3.0lx 140 milky oil question

Joined
Apr 25, 2011
Messages
20
i have a project i have been working on restoring for a few weeks now. i bought the boat, heard it run, have the receipt from the PO of the winterization of the engine last fall. oil was clean and clear when i picked up the boat. I cleaned the electrics and started it up with the water on, noticed it was running funny looked and the distributor was messed up keeping the points closed from the start of 3 thro 4 like it had a bent shaft. got a replacement put it together. when i was changing the distributor obviously there is oil on the distributor drive shaft. it was milky looking like water in the oil. however the compresstion test was around 150 for all cylinders without any leakdown problems. any thoughts. should i just change the oil again and run it to see if it happens again or is there something specific that would be causing this.

forgot to mention that the engine got hot quickly and i shut it down. i believe it to be the thermostat. it was a little sticky. so i just removed it until i get it running with the new distributor and get the new one i ordered in a couple days

thanks
 

Fishermark

Vice Admiral
Joined
Oct 19, 2003
Messages
5,617
Re: 3.0lx 140 milky oil question

Here's some good reading from the stickey's at the top of the page regarding water in the oil.

You say the oil was clean and clear when you bought it. It will not turn milky till you run it. So either you got water in it since you received it, or the water problem was there before, and the owner simply changed the oil to hide it. Either way - you will need to find out how the water is getting in and fix it.
 
Joined
Apr 25, 2011
Messages
20
Re: 3.0lx 140 milky oil question

so during my investigation of this problem i pulled the old oil out and replaced it, and ran the boat for a few minutes it heated up pretty quick and i shut it down about 220. thought i would just pull the thermostat and try it again. Behold there was no thermostat and the water jacket was somewhat dry. so i am going to assume that the water pump in the foot it bad and needs to be replace. is this difficult? also is there anyway to test the main water pump on the engine to make sure i don't fix one problem to have another. other than that new distributor turned out great engine fired right up.
 

cr2k

Captain
Joined
Mar 19, 2009
Messages
3,730
Re: 3.0lx 140 milky oil question

You will not do your engine any good by removing the thermostat. Marine cooling system way different from a car where you can do that.
 
Joined
Apr 25, 2011
Messages
20
Re: 3.0lx 140 milky oil question

found the culprit.
IMG_0890.jpg
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Taz59

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Apr 10, 2003
Messages
304
Re: 3.0lx 140 milky oil question

Nice to see some one post with end results,:)

nice one mate
 

badbowtie

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
May 18, 2007
Messages
634
Re: 3.0lx 140 milky oil question

Looks like you found the problem with the cooling just fix that and see what is up with the oil. Also make sure you find all them rubber chunks that are missing they can really clog stuff up.
 
Joined
Mar 27, 2010
Messages
3,008
Re: 3.0lx 140 milky oil question

That will definately do it. ;)

Make sure to disconnect the water hose from the drive to the engine and be sure to remove the pieces. Now the tstat was removed, what are the chances the impeller pieces are in the block, or the circulating water pump on the engine? I think I'd pull the upper half of the drive off the bellhousing if you didn't do so for the impeller, and back flush out the cooling lines.
Try to find out the water path from the drive thur the engine and
Back flush like crazy.
 
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