Over the winter my buddy got a great deal on a little1987 bowrider with a 130hp iron duke 4cyl and an alpha. When he starts it up on the muffs water comes out of this spot above the starter on the starboard side of the engine. Anyone know what is supposed to go there? Of can you point out an online site to get an exploded view? thanks!

I do not but great parts online site and site sponsor:
https://www.mercruiserparts.com/

SB beat me to the post..

Hey Doug,

You might find it here. Looks like there is only one drain plug on those blocks. Maybe part # 5 on the diagram.

https://www.mercruiserparts.com/bam/...30879/1559/100

This diagram also shows a couple of braces to the starter motor. Thread sizes of the bolts are shown so that might help

https://www.mercruiserparts.com/bam/.../30879/1559/10

Looks like dipstick hole and starter brace hole. If water is coming out the smooth hole, I would be concerned.

Does look like one but in last pic the guys thumb seems to be around the dipstick tube. Hmm....
(Edit in: his thumb is around the fuel line, not the dipstick)

. There is a boat up the street with one of these but in shrink wrap and people are never around (all out of state 2nd home area) and I don’t know them. Feels like a tease now cause that could help to answer this.

By the diagram, #5 looked possible, but I looked up the part and it’s a threaded pipe plug.
https://www.mercruiserparts.com/36382-plug

Mercury-Mercruiser 22-36382 FITTING (.250-18 x .62)

Sure looks like a dipstick tube boss. Run a piece of mechanics wire in and see if you can tell where or which direction it goes.

Agreed the dipstick is clearly visible in the photo, but who knows what combination of generations of parts are in there.
Doug, surly you have a bore-scope that would go in there

If it is a dipstick boss, It would be using the old pressed in style that doesn't suck from the btm of the pan like the ol' 188 straight 6 (see link below)... which brings up the question, how much h2o is in the pan?

Was the engine rebuilt out of pieces - ie, new style pan vs original....still doesn't account for the water flow as that boss should have been solid

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/184657441866...NgItT-&vxp=mtr