oil and water under engines

[cyber-bill]

lately I have been finding cream colored oil and water mixture in the bilge , after talking to a local mechanic he is thinking either rear main seal or possibly the oil pan. The engines are 1987 fresh water cooled 350 mercruisers that have 930 hours. The engines run great and never let me down . I have resigned my self to having him pull the engines and fix the problem next fall when the boat is bought home. I will do some of the prep work for him to speed up the job, like removing the shaft coupling , removing the top nuts on the mounts, getting the seats out of the way etc. My intension is to do plugs, and salt water pump while the engines are up, and also check the compression. But as we only use the boat very locally and the boat is an 1987 I really don't want to pour a lot of money into it, as I would never be able to recover the cost when selling later. Roughly how much time and labor cost should pulling the engines and replacing the pans and seals run ? Years ago I pulled a chrysler 318 myself by making an a-frame and using a come a long. I installed new bearings and did the valves, but I am now 70, enough said.

 

[Bondo]

Re: oil and water under engines

I will do some of the prep work for him to speed up the job, getting the seats out of the way etc.

Well Bill,....... I'd Think, that if you did All the Prep Work,+ had all the Boat out of the way, so the motor could just be Pulled,......
That's the Stuff that drives the Labor Bill Thru the Roof.......

I'd Think that a Days Labor,+ a couple/ few Hundred in Parts might cover it.......

The Only thing that would concern Me is,.......
If it's Rusted Thru,...... You may not Make it to the End of the Season.......

 

[cyber-bill]

Re: oil and water under engines

Thanks Bondo,
This problem started last year but I can not find the source of the leak even with lights and mirrors. It is almost impossible to see under the engine in this twin installation. Sea Ray has what is like raised ribs under both the foward and aft portions of the engine, these ribs have drain holes that feed a small recess where the fwd bilge pump is mounted. I have oil catching material under both engines but the oil still manages to get to the bilge pump. So this fall I will bite the bullet and pull them both up to get at what the heck is leaking. I have seen other reports of guys having to replace the pans and the main seals. Is there something that can break down the oil before it is pumed over board? I have tried a marine bilge cleaner but it does not seem to do the trick. Meanwhile I will keep an eye on the oil level , it seems to drop only a small amount after a full days outing. This kind of leads me to believe it is more likely the rear seal that is leaking.
Thanks again, Bill

 

[johnbo]

Re: oil and water under engines

Did you say "cream-colored water/oil" mix?

Oil and water dripping together won't make this mixture. To get this emulsion generally requires that there is water in the oil in the engine, being beaten together to introduce tiny water bubbles into the oil. This is a much different problem.

Is it possible that the engine is foaming out and the oil cream is coming out of the engine vents or overflows?

Sounds a bit like you've got a crack in the block or something. You might want to check the oil level right after the engine has been running.

Maybe its nothing, but you can't make cream colored oil/water emulsion from dips...

Later,

johnbo

 

[Coors]

Re: oil and water under engines

If he has an oil leak, with water in the bilge from something else; the shaking of the boat will mix them.

 

[johnbo]

Re: oil and water under engines

I'll let others validate that presumption, but my experience (which is limited) is that in order to get the oil water mix to look creamy, this takes some pretty intense mixing, as the creamyness is millions and millions of tiny bubbles.

I suspect that this is beyond the level of shaking that you'd find in the boat itself. Think about the last time that you made an oil and vinegar salad dressing. Does this look creamy? I know that the colors would be wrong, but.... Think about the violence that you inflect on the dressing bottle, how try to do this with a boat.

Just my two bits,

johnbo

 

[cyber-bill]

Re: oil and water under engines

Hi,
Yes the water in the bilge area under the engine is definatly cream colored.
The oil in the engine is perfectly normal looking .
Many years ago I had a manifold go on another v8 and when I checked the oil it was the same cream color as what is in my bilge now, in that case I replaced all the manifolds and was back in business.
Lets say you are right about it having to be agitated to turn cream colored,
how can that happen with out it showing up in the oil pan interior?
Bill

 

[Coors]

Re: oil and water under engines

I had a problem where as I had to drain the oil into the bilge, which had water in it; it got creamy.

 

[Bondo]

Re: oil and water under engines

Ayuh,....... I Agree,.......

It takes Very Little sloshing to Mix the 2 into a Creamy Milkshake..........

 

[Scaaty]

Re: oil and water under engines

Ayuh,....... I Agree,.......

It takes Very Little sloshing to Mix the 2 into a Creamy Milkshake..........

Yep, I'm with Bondo on this one...

 

[johnbo]

Re: oil and water under engines

Ok, cool, I stand corrected. I learn something every day here. That's a good bit of data to tuck away.

Later,

johnbo

 

[jmlloar]

Re: oil and water under engines

Hot water will increase the speed it mixes and reduce the effort to mix it