2006 4.3 Mercruiser Oil Leak up front

[Zeusdafreak1]

I have discovered an oil leak. Its leaking from right behind the main pulley from on the botton side. It looks as though it is coming from the timing cover. There is a small sensor(that you can plug in to to service I assume) just above this. I removed the plug and it has a red o-ring on it. I could then tell it was NOT coming from this plug deal. I reinstalled it and wiped it all down and it is definitely coming from what I am assuming is the timing cover.

It looks like there is plenty of room to do this job myself if I were sure of the steps. After removing the belt and a hose and a couple of simple brackets then there is a water pump that must come off. Then the main pulley which I assume I will need a special tool for that I will have to go buy. This should expose this "cover" that is leaking from the bottom. It is held on with about 5 3/8 bolts because I tried to tighten the bottom two but it didn't do any good. Still leaked. The "cover" stops ablut 1 inch above where the oil pan bolts up so the oil pan doesn't look like it will come into play.

Is ther an online service manual I could buy and download to assist me in the job? Is this job difficult enough to really need one?

Am I looking at this job right. Its a 2006 4.3 Mercruiser 190HP in a Tahoe Q4. I bought it about a month ago and the warranty is still in the previous owners name I assume. I need to get this changed over. I see this now. Duh! I would consider doing this myself to keep from losing out on using the boat for the holiday and for the next few weeks for that matter. I took off this coming week and had planned to go out on the lake quite a bit. ANY ADVICE WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED!

 

[Don S]

Re: 2006 4.3 Mercruiser Oil Leak up front

You can not replace the seal, you MUST replace the complete timing cover. Merc nor Volvo even sell the seal seperatly.
You also have to remove the oil pan in order to replace the timing cover. From all the new boats I have seen, that is going to requier an engine pull.
If you still have warranty, you better get it fixed by a Merc dealer.

 

[Zeusdafreak1]

Re: 2006 4.3 Mercruiser Oil Leak up front

Are you sure the oil pan must be dropped? I cannot see how it would need to be removed. And the seal. There is gray rubbery foam looking stuff that is gaping out from around the cover. It looks like some sort of gasket stuff that I think came from the factory this way. You mean a whole new cover must be purchased? There is no gasket for this? I'm dumbfounded by this.

 

[Zeusdafreak1]

Re: 2006 4.3 Mercruiser Oil Leak up front

Can anyone else confirm this on a 2006 4.3 liter Mercruiser?

 

[Bondo]

Re: 2006 4.3 Mercruiser Oil Leak up front

The link I found only goes to 1998,........

Google up the Timing Cover for a Chevy 4.3l, 2006,+ See what you find..........

 

[Zeusdafreak1]

Re: 2006 4.3 Mercruiser Oil Leak up front

http://store.summitracing.com/egnsearch.asp?N=700+304600+4294840129+115+4294806411

If the picture is accurate then this should not require the oil pan removal. This seems to look like my timing cover. Any thoughts?

 

[Bondo]

Re: 2006 4.3 Mercruiser Oil Leak up front

That link shows the Old style stamped Steel covers,.......
The bottom Lip of those covers Are the leading gasket edge for the Oil Pan Gasket...........

I Think your motor should have the Plastic timing cover,..........
I just can't remember whether the bottom is, or isn't the pan gasket face......
I Think it Is.......

 

[Don S]

Re: 2006 4.3 Mercruiser Oil Leak up front

http://store.summitracing.com/egnsearch.asp?N=700+304600+4294840129+115+4294806411

If the picture is accurate then this should not require the oil pan removal. This seems to look like my timing cover. Any thoughts?

That is not the timing cover you have. You have the plastic one. You do have to pull the pan.

 

[Bondo]

Re: 2006 4.3 Mercruiser Oil Leak up front

Don S.
Alive and Well in Ocean Shores WA.

Ayuh,............. Glad to see you're settlin' In,.........

DSL or Cable in the New Digs,..??.......

 

[Zeusdafreak1]

Re: 2006 4.3 Mercruiser Oil Leak up front

I went out and took a picture of my problem. Could you use the picture to help me understand why the oil pan comes into play?

EDIT: My picture is too small to see the diagram. How do I post a pic large enough for you to see?

