Antifreezer in oil!!! HELP

[ericcarr]

I recently purchased my 1st boat, took it out for a spin, noticed that the oil had just been changed. Well come to find out, Ive had to add 2 gallons of antifreeze the past, Id say, 4.5 hours of operation. Well, to make a long story short, I did a compression test on it and its holding compression at around 135 lbs each cylinder. Could any one help me out on where the leak could be coming from?

 

[stonyloam]

Re: Antifreezer in oil!!! HELP

What engine?

 

[Les Robb]

Re: Antifreezer in oil!!! HELP

Just because they changed the oil dosen't mean that's where it's going. If you lost that much fluid it would have floated all your oil up high on the stick and really be obvious. Equal compression on all cylinders pretty much eliminates gaskets and here again, we don't have a clue as to make model etc.

 

[ericcarr]

Re: Antifreezer in oil!!! HELP

Oh trust me, thats where the antifreeze is going, rite in the oil....This I know. The engine is a 3.7 liter mercruiser. I know that there are 2 seals around the camshaft that could go bad, im gonna take the engine in to the local machine shop so they could do a pressure test and magnaflux the head and block...

 

[stonyloam]

Re: Antifreezer in oil!!! HELP

Your crankcase was filled with antifreeze/oil? If you are dumping that much antifreeze into the crankcase, the seals are the most likely suspect. Was antifreeze coming out of the weep hole in the front of the circulating pump.

 

[ericcarr]

Re: Antifreezer in oil!!! HELP

I didnt realize till I pulled the engine out that the idiot plugged the hole on the froint bottom of the timing cover. I guess thats where the weep hole is. Im gonna tear down the engine and take it in to have it completely checked for cracks (magnafluxed). The engine in question is the 3.7 liter Merc.

 

[stonyloam]

Re: Antifreezer in oil!!! HELP

That sucks! That weep hole is there specifically to prevent what happened to you. This is a good article on that particular problem: http://www.sterndrives.com/470_coolant_leak.html . Good luck!

 

[ericcarr]

Re: Antifreezer in oil!!! HELP

Thaks again for your help Terry,