Mercruiser Start Up/Marvel's Oil
 

bought 1986 v with a 2001 Mercruiser 4.3l... harmonic balancer broke,,, boat sat for 2 seasons.. was properly winterized I was told prior to sitting. I replaced balancer got her all back together... now I am ready for next step... Being a rookie , I tried to crank her over .. but nothing .. Starter sounded like it wanted to go , but engine didn't move. My Buddy told me I shouldn't of attempted ... that I should pull plugs and spray marvel's M Oil in each cylinder and let her sit for a week.. then take off belt.. pull plugs and then try to crank over maunually with a breaker bar to break free..... any thouhts... engine has less than 400 on her

When you replaced the balncer, did the engine try to rotate? If not then it is most likely seized up. Pull the plugs out of it, put a ratchet on the crank bolt, and see if it will turn. If it doesn't turn relatively easily, you are seized and should spray some petrating oil or something down into the cylinders, and let it sit for a few days, and spray it again, then see if you can get it to move.

... no nothing moved.. that is what scares me. I lubed it up good before putting balancer on pressed her on with the install tool.... she didn't spin. Do you think it is possible to free her? The engine wasn't seized when she sat I was Told.. what is the best what is the best way to get it in cylinders?? spray bottle??

I suggest you put a couple ounces of ATF in each cylinder... Let it set a day or so and then put a socket and breaker bar on the crank.... Don't force it... Just try to get it started moving.... If nothing give it another day or so.
DO NOT try to rotate it... Instead rock it back and forth....

1/4"... Then more more more.... Just a little more each time till it goes a full revolution

Once it goes a full revolution turn it by hand 4 or 5 times ....
Then put a towel over each head to stop ATF spraying out the spark plug holes and hit the starter for a second or so.... Repeat a few times and put the plugs back in.

Turn it one more time by hand, change the oil and then you are ready to start it...

Only crank a few seconds at a time and if it starts kill it within 15 seconds.... Allow to cool and repeat running a few seconds longer each time....

The idea is to polish out the rust without allowing the pistons to warm up and expand untill the bores are clean.

After a dozen run cycles change the oil again and run it till warm....

When you get it in the water treat it just like a new engine break in and change the oil after about 10 hrs run time.

If at any time you notice ticking kill the throttle.... A stuck lifter is an easy fix but it it comes apart things can get worse fast.

Btw a cap from a gear lube bottle will thread onto an ATF bottle... Put a piece of hose on it and u can easily squirt into the cylinder.

If I had a dollar for everytime somebody said something was good last time they ran it, and it ended up being bad. I felt bad for the guy my neighbor bought his boat from. He had recipts for almost $4K worth the work, and none of it was done. Part of the bill was to winterize the engines, which was not done, and one engine was actually put up with water in it. He got lucky and we got that engine freed up, and it is a good engine now. NEVER trust a seller, NEVER! Even if it is a friend, I never trust a seller anymore and always plan for the worst.

Wow... great advice!!!! I will start that process tonight when I get home! Great detail!!! I take it you are a pro? ATF works better than Marvels? I like the gear lube trick, I will stop by HD and grab some tubing and make it happen. I think I have $4k into the boat for trailer repairs, electronics, lightin seats and rod lockers before I knew it ran.... there is no turning back now.....

rookie question.. but to crank over by hand,, do I need to take balancer off to get to bolt? or ??

Use a 5/8" socket on the balancer bolt to try and rotate. Don't try and turn it to hard though as the crank bolt can snap.

The bolt is the same one that holds the balancer on...
There is also a special socket you can buy that slides onto the crank instead of the balancer and allows you to USA a lot more force if needed but we are hoping lots of force won't be needed.

No I'm not professional just have a lot of years of working on old junk....

ATF is incredible stuff.... Coats well, penetrates well, and cleans well.