Water in 4.3 Mercruiser cylinders
 

After slowing down rapidly water rushed into my engine because (i
think) the exhaust flappers are failing to close or are missing. This
is a 97 Dynasty.

Removed the plugs and got the water out. Starter seems to have been
damaged since the engine was locked but I did get it to start again to
try to evaporate the remaianing water droplets in the cylinders.

After I replace the starter and exhaust flappers will I be good or is
there a lot more damage to my engine?

Thanks for any responses.

Trey

Water in 4.3 Mercruiser cylinders
 

wrote in message
ups.com...
After slowing down rapidly water rushed into my engine because (i
think) the exhaust flappers are failing to close or are missing. This
is a 97 Dynasty.

Removed the plugs and got the water out. Starter seems to have been
damaged since the engine was locked but I did get it to start again to
try to evaporate the remaianing water droplets in the cylinders.

After I replace the starter and exhaust flappers will I be good or is
there a lot more damage to my engine?

Thanks for any responses.

Trey
If you had hydrolock, the starter just moaned, you may have bent the push
rods, and blown the head gasket.

Get the water out asap, start it up, then let cool down and check
compression to see what, if anything happened to the head gasket.

You should check the push-rods.

I have a merc 5.7 with the same problem and almost every rod is bent, and I
had to replace the head gaskets. I still run it but very carefully, as I
have to pull the engine to get to the flappers.

Water in 4.3 Mercruiser cylinders
 

I have no water in the oil if that provides any helpful information.

Thanks again,
Trey

MikeT wrote:
wrote in message
ups.com...
After slowing down rapidly water rushed into my engine because (i
think) the exhaust flappers are failing to close or are missing. This
is a 97 Dynasty.

Removed the plugs and got the water out. Starter seems to have been
damaged since the engine was locked but I did get it to start again to
try to evaporate the remaianing water droplets in the cylinders.

After I replace the starter and exhaust flappers will I be good or is
there a lot more damage to my engine?

Thanks for any responses.

Trey
If you had hydrolock, the starter just moaned, you may have bent the push
rods, and blown the head gasket.

Get the water out asap, start it up, then let cool down and check
compression to see what, if anything happened to the head gasket.

You should check the push-rods.

I have a merc 5.7 with the same problem and almost every rod is bent, and I
had to replace the head gaskets. I still run it but very carefully, as I
have to pull the engine to get to the flappers.

Water in 4.3 Mercruiser cylinders
 

It's a crap shoot on the engine damage. If the cylinder(s) with the
water stop the engine from cranking right away then usually you don't
have much damage. The starter is not usually strong enough to
bend/break things. The worst case is where the engine got water in
cylinders that are still a couple cycles from compression and the other
cylinders fire right up. In that case you have the engine supplying
the "push" and that's enough to bend rods when the cylinder(s) with
water reach the compression stroke.

The flaps are at the tops of the Y pipe on most later model mercs.
Ther are pretty easy to replace. The new ones are a complete assembly
that just snaps in place. You just have to pull the elbow and hose.

wrote:
I have no water in the oil if that provides any helpful information.

Thanks again,
Trey

MikeT wrote:
wrote in message
ups.com...
After slowing down rapidly water rushed into my engine because (i
think) the exhaust flappers are failing to close or are missing. This
is a 97 Dynasty.

Removed the plugs and got the water out. Starter seems to have been
damaged since the engine was locked but I did get it to start again to
try to evaporate the remaianing water droplets in the cylinders.

After I replace the starter and exhaust flappers will I be good or is
there a lot more damage to my engine?

Thanks for any responses.

Trey
If you had hydrolock, the starter just moaned, you may have bent the push
rods, and blown the head gasket.

Get the water out asap, start it up, then let cool down and check
compression to see what, if anything happened to the head gasket.

You should check the push-rods.

