First time boat owner needs help - oil leak

[Joker026]

Hello -
I just recently purchased a 1992 Bayliner with a 3.0L Mercruiser Alpha One engine and just took it out for the first time this past weekend. The boat ran great but the next day I found oil dripping from my drain plug and then upon checking out the engine I found all the oil had drained into the engine well?? What could have caused this and what are the next steps I should take?

Thanks in advance for any suggestions!

 

[tommays]

Re: First time boat owner needs help - oil leak

Well it could be Motor Oil or Drive Oil

Which one is low right NOW if it ran out the drain plug thats a lot of oil to leak


Tommays

 

[Don S]

Re: First time boat owner needs help - oil leak

What could have caused this

A leak

what are the next steps I should take?

Locate the leak.

Clean everything up, add new oil and run the engine (On Muffs should work) and look it over and see what is actually leaking.

 

[Bondo]

Re: First time boat owner needs help - oil leak

"I found oil dripping from my drain plug"

Is it Tight,..??...

 

[Chris1956]

Re: First time boat owner needs help - oil leak

Anyone think that there is a leak in the pan slightly above the drain plug? I cannot imagine all the oil dripping out of the plug, unless the plug is very loose.

 

[Cptkid570]

Re: First time boat owner needs help - oil leak

You may have a rusted out oil pan.. Get a mirror and a light under there some how and see if you can get a good look at the oil pan. Also, look at the timing chain cover. The 3.0 motor has tendencies to have the timing chain covers rust out on them (although all of the oil wouldn't be lost through this).

 

[Joker026]

Re: First time boat owner needs help - oil leak

Maybe I'm not using the correct terms - please forgive me - my only excuse is I'm a woman and engine parts and terminology aren't one of my stronger points. We only noticed the oil leak because it was dripping out of the drain plug (outside of the boat under the motor)...then pulled the engine cover and found a massive amount of oil sitting on the bottom of the engine well. So I opened the oil cap and noticed it's empty. I'm thinking all the oil has somehow leaked out but can't imagine a bad seal or gasket leaking oil that fast. We never had the boat at WOT and only did some tubing, max speed 20, so I'm confused to how this might have happened. We're currently looking for a repair shop to get the boat into but I wanted a basic idea of what could be wrong.

 

[Joker026]

Re: First time boat owner needs help - oil leak

...and I want to thank everyone for taking the time to reply to my post. I can always count on forums to get answers!!! d

 

[Alumarine]

Re: First time boat owner needs help - oil leak

When you say "I opened the oil cap and noticed it's empty"

What oil cap are you talking about?

 

[jackd1023]

Re: First time boat owner needs help - oil leak

Check the oil dipsick.......not the cap

 

[tommays]

Re: First time boat owner needs help - oil leak

Was that the big clear one on the front of the motor that holds the Drive Oil

Tommays

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: First time boat owner needs help - oil leak

I would hope its the drive oil tank she looked at.
What does it show on the dipstick?