marine ford 351 engine has water in crankcase

[xymmot]

Engine ran rough as we pulled away from slip. Reach 200 yards and decided to turn around to the marina when it cut off. Got into slip and uncover milky chocolate on top of engine that came out of spark arrestor, Think it is the exhaust manifolds that has gone bad? If it is, do we change both or just one side.? How about the risers and heat exchangers? How do we empty all the water in the engine crankcase and be sure all the water is out. Should we change all the spark plugs as well? Oil was everywhere like it was a gusher. Change the spark plug wires and dist. cap too. That was put on in 07. As long as I know, I had the boat for two years and had no problems until it ran rough. What catogory do you put a 351 FORD marine engine on? 28ft CARVER single engine Thanks for all the help

 

[bruceb58]

More than likely your block is cracked.

You need to do a pressure test of the block cooling passages.

Did you drain the block this winter? If so, how did you do it?

 

[xymmot]

No Title

The engine was winterized and was flushed out in early April. Oil changed with new filters and water seperator filters too. Since then I have gone out and ran the motor on different weeks for about 25 hours. The boat has been running weekly until the July 4th weekend when the rough idle began.. Draining the block on the inboard was done through manifolds drain plug as I put in RV antifreaze through the intake valve connection hose until the antifreeze came through the exhaust manifolds and water pump hose.. All internal water lines were done the same way until the sigots shot antifreeze thru them.

 

[bruceb58]

If you didn't actually drain the blocks by removing the drain plugs in the block, you didn't winterize it correctly. I would be doing a pressure test of the cooling passages of the engine. I can't explain why it didn't happen for 25 hours but your winterization method was wrong so I would be doing the test.

 

[xymmot]

Thank you for the help. I just hope the block is not cracked. I think I have to get someone to do the pressure test on the cooling passages. Should I get all the oil and water out of the crankcase first? or leave as is until I can get a service repair guy out there? As you can see in the picture if you enlarge the photo, the milky stuff came out of one of the carb barrels thru the flame arrestor and spewed it everywhere on the starboard side of the compartment. I will post up what I will find . Ah the joy of having a boat.

cheers tommy x

 

[bruceb58]

You can leave all the fluids in there.

 

[HT32BSX115]

Draining the block on the inboard was done through manifolds drain plug as I put in RV antifreaze through the intake valve connection hose until the antifreeze came through the exhaust manifolds and water pump hose..

Howdy,

I think this is "key". If you "Winterized" exactly as described above, you'll likely be buying long-blocks.

Sorry about that.


Rick

 

[Bulbash]

I think you should run a compression test to know 100% if the engine is ok or not. Water in the oil can also come through the manifolds or risers...

If the engine would have a freeze damage it would have this issue the first time you would start it... Very unlikely that you can run a cracked block for 25hrs before getting water into the oil.

 

[bruceb58]

You can still have great compression test results and have a cracked block.

 

[LiberatedCobra]

If the cracks initiated during the winter, when the boat was run, post 25 hours, the crack could propagate enough to become "catastrophic" or recognized by leaking fluid. LFC or low fatigue cycles would cause this to happen.

 

[bruceb58]

If the cracks initiated during the winter, when the boat was run, post 25 hours, the crack could propagate enough to become "catastrophic" or recognized by leaking fluid. LFC or low fatigue cycles would cause this to happen.

Yes, that sounds like a reasonable explanation. Especially with multiple heat/cool cycles.

You an ME?

 

[LiberatedCobra]

Yes sir, sure am. I currently work in the aviation industry. That should hopefully explain my horrific spelling!

 

[bruceb58]

I just sent you a PM.