I have a merc 5.7 with the same problem and almost every rod is bent, and I
had to replace the head gaskets. I still run it but very carefully, as I
have to pull the engine to get to the flappers.

Water in 4.3 Mercruiser cylinders
 

Thanks jamesgangnc! I have the parts ordered. I got manifold gaskets in
case I need to pull those to get to the flaps. The hose seems pretty
stiff there so I thought I may need to pull the manifolds to get to
the shutter valves.

Trey

jamesgangnc wrote:
It's a crap shoot on the engine damage. If the cylinder(s) with the
water stop the engine from cranking right away then usually you don't
have much damage. The starter is not usually strong enough to
bend/break things. The worst case is where the engine got water in
cylinders that are still a couple cycles from compression and the other
cylinders fire right up. In that case you have the engine supplying
the "push" and that's enough to bend rods when the cylinder(s) with
water reach the compression stroke.

The flaps are at the tops of the Y pipe on most later model mercs.
Ther are pretty easy to replace. The new ones are a complete assembly
that just snaps in place. You just have to pull the elbow and hose.

wrote:
I have no water in the oil if that provides any helpful information.

Thanks again,
Trey

MikeT wrote:
wrote in message
ups.com...
After slowing down rapidly water rushed into my engine because (i
think) the exhaust flappers are failing to close or are missing. This
is a 97 Dynasty.

Removed the plugs and got the water out. Starter seems to have been
damaged since the engine was locked but I did get it to start again to
try to evaporate the remaianing water droplets in the cylinders.

After I replace the starter and exhaust flappers will I be good or is
there a lot more damage to my engine?

Thanks for any responses.

Trey
If you had hydrolock, the starter just moaned, you may have bent the push
rods, and blown the head gasket.

Get the water out asap, start it up, then let cool down and check
compression to see what, if anything happened to the head gasket.

You should check the push-rods.

I have a merc 5.7 with the same problem and almost every rod is bent, and I
had to replace the head gaskets. I still run it but very carefully, as I
have to pull the engine to get to the flappers.

Water in 4.3 Mercruiser cylinders
 

You may have to remove the risers but you should not have to remove the
manifolds.

wrote:
Thanks jamesgangnc! I have the parts ordered. I got manifold gaskets in
case I need to pull those to get to the flaps. The hose seems pretty
stiff there so I thought I may need to pull the manifolds to get to
the shutter valves.

Trey

jamesgangnc wrote:
It's a crap shoot on the engine damage. If the cylinder(s) with the
water stop the engine from cranking right away then usually you don't
have much damage. The starter is not usually strong enough to
bend/break things. The worst case is where the engine got water in
cylinders that are still a couple cycles from compression and the other
cylinders fire right up. In that case you have the engine supplying
the "push" and that's enough to bend rods when the cylinder(s) with
water reach the compression stroke.

The flaps are at the tops of the Y pipe on most later model mercs.
Ther are pretty easy to replace. The new ones are a complete assembly
that just snaps in place. You just have to pull the elbow and hose.

wrote:
I have no water in the oil if that provides any helpful information.

Thanks again,
Trey

MikeT wrote:
wrote in message
ups.com...
After slowing down rapidly water rushed into my engine because (i
think) the exhaust flappers are failing to close or are missing. This
is a 97 Dynasty.

Removed the plugs and got the water out. Starter seems to have been
damaged since the engine was locked but I did get it to start again to
try to evaporate the remaianing water droplets in the cylinders.

After I replace the starter and exhaust flappers will I be good or is
there a lot more damage to my engine?

Thanks for any responses.

Trey
If you had hydrolock, the starter just moaned, you may have bent the push
rods, and blown the head gasket.

Get the water out asap, start it up, then let cool down and check
compression to see what, if anything happened to the head gasket.

You should check the push-rods.

I have a merc 5.7 with the same problem and almost every rod is bent, and I
had to replace the head gaskets. I still run it but very carefully, as I
have to pull the engine to get to the flappers.

