Finding and Pulling Drain Plugs on a 4.3 Mercruiser

If you're hunting for the drain plugs on a 4.3 Mercruiser, you're probably either getting ready for winter or trying to figure out why your bilge is filling with water. Most of the time, it's for winterization, which is the one job you really don't want to mess up. I've spent more hours than I'd like to admit upside down in a cramped engine compartment, feeling around blindly for these little plastic or brass bits, and I can tell you that knowing exactly where they are before you start will save your knuckles and your sanity. ...

February 10, 2026 · 7 min · Ivo Diogo