Hey guys,

I�m pretty dumb when it comes to motors, but thought someone here might have a quick answer.

I have a 135hp I/O motor and while I was at the lake last weekend, a �filter� looking tube towards the top back of the motor came apart and it started taking on major water from that piece. The more throttle I gave it, the more water it sucked.

I know the motor is water cooled, so I think it is related to the water intake in some part.

Can someone tell me what I am looking at, and what things need to be checked in addition to the obvious fix?

I am getting ready to sell the boat, and want to make sure I don�t sell my problem to a new buyer.

Thanks,
Eric

Is it between 6 and 8 inches in length with 4 hoses, 2 smaller, 2 larger coming off it? If so, it's your water cooler...It takes the water sent up through the water pump in the lower unit and sends it to the water pump on the engine (2 larger hoses)...It also cools the power steering fluid at the same time (the 2 smaller hoses)...

I will take a look!

Let me know...I may be able to come over and look at it for you...

Looks like it is the water pump. Is it pretty hard to change out?

Water pump or water cooler...Water pump is on the front, water cooler on the side...Water cooler is relatively simple, just have some screws to plug up the 2 smaller hoses...Water pump takes a bit longer, but isn't that hard...


Water cooler will just bolt on and the hoses should just clamp on...Just keep something to keep the smaller hoses 'corked' so that you don't have power steering fluid getting everywhere...

Oh some people call it an oil cooler (I'm guessing because it cools the power steering fluid) or a water cooler, but it is the same thing...

Well, I finally got that sucker off. On my motor (89' Mercruiser) The freakin' thing was mounted on the very back bottom of the motor. Not fun to pull. I removed the large (very heavy) exhaust manifold, and disconnected it from the large exhaust hose, and was able to get a socket on the nut to remove the piece. I thought this cooled the actual oil? Is it power steering fluid?

I've heard it called the oil cooler, and I'll ask my mechanic again tomorrow when I'm at the Boat Shop, but the only hoses I've seen connected to it have nothing to do with the oil...It is a pain to pull on some inboards moreso than others...Mine is thankfully on the side of the engine and not so bad if I have to change it...

If it's like mine, you'll have a hose coming off the power steering pump running to it and one coming off the hydrolic foot long tube on the transom to it...Both are for the power steering fluid...

You are right, it was the power steering fluid cooler. It has a heat exchanger inside and I have heard that the ends will pop of if they freeze. (I guess that is not checked when they winterize the boat?)

I was told a radiator repair place can fix the part, and put pressure on the thing to make sure it works.

I was told that the replacement part is around $240 bucks. Not the news I was hoping for right before I list it for sale.

I will give the shop a chance to repair it.

It was a bitch getting around to the back of the motor. I had to pull the exhaust off. Mine has two huge steel exhaust ports that connect to the lower unit. All in all, not fun.

(But better than dropping $500+ bucks at a service center.)

If they can't let me know, I'm sure I can get you a nice used one for much cheaper than the $240...

Oh and all the boats inboard/outboards I've worked on have those exhaust ports...I have a motor mount nut lost somewhere between my exhaust port and the flywheel cover...I ain't removing my engine to get to it though...I just got another nut