Water in 4.3 Mercruiser cylinders
 

I have one piece manifolds so I don't think I have risers - but then
again I am not mechanic by any stretch.

I have a 4.3 liter Mercruiser. The manifolds go through a rubber
flew-type hose (with four hose clamps each side) into the Y-pipe.

jamesgangnc wrote:
You may have to remove the risers but you should not have to remove the
manifolds.

wrote:
Thanks jamesgangnc! I have the parts ordered. I got manifold gaskets in
case I need to pull those to get to the flaps. The hose seems pretty
stiff there so I thought I may need to pull the manifolds to get to
the shutter valves.

Trey

jamesgangnc wrote:
It's a crap shoot on the engine damage. If the cylinder(s) with the
water stop the engine from cranking right away then usually you don't
have much damage. The starter is not usually strong enough to
bend/break things. The worst case is where the engine got water in
cylinders that are still a couple cycles from compression and the other
cylinders fire right up. In that case you have the engine supplying
the "push" and that's enough to bend rods when the cylinder(s) with
water reach the compression stroke.

The flaps are at the tops of the Y pipe on most later model mercs.
Ther are pretty easy to replace. The new ones are a complete assembly
that just snaps in place. You just have to pull the elbow and hose.

wrote:
I have no water in the oil if that provides any helpful information.

Thanks again,
Trey

MikeT wrote:
wrote in message
ups.com...
After slowing down rapidly water rushed into my engine because (i
think) the exhaust flappers are failing to close or are missing. This
is a 97 Dynasty.

Removed the plugs and got the water out. Starter seems to have been
damaged since the engine was locked but I did get it to start again to
try to evaporate the remaianing water droplets in the cylinders.

After I replace the starter and exhaust flappers will I be good or is
there a lot more damage to my engine?

Thanks for any responses.

Trey
If you had hydrolock, the starter just moaned, you may have bent the push
rods, and blown the head gasket.

Get the water out asap, start it up, then let cool down and check
compression to see what, if anything happened to the head gasket.

You should check the push-rods.

I have a merc 5.7 with the same problem and almost every rod is bent, and I
had to replace the head gaskets. I still run it but very carefully, as I
have to pull the engine to get to the flappers.

Water in 4.3 Mercruiser cylinders
 

Hard to describe but these should help:

Diagram of the manifold:
http://www.mercruiserparts.com/Show_... 281+PIECE%29

Shutter Valves and Y Pipe:
http://www.mercruiserparts.com/Show_...CE+MANIFOLD%29

jamesgangnc wrote:
I have a lot more v8 experience but don't you have 4 bolts going down
at the top of each? Risers bolt onto the top of the manifolds.
They're sort of square with a pipe exiting the rear. I suppose there
could be one piece units now but I have not seen them.

wrote:
I have one piece manifolds so I don't think I have risers - but then
again I am not mechanic by any stretch.

I have a 4.3 liter Mercruiser. The manifolds go through a rubber
flew-type hose (with four hose clamps each side) into the Y-pipe.

jamesgangnc wrote:
You may have to remove the risers but you should not have to remove the
manifolds.

wrote:
Thanks jamesgangnc! I have the parts ordered. I got manifold gaskets in
case I need to pull those to get to the flaps. The hose seems pretty
stiff there so I thought I may need to pull the manifolds to get to
the shutter valves.

Trey

jamesgangnc wrote:
It's a crap shoot on the engine damage. If the cylinder(s) with the
water stop the engine from cranking right away then usually you don't
have much damage. The starter is not usually strong enough to
bend/break things. The worst case is where the engine got water in
cylinders that are still a couple cycles from compression and the other
cylinders fire right up. In that case you have the engine supplying
the "push" and that's enough to bend rods when the cylinder(s) with
water reach the compression stroke.

