.

I just drain at all the plugs and I'm done.

The last time I did that on a boat, the next spring, the casting plug was
laying in the Bilgh. It gets cold here in NJ. Antifreeze is cheap.
Blocks aren't