 

[Zeusdafreak1]

Re: 2006 4.3 Mercruiser Oil Leak up front

Here is the picture now up on photobucket. Hopefully you will be able to see it better.

 

[Zeusdafreak1]

Re: 2006 4.3 Mercruiser Oil Leak up front

Heres another close up.

 

[Bondo]

Re: 2006 4.3 Mercruiser Oil Leak up front

The Timing Cover,+ the Oil Pan share a Common Surface,...............

The Timing Cover is Under,+ Behind the Oil Pan radius.........

 

[Zeusdafreak1]

Re: 2006 4.3 Mercruiser Oil Leak up front

Do I have the first picture labeled properly with regards to what I am referring to as the timing cover?

In the closeup is this the common surface with which you are referring? Its about an inch or so wide and is on the front of the motor running vertically?

It just looked like the oil pan bolts right to the bottom and the timing cover is on the front vertical surface. I couldn't tell that the two were related at all unless its what you are talking about in my closeup picture #2.

 

[superpop]

Re: 2006 4.3 Mercruiser Oil Leak up front

You do need to drop the oil pan to replace the front timing chain cover. You also need to get a gear puller to pull off the main pulley off of the crankshaft. There are corners that need to be siliconed as well or you will still have a leak. It is a pretty **** poor design if you ask me but it is what it is. Your front seal and timing cover gasket should not be leaking after only a year. Did you check the torque on the front pan bolts. If one of them came loose that could cause the leak you describe as well. I have the same motor and just replaced all of the seals including the timing chain cover to the tune of 100 bucks for this part alone.

 

[Don S]

Re: 2006 4.3 Mercruiser Oil Leak up front

Yes, the first picture is labled correctly. What you can't see is what is inside and below the pan. That's why I said you needed to pull the pan. If you happened to read the OEM service manual, it also says to pull the pan.

Bondo, got cable here........ way faster. Shame I couldn't get it up there.

 

[Zeusdafreak1]

Re: 2006 4.3 Mercruiser Oil Leak up front

I now have the Seloc service manual and I have identified the leak as coming from the front cover oil seal. It says in the manual:

"The front cover oil seal may also be removed without removing the front cover - simply pry it out (carefully!) with a small prybar and then install is with the special tool listed in the text."

Although this looks darn near impossible I don't have the special tool anyway. I see the diagram of the pan and on one of them it shows a lip that is what must fit under the oil pan somehow. The manual says this about the oil pan:

"7. Although not completely necessary, we suggest that you remove the oil pan."

This really sucks. I want to do this myself but it looks like I may be in over my head. If I don't do it myself I'm stuck without a boat for several weeks during the peak season.

The complete removal instructions:

1. Open the drain valves and drain the coolant from the block and exhaust manifolds.

2. Remove the serpentine belt.

3. Remove the water circulation pump.

4. Remove the heat exchanger and crossover on the 8.1L V8.

5. Remove the torsional damper.

6. Tag and disconnect the crankshaft position sensor lead on MPI engines and then remove the sensor from the cover. On 8.1L engines, this is the camshaft position sensor.

7. Although not completely necessary, we suggest that you remove the oil pan.

8. Loosen the mounting bolts and remove the front cover. If the oil seal needs replacement, press it out from the back (inner) side of the cover with a punch. Remove the front cover gasket.

 

[Bondo]

Re: 2006 4.3 Mercruiser Oil Leak up front

I now have the Seloc service manual

Ayuh,.........

That's the Problem,............ Right There..............

 

[Zeusdafreak1]

Re: 2006 4.3 Mercruiser Oil Leak up front

Now Now. That is the only information I could find online that would show me any sort of diagrams.

I am thinking I will just take the boat out and see how bad it leaks, taking some oil with me to keep it topped off of course. If it will make it through the week I will put it in the shop. If it leaks too bad I may try and fix it myself while I am off this week on vacation. I can't help it. This is eating me up. I have a brand new boat that we cannot use.

 

[Bondo]

Re: 2006 4.3 Mercruiser Oil Leak up front

Ayuh,.........

That's a real Environmentally Non-Friendly Idea,.........

Dropping all that Oil into the Bilge,.........
It'll be IN the lake the 1st time the Bilgepump comes On...........

I Hope You're not boating in My lake..........