The flaps are at the tops of the Y pipe on most later model mercs.
Ther are pretty easy to replace. The new ones are a complete assembly
that just snaps in place. You just have to pull the elbow and hose.

wrote:
I have no water in the oil if that provides any helpful information.

Thanks again,
Trey

MikeT wrote:
wrote in message
ups.com...
After slowing down rapidly water rushed into my engine because (i
think) the exhaust flappers are failing to close or are missing. This
is a 97 Dynasty.

Removed the plugs and got the water out. Starter seems to have been
damaged since the engine was locked but I did get it to start again to
try to evaporate the remaianing water droplets in the cylinders.

After I replace the starter and exhaust flappers will I be good or is
there a lot more damage to my engine?

Thanks for any responses.

Trey
If you had hydrolock, the starter just moaned, you may have bent the push
rods, and blown the head gasket.

Get the water out asap, start it up, then let cool down and check
compression to see what, if anything happened to the head gasket.

You should check the push-rods.

I have a merc 5.7 with the same problem and almost every rod is bent, and I
had to replace the head gaskets. I still run it but very carefully, as I
have to pull the engine to get to the flappers.

Water in 4.3 Mercruiser cylinders
 

Can't argue with that. It's one piece :-) You may need to remove that
thing. A service manual would tell you for sure.

wrote:
Hard to describe but these should help:

Diagram of the manifold:
http://www.mercruiserparts.com/Show_... 281+PIECE%29

Shutter Valves and Y Pipe:
http://www.mercruiserparts.com/Show_...CE+MANIFOLD%29

jamesgangnc wrote:
I have a lot more v8 experience but don't you have 4 bolts going down
at the top of each? Risers bolt onto the top of the manifolds.
They're sort of square with a pipe exiting the rear. I suppose there
could be one piece units now but I have not seen them.

wrote:
I have one piece manifolds so I don't think I have risers - but then
again I am not mechanic by any stretch.

I have a 4.3 liter Mercruiser. The manifolds go through a rubber
flew-type hose (with four hose clamps each side) into the Y-pipe.

jamesgangnc wrote:
You may have to remove the risers but you should not have to remove the
manifolds.

wrote:
Thanks jamesgangnc! I have the parts ordered. I got manifold gaskets in
case I need to pull those to get to the flaps. The hose seems pretty
stiff there so I thought I may need to pull the manifolds to get to
the shutter valves.

Trey

jamesgangnc wrote:
It's a crap shoot on the engine damage. If the cylinder(s) with the
water stop the engine from cranking right away then usually you don't
have much damage. The starter is not usually strong enough to
bend/break things. The worst case is where the engine got water in
cylinders that are still a couple cycles from compression and the other
cylinders fire right up. In that case you have the engine supplying
the "push" and that's enough to bend rods when the cylinder(s) with
water reach the compression stroke.

The flaps are at the tops of the Y pipe on most later model mercs.
Ther are pretty easy to replace. The new ones are a complete assembly
that just snaps in place. You just have to pull the elbow and hose.

wrote:
I have no water in the oil if that provides any helpful information.

Thanks again,
Trey

MikeT wrote:
wrote in message
ups.com...
After slowing down rapidly water rushed into my engine because (i
think) the exhaust flappers are failing to close or are missing. This
is a 97 Dynasty.

Removed the plugs and got the water out. Starter seems to have been
damaged since the engine was locked but I did get it to start again to
try to evaporate the remaianing water droplets in the cylinders.

After I replace the starter and exhaust flappers will I be good or is
there a lot more damage to my engine?

Thanks for any responses.

Trey
If you had hydrolock, the starter just moaned, you may have bent the push
rods, and blown the head gasket.

Get the water out asap, start it up, then let cool down and check
compression to see what, if anything happened to the head gasket.

You should check the push-rods.

I have a merc 5.7 with the same problem and almost every rod is bent, and I
had to replace the head gaskets. I still run it but very carefully, as I
have to pull the engine to get to the flappers.