Merc 80; small amts of water in #2 cyl

[capnzee]

Need help!! I have a 80 HP Merc, 3 cylinder engine. The number 2 cylinder was getting water into it. I tore the engine completely down, could find no cracks in the cylinder area. I replaced all of the gaskets during the rebuild. Engine ran perfectly for about 5 minutes then started to "miss". Pulled the #2 plug and found a slight amount of water. Could it be the little check valve on the intake manifold. I have never seen these little ball valves in the older engines. Can you run the engine without these little ball valves? Any way, my real question is where could this water be coming from? Does the 80 Merc have any history on this? This engine has blind cylinders and the best I could do when I had it apart is to look for cracks with a flash light but could find none. Any help or ideas, especially from some one with similar experience would be appreciated. Capnzee

[Ron Hill]

Just reverse the battery, and run her in reverse, that should pump the water out...

ADD: Is this the motor with the "BIG FOOT" or "FAT FOOT"??? I actually may have some props for this thing....(This year, see Sport C for sale)... http://www.boatracingfacts.com/forum...ght=sport+sale

I had another idea ofn the water problem, on run her at Needles when the river is low...

Last ADD: When you having lunch, today...I think I'll come down and let you buy, again! (Did you see the Evinrude 15 A I bough on E-Bay???)

[capnzee]

I didnot see the engine you bought on E-bay, but if you throw it in the No. 9 boat I will pay you for it when you get to Iowa! That battery trick might work if you make a good contact, now stay off my thread so I can get some "help" from people who know about engines!~ Capnzee

[will350]

I try to stay as far away from Mercs as I can get(it's a little "quirky" thing I have) But if it's got a removeable exhaust cover and plate (maybe?) that's where I'd look.
Will

I didnot see the engine you bought on E-bay, but if you throw it in the No. 9 boat I will pay you for it when you get to Iowa! That battery trick might work if you make a good contact, now stay off my thread so I can get some "help" from people who know about engines!~ Capnzee

[Fast Fred]

if thare is no water in the carb , you got a prob, thare is no ware for the water to come from on them, if it's not through the fuel, it's got to be a crack.

[crankbearing]

The older merc inline both 4 and 6 had a bolt in exhaust plate that would warp and start to leak internally of the cylinder. I do not know if your 80 has a similar plate or the exhaust/water jacket design in that motor but I would certainly look at the exhaust inner baffle and covers as well.

Regards,

[Fast Fred]

is it not a triple?

[capnzee]

The motor is a 3 cyl. Merc 80--I have had the engine completely apart, replaced all gaskets on the engine, torqued all of the water jackets and still getting water. I may have a crack in the block itself but could not see it when I had the engine down. No water in the carbs. It looks like tear down time again--Is there a way of pressure testing the block? Capnzee

[17W]

The older merc inline both 4 and 6 had a bolt in exhaust plate that would warp and start to leak internally of the cylinder. I do not know if your 80 has a similar plate or the exhaust/water jacket design in that motor but I would certainly look at the exhaust inner baffle and covers as well.

Regards,

If the 80 has a similar plate.....replace it! As Dave stated above, I have seen this many times.

[mercguy]

as with all the Mercs with no cylinder heads, there are only 3 things to check, that could cause a water leak:

1) P/H EXHAUST ADAPTOR PLATE (this is what the powerhead bolts to on the midscetion). Make sure the gaskets above and below it are in good shape, as a blown gasket below the plate will cause water to leak from the water inlet passage into the exhaust cavity.

2) INNER EXHAUST BAFFLE PLATE (this is the plate behind the exhuast cover) . It was very likely to be the culprit on the earlier style 4/6 cylinder Mercs, but has been improved since that design.

3) BEHIND THE WATER JACKET COVER. The only problem here would be a crack around one of the cylinders, but probably not very likely...............

you can buy magnaflux in a spray can to check for cracks, but with the amount of water you seem to be getting into the cylinders, it should be obvious by the naked eye where it is leaking..............