Oil Like Milkshake

[dolt]

I have a 1983 3.8L 170 HP OMC Sterndrive. I changed the oil and filter in the spring. Then started it up in driveway while attached to hose. The next day we went to the lake, fired her up and went for a cruise. After about 15 mins there was a type of oil fuel smell coming from engine compartment. When i got back to dock i left boat idleing and opened engine compartment to see a milkshake like substance just blowing out the pcv valves into carb. I turned it off right away and trailered home. I hooked a vacum pump and evacuated about 10 quarts of the water oil mix, removed oil filter and pumped till i was sucking air. I had to go to marina for new filter when i got back i thought i would pump the handle on vac pump just to make sure i goy iy all.... to my surprise another 4 quarts of mostly water came out????
Yet the engine seemed to run fine even when it was sucking this stuff into carb.
Freezing in winter time is not an issue as boat is stored inside heated garage
Would this be a head gasket or exahast problem ... how can i tell where water is coming in.

Any help much appreciated.

 

[dgopetactical]

Re: Oil Like Milkshake

I have a 1983 3.8L 170 HP OMC Sterndrive. I changed the oil and filter in the spring. Then started it up in driveway while attached to hose. The next day we went to the lake, fired her up and went for a cruise. After about 15 mins there was a type of oil fuel smell coming from engine compartment. When i got back to dock i left boat idleing and opened engine compartment to see a milkshake like substance just blowing out the pcv valves into carb. I turned it off right away and trailered home. I hooked a vacum pump and evacuated about 10 quarts of the water oil mix, removed oil filter and pumped till i was sucking air. I had to go to marina for new filter when i got back i thought i would pump the handle on vac pump just to make sure i goy iy all.... to my surprise another 4 quarts of mostly water came out????
Yet the engine seemed to run fine even when it was sucking this stuff into carb.
Freezing in winter time is not an issue as boat is stored inside heated garage
Would this be a head gasket or exahast problem ... how can i tell where water is coming in.

Any help much appreciated.

sounds like there was a poor winterization,,,if in a heated garage???dono.. sound like you have a cracked block big time...with that much water injestion It is my opinion your engine is basicly done in for..... sorry to say but its time for a new to you engine.
and if the milkshake is still in your engine,,,, damage is acuring as we speak...if you think you can save it you better pickle it now..
Denny

 

[Bifflefan]

Re: Oil Like Milkshake

Before you condem the block, you can pull the heads and look for a bad headgasket. at that time you can also see (maybe) if there is a problem somewhere else.
Try to find some die. and put it in, circulate the water some and then take the heads off. it may show you the place its leaking from.

 

[dgopetactical]

Re: Oil Like Milkshake

Before you condem the block, you can pull the heads and look for a bad headgasket. at that time you can also see (maybe) if there is a problem somewhere else.

Try to find some die. and put it in, circulate the water some and then take the heads off. it may show you the place its leaking from.

yes that is true but he said that he had the water oil mixture going into the carb/ going into intake meaning going into the cylinders. Could be a head gasket....but over flowing the engine with water/oil basicly means bad engine no mater how you look at it, especialy if salt water!!!!!!! Its no easy or cheap fix for sure..

dye only works in a closed system as far as i know.... trust me from what you said your engine is toast.
Denny

 

[Hardwork]

Re: Oil Like Milkshake

Have the manifolds and risers checked before you pull the heads . You can do a compression check to see if you have a bad head gasket

 

[dgopetactical]

Re: Oil Like Milkshake

Have the manifolds and risers checked before you pull the heads . You can do a compression check to see if you have a bad head gasket

I do beleive if it was a major manifold leak he would have a totaly different scenario from what he put in his post... a manifold leak with that much water would have made the engine not able to run or worse. He says the engine ran fine + he sucked 10 qts of a oil/ water mixture out of the engine let it sit than got another 4 qts.(total 14qts..WOW) That tells me that all the water left in the engine drained out of the block from the BIG crack in it.
Denny

 

[dolt]

Re: Oil Like Milkshake

Thanks guys, but turns out block was cracked.
But now i have a lead on a 1998 3.8L from a Pontiac Grand Prix. Can i use that if i replace heads and intake manifold and any other thing on my original OMC just transfer to Pontiac engine. Would the 1998 block be the same as my 1983???

 

[drrm123]

Re: Oil Like Milkshake

i dont believe this engine will work, it has coil packs and dont know if you can mount distributor. water passages on heads are more likely different also. buicks and pontiacs had distributor mounted on front of engine. omc has it on the rear like chevy 3.8 which would most likely be closest replacement, i'm sure someone else can give you more info on this subject.

 

[coff52008]

Re: Oil Like Milkshake

I am actualy going through the same exact thing you are right now. I pulled off my intake manifold and ther there was a huge hole. Good luck.

 

[dolt]

Re: Oil Like Milkshake

I am having great difficulty locating a chevy 3.8L 229ci. is there anything else i can use that my intake manifold and heads would matchup with???
Any help much appreciated.

 

[IVAZ]

Re: Oil Like Milkshake

Have you tried a junkyard? I'm sure the engine would need to be rebuilt, but you would have a good core.

 

[dolt]

Re: Oil Like Milkshake

Yes i have checked the auto wreckers in my area but no luck. It is my understanding that 305 and 350 where interchangable so if 3.8L was cut from a 305 and 4.3L was cut from 350 would it not plausible that a 4.3L would work for me. The 4.3L seems to be in abundance around here??

 

[futz]

Re: Oil Like Milkshake

yep 4.3 it's the one for you, new mani's new risers.

 

[dolt]

Re: Oil Like Milkshake

So i can't use the intake manifold and heads from the 3.8L. I thought they would have been interchangeable, no cash at moment to buy new ones.

 

[IVAZ]

Re: Oil Like Milkshake

I think the heads and manifold are interchangeble. The problem is that the heads on the 3.8 have smaller valves. Dont know for sure how it will affect it (maybe just less HP?). I'm not familiar with the 3.8, but it might also need a different coupler.

 

[dolt]

Re: Oil Like Milkshake

Thanks, im not too concerned about losing some horsepower as long as it runs. I am not sure what you mean about coupler??.

 

[searay3]

Re: Oil Like Milkshake

Don't know much about omc's, but I think your biggest concern will be the fitment of all the outdrive stuff. It is very vintage specific as well as manufacturer. There will be other OMC guys to give you the details. I would hold off buying anything until you are sure all of the boat stuff will fit the block you want to use...

 

[Howard Sterndrive]

Re: Oil Like Milkshake

3.8L 229 Chevrolet. 1981-1984 Monte Carlo, El Camino, Malibu
In a pinch, the 200 cubic inch 3.3L from 1980 chev. would go in, but you'd be low on power

4.3 won't work unless you get a complete marine motor including distributor, and it would have to be 1985 ONLY (1 year too narrow a window to bother searching imo) 1986 and later has a different crank to coupler bolt pattern
3800 not even close

 

[tpsball]

Re: Oil Like Milkshake

Thanks guys, but turns out block was cracked.
But now i have a lead on a 1998 3.8L from a Pontiac Grand Prix. Can i use that if i replace heads and intake manifold and any other thing on my original OMC just transfer to Pontiac engine. Would the 1998 block be the same as my 1983???

where was the block cracked? i'm having the same issues but i cant find a crack in the block but i do have a cracked head

 

[dolt]

Re: Oil Like Milkshake

it was cracked under intake manifold in valley