hp500efi

I have raw water leaking out of fitting #23 on the bottom of the manifold when the motor is running. It is a pretty good leak.

At this point I am not exactly sure what is leaking, the fitting not being sealed or perhaps cracked? Until I can get it off, I will not know what is causing the leaking.

This is on my Port motor, port side where motor mount is. I can only feel the fitting and where it is leaking with my hand if I lay over the motor and reazch down. I cannot see this fitting and it seems damn impossible to get to with tools. I know what I am looking at by referencing the other motor where the fitting is visible.

Looks like I need to remove the rear hose in order to then wrench off this fitting from the cast portion of the exhaust manifold. For starters, the Merc guys installed the hose clamp with the nut facing inside rather than outside.

This fitting is also right where the motor mount is onto the stringer and the cool fuel cooler is near by as well. I am not sure I can even get a wrench on the fitting with the hose off due to the motor mount.

Is there a trick to get at this fitting? do I remove the manifold and go from there or pull the entire motor?

Not what I was hoping for this Fall during winterizing.

Thanks
Jeff

hp500efi

update, I am considering removing the water rail from the bottom of the manifold however all of those bolts are blind as well.

Thoughts?

pstorti

iTrader: (2)

if you can get a camera down there take a bunch of pictures and then you can get a better idea of what you are working with and figure out if it can be done without pulling the motors. Some pics posted here may help people with suggestions also. Don't you love when some ahole assembles the engine with clamps facing in a direction nobody can ever reach once the motor is installed!

hp500efi

water rail aint coming off as part of the fitting that is in question is blocking one of the bolts holding the water rail.. URGH..

If the merc guy would have only put the hose clamp on the right way, I would have a fighting chance.

pstorti

iTrader: (2)

you could cut the hose clamp with a grinder or something and replace the hose and clamp

Raylar

This fitting is the early 2000-2002 version exhaust manifold drain back check valve. When with an engine a 2000-2002 version you try to remove this part, most likely the force needed to un-thread it will snap it of before it comes loose. My suggestion is to replace that lower water rail with a new one or I have sometiimes seen some of these rails on ebay that may be reusable provided they were not off a boat used in salt water, as the maiflds and rails are aluminum and they tend to corrode out pretty quickly and are not safe to re-use if the engine ran in salt water.
The 496 Mercruiser engines from 2003 thru 2004 used a later design exhaust manifold still in aluminum that had this ball check valve threaded right into the bottom of the manifold itself. In 2005 mercruiser started building the exhaust manifolds out of iron and this valve can be generally removed with a big wrench and a lot of Umpf!

Best Regards,
Ray @ Raylar

hp500efi

Thanks all,

Fitting #34 is the fitting that blocks one of the bolts holding the water rail on. I will try and get that fitting off (or break it off) so that way I have access to all six bolts holding the rail on. Stay tuned!