Trying to pump watery oil from motor while oil is cold. Help

[jasonbrodsky]

I have a 4.3 mercruiser that has water in oil. Trying to pump out but is too thick. Hot can I warmup the oil to make it easier to pump with out starting the motor? Or is there something I can put in it to thin out?

 

[Don S]

Re: Trying to pump watery oil from motor while oil is cold. Help

How much over the full mark is the oil?

 

[jasonbrodsky]

Re: Trying to pump watery oil from motor while oil is cold. Help

Can't tell. I have a gooey mess.

Could I heat oil on the stove an pour it in hot? Would that allow it to loosen up enough to allow me to pump out?

 

[Pete104]

Re: Trying to pump watery oil from motor while oil is cold. Help

No, don't do that!
What made you discover the water in the oil? Was the engine running at the time? You may be best off draining it out. Then fresh filter & new oil til you fiqure out where the water came from.

 

[Lyle29464]

Re: Trying to pump watery oil from motor while oil is cold. Help

1. you have a big leak right?
2. If it's salt water ( hey post some location info) It has to come out fast.
3. If your over full you can blow seals and even break big things.
4. If your not over full you can start it and get it hot BUT keep checking oil level.
5. Some oil change units will bring it out. ( may take an hour)
6 diesel fuel will make it thinner if you run engine a minute minute.
7. I would remove the oil and replace then run engine a minute or so then head for the leak.
8 You don't need a water source for a 30 second run except to keep pump wet. much longer and you cook the exhaust.
9. a real bad leak will mess with all your plans. ( keep refilling )

 

[jasonbrodsky]

Re: Trying to pump watery oil from motor while oil is cold. Help

Just bought the boat from a owner that told us water got in the engine. It is a process of elimination.. The exhaust manifold is completely rusted out on the right side of the motor looking from the back of the boat forwards. I am thinking water got in from there. I just need to get old nasty oil out so I can start the motor to see what else... I have purchased and installing new manifold, but I need to change the oil so I can put good oil in it to run the motor.

Would it cause damage but heating the oil on stove and putting it in motor hot? The drain plug on the pan is too hard to reach.

 

[Don S]

Re: Trying to pump watery oil from motor while oil is cold. Help

If that gooey mess is coming out of every opening on the engine, you need a new engine, not an oil change.

 

[Don S]

Re: Trying to pump watery oil from motor while oil is cold. Help

Read this.

View attachment 01-13 Gas Engines and Water Intrusion.pdf

 

[Pete104]

Re: Trying to pump watery oil from motor while oil is cold. Help

If YOU can't pump the old out, what makes you think the "oil pump" can move it? You will be running the engine with no oil!

 

[jasonbrodsky]

Re: Trying to pump watery oil from motor while oil is cold. Help

If that gooey mess is coming out of every opening on the engine, you need a new engine, not an oil change.

We have not run the motor yet. The exhaust manifold is completely rusted out. Gooey mess is in the pan only. I have replaced manifold and trying to pump nasty oil out to run motor so I can see what else. The motor it self is clean, no oil leaks anywhere.

It appears to be clean. Whatesle should I check before trying to start?

Fyi... I have already replace the impeller. It was in good shape.

 

[jasonbrodsky]

Re: Trying to pump watery oil from motor while oil is cold. Help

If YOU can't pump the old out, what makes you think the "oil pump" can move it? You will be running the engine with no oil!

Exactly my point. I don't want to start the motor and muff up the oil pump or anything else. Just trying to remove nasty oil to replace with good stuff.

 

[Pete104]

Re: Trying to pump watery oil from motor while oil is cold. Help

Exactly thee point, you can't! AND you can't run an engine without oil. The oil doesn't get hot until it's moving thru the engine. It's a b$tch!!! How bad would it be to pull the engine? You are changing a manifold anyway, maybe with the manifold off you can get pan under it!

 

[jasonbrodsky]

Re: Trying to pump watery oil from motor while oil is cold. Help

I can pull the other manifold, the side I am replacing is the starter side. I can possibly get a pan underneath and empty that way. Just trying to do a process of elimination without pulling the motor.

But if I have to... How hard would that be?

 

[Pete104]

Re: Trying to pump watery oil from motor while oil is cold. Help

It ain't bad! Battery cables, fuel line, main harness, a few cables. Removing the exhaust manifolds before trying to get to the mounts would be smart. Put the control in forward before disconnecting the cables, drive has to be fwrd to come off.

There are alot of step by step here & you-tube on removing/pulling Merc engines.

At least your thinking smart, don't make the situation worse! Good luck & we'll get you thru this.

 

[riptorn]

Re: Trying to pump watery oil from motor while oil is cold. Help

Do you have a swivel socket set?
You have to pull the oil plug out regardless. Once you get it out let drain for couple days. Yes through the transom drain hole with an oil bucket. Change oil filter and refill with thin oil. Run for about five min and drain again. I had to do this three times and still the oil was white on the dipstick.
I read on the net to use diesel gas and diesel oil mixed together to flush the engine out, I haven't tried this so take discretion. Maybe there is a engine flush out there. I know there is not one where I am.

 

[jasonbrodsky]

Re: Trying to pump watery oil from motor while oil is cold. Help

OK. So tomorrow I am going to pull the other manifold off. Try and get a pan underneath and drain that way and work forward. Worse case if I get it emptied new oil in it and find the motor is total shot, of course after compression testing then I will pull.
I will update tomorrow
Thank you all for your help.

 

[jasonbrodsky]

Re: Trying to pump watery oil from motor while oil is cold. Help

Do you have a swivel socket set?
You have to pull the oil plug out regardless. Once you get it out let drain for couple days. Yes through the transom drain hole with an oil bucket. Change oil filter and refill with thin oil. Run for about five min and drain again. I had to do this three times and still the oil was white on the dipstick.
I read on the net to use diesel gas and diesel oil mixed together to flush the engine out, I haven't tried this so take discretion. Maybe there is a engine flush out there. I know there is not one where I am.

What is the transom drain hole?

I put a quart of engine flush from autozone in the motor last hoping if it sat over night it would drain easier.

I am going to pull the other manifold this morning to see if I can get to the oil pan drain plug easier, plus will give me achance to inspect for other things, cracks, leaks etc.

 

[tomdinwv]

Re: Trying to pump watery oil from motor while oil is cold. Help

Transom drain hole is the hole where you put the plug in the back of the boat to keep from sinking. Located beneath your outdrive.

 

[jasonbrodsky]

Re: Trying to pump watery oil from motor while oil is cold. Help

Transom drain hole is the hole where you put the plug in the back of the boat to keep from sinking. Located beneath your outdrive.

OK. Found that drain. Alsowas able to get to the oil pan drainplug; what a mess. Looks like poop! So if I spill some under the motor, I can spray some water down there and it drain?

 

[Bondo]

Re: Trying to pump watery oil from motor while oil is cold. Help

Just bought the boat from a owner that told us water got in the engine. It is a process of elimination..
OK. Found that drain. Alsowas able to get to the oil pan drainplug; what a mess. Looks like poop! So if I spill some under the motor, I can spray some water down there and it drain?

Ayuh,.... You'll be able to scrub out the bilge, after ya figure out the motors comin' out, Anyways...

In the mean time,... Ya flush it out...