oil & water milkshake dripping at starter

[southie]

Hi guys - first time poster.

I have a 1980-1985 rebuilt 350 GM/mercruiser IO. I understand that the boat took on water last year at its mooring, had to be towed to shore and was partially winterized.

I just put in a new starter, cranked it and let it run on the muffs. Noticed large quantity of oil in bilge and upon further inspection noticed an oil/water milkshake dripping at a continuous pace from the new starter. Dripped at a higher rate the more gas I gave it.

I changed the oil and continued running it on muffs. Dipstick doesn't look that bad - just low from loss of oil.

Engine is cooled using the ocean water.

How are the oil and water mixing, especially so near the starter?

Thanks guys - looking forward to your help.

BT
South Boston

 

[danond]

Re: oil & water milkshake dripping at starter

What does partially winterized mean?

 

[southie]

Re: oil & water milkshake dripping at starter

He told me he didn't change the oil in the sterndrive or the engine (he did add antifreeze somewhere) and he fogged the carbeurator out.

I have to apologize - I acquired the boat at next to nothing and didn't have a chance to ask too many questions.

 

[danond]

Re: oil & water milkshake dripping at starter

I would say you need to change the oil - twice. Based on the previous owners answer I'd assume it wasn't winterized and the "antifreeze" answer was BS.

Any boat that's taken on water should get 2-3 oil changes. I had to do that on mine before all the water was out. Between oil changes I was freaking out wondering why I was still getting water in the oil. Turns out I wasn't, I just didn't get it all the first 2 changes.

Oil from the starter area (obviously it's not from the starter itself) could be a cracked block or a bad rear main seal, leaking valve cover, leaking rear intake manifold seal, leaking oil cooler, power steering cooler, etc. I would change the oil first, though and see if you continue to get water in it.

Water can get into your oil just about anywhere the water flows for cooling purposes. When the block isn't winterized (drained of all water) it can freeze in the passages and crack the block internally, causing water to leak into the crankcase oil. There's a good chance you're dealing with two problems - an oil leak and a busted block (or leaky risers or exhaust manifold).

You can also pressure-test the cooling system to make sure you don't have any leaks or cracks, but I'll have to leave that to the other guys as to how that's done on your specific engine.

 

[Maclin]

Re: oil & water milkshake dripping at starter

Sounds like the drive bellows is full of water and the upper unit seal there has also allowed water in and oil out. That mix is probably what you are seeing draining fromt the drive bellows area into the bilge.

A leaky bellows will eventually sink the boat. You will need to remove the drive and have it checked for leaks and get it serviced. I bet the bellows will be full of water+oil mix.

 

[southie]

Re: oil & water milkshake dripping at starter

Thank you guys very much for the quick replies. I have been stressed out all day over this - can't wait to get out on the water!

The boat is a 1984 wellcraft - decent condition but I have to be careful on how much money I put into it. These things sounds very serious and expensive considering the age of this craft - should I consider moving on to a newer boat as opposed to investing more money into it?

 

[Maclin]

Re: oil & water milkshake dripping at starter

There are some steps to take to make sure it is safe on the water and also not leave you stranded. These things go way beyond just the condition of the engine. The steps do not need to be expensive but they will cost some in parts and you will have to spend time and effort and perhaps bring mechanic charges into the picture.

Remove drive, check bellows and ujoints.
Check drive for leaks (pressure and vaccum tests).
Replace impeller and probably impeller pump housing as well.

These are minimum. Based on the results you may have a lot of expensive things to fis or not. Right now you have no idea and cannot even make an educated guess on if you should continue or not.

If all of that sounds like too much to do then bail now!

B ring
O ut
A nother
T housand

 

[southie]

Re: oil & water milkshake dripping at starter

The odd thing about my problem is that I don't have any water in the pan. The dipstick is pretty clean considering.

Somehow water is meeting an oil leak and frothing together to make a milkshake near the starter (flywheel?)And only when I give it gas/put pressure on the system. As stated above it's a two part problem.

I ran the bellows scenario by a guy who worked on it last weekend and he's fairly certain it's not it. He's thinking more a freeze plug that popped somewhere in the back, an oil-pan gasket or a rear seal.

Please forgive my terminology - I'm an iron worker with little knowledge of engines (yet!)

 

[Maclin]

Re: oil & water milkshake dripping at starter

Pull the drive so you will know it is not the drive bellows area full of water.

Do you/they know what made it take on water? If so was that problem fixed? I'm just sayin' that if it took on enough water then water got into the drive bellows area more than likely and if the drive has not been removed then that water is still in there.

 

[southie]

Re: oil & water milkshake dripping at starter

Thanks Maclin. I'm going to run your suggestions by the guys today.

 

[southie]

Re: oil & water milkshake dripping at starter

Hi guys. Brought a mechanic down to look. Could be the bellows but his question was where the oil is coming from?

Assuming that water is still in the engine/oil, why would it be leaking at the starter? His diagnosis was a rear seal which requires a lot of effort to fix.

Do you guys agree with his diagnosis? If it is only the bellows I can fix it - if it's the seal then I'm in troublle.

Thanks guys.

 

[Maclin]

Re: oil & water milkshake dripping at starter

If it is coming from the bellows then the drive oil has leaked into the bellows and mixed with the water, this also means the drive has water mixed in it as well. All of that is still fixable if the drive was not run that way too long.

If it is the engine's core plugs leaking water and then mixing with engine oil from the rear main then you have to remove the engine to get at the rear main properly. Either way removing the drive is not a waste of time.

Remove the drive and see what comes out of the bellows and proceeed based on those results.

 

[southie]

Re: oil & water milkshake dripping at starter

Thanks Maclin. I'm going to start removing it today.

 

[sidebojj]

Re: oil & water milkshake dripping at starter

I wouldn't assume the engine oil looks good by the dipstick. My buddy had a 5.7 with water in the oil, the dipstick looked good, but it was chocolate milk when you went to change the oil.

 

[thundercat 9]

Re: oil & water milkshake dripping at starter

you can't go by what you see on the dipstick, you have to look at how far up the dipstick the oil level goes, remember,oil floats on water. Mark the dipstick oil level then run the motor on muffs then re-check oil level to see if it increased.