4.3 mercruiser 1988

[Davidp34]

I have fuel/water coming out of hoses going to the air cleaner from the valve covers please help

 

[achris]

First run since winter? If so, who and how was it winterized?

Chris.....

 

[Davidp34]

No just bought it guy said he had it on the water before

 

[Scott06]

So you didn’t see it run on the water? Get your money back as it looks like the engine was not properly winterized. What you are observing is when water from the cooling jackets gets into the engine crank case, eventually it fills it and comes out the valve covers in a milky oily mess.

you can pressurize the cooling system to confirm

 

[Davidp34]

How do I do this and the water smells like fuel

 

[Davidp34]

Can someone help me please

 

[Rick Stephens]

Fuel will not foam up the oil. If there is water in your oil and it is coming out the breather, you have a problem. There are a number of ways that can occur:

●Cracked exhaust manifold allowed water into cylinders through exhaust valve. It sits, and drains down into crank case.

●Flame arrestor left off. Rain drains down through carburetor into cylinders

●Blown head gasket

●Rusted out intake water passage or gasket failed between intake and head

●water left in cooling system over winter froze, expanded and cracked block



Those are the most common. There are other ways.

 

[achris]

No just bought it guy said he had it on the water before

'Guy' is a seller trying to sell a broken boat. He'll tell you anything you want to hear to get you to buy it.

First rule. Water test the boat!
Second rule. See first rule!

Take it back, tell him he sold it under false pretenses, and get your money back. That engine is seriously broken!

Chris.....

 

[nola mike]

It's an as-is sale. No chance getting your money back or returning it unless you bought it from your dad. Short of getting back directly through the valves/stems/rings/etc, how does fuel end up in the breather? The other thoughts above shouldn't allow fuel where it doesn't belong, right?

 

[Davidp34]

1988 4.3 v6

Its a 1988 4.3 v6 had water coming out of hoses from valve covers to air cleaner drained oil and it was full of water any reasons why and can I just get a used 4.3 v6 and swap everything over. Thank you in advance

 

[achris]

It's a non-balance shaft engine. You may have fluid mounts, or high density rubber. Either way, if you get a balance shaft engine to replace it, you'll need to replace the mounts with 'standard'. You could got straight to a Vortec engine (different heads), but you'd have to use the vortec intake manifold...

Here's what I'd do...

Find an SUV or truck Vortec (post 1997) 4.3. Get a marine vortec intake manifold and an Edlebrock 1409 carb. Pull the new engine down and give it a 'freshen up', and put brass core plugs and marine head gaskets. Then pull all the fruit and veg off the old engine and swap them over. You'll have to install an electric fuel pump, as the vortec blocks don't have a mounting point for the mechanical pumps any more.

Chris........

 

[Davidp34]

Thank you chris