bucknutjoe
Seaman
- Joined
- Jul 13, 2011
- Messages
- 71
I have a 1983 Four Winns Marquise 170 with the (GM) Mercruiser 3.0 140 hp I 4-cylinder mated to an alpha 1 outdrive. I found a dipstick that was at least 2/3 full of the entire dipstick with basically milk. I changed the oil and filter 3 times, running the engine on rabbit ears each change, and was still getting some grey oil. My neighbor, we live in a neighborhood around a lake, told me to check that the bolts on the valve cover, etc were tight. I did check those and found 3 bolts needed at least a full revolution if not a little more. One more oil change/flush with cheap oil that then came out almost all clear, so I let all that drain out, looked in the top at the pistons under the oil cap that were finally clean, so I filled with Quicksilver, and ran for 20 minutes on the ears. Everything stayed pure and clean.
At this point, I'm blown away at the happiness that I don't have water getting in. Use the boat for two days on the lake, one just putting around for a couple hours before the fireworks, the next tubing for a couple hours. Did multiple checks, and the oil was absolutely clean through it all.
Then it rained.
My bilge isn't automatic, and so it holds rainwater until I go flip the switch. I pumped it all out, and the next day ran the boat for 20 minutes before checking oil - the dipstick was as full as I'd ever seen it with milk.
I'm hoping it's just gaskets for a couple of reasons: if it was a crack, it would be happening from the water being run through the block, right? and it isn't. The boat was meticulously maintained from original purchase in 1983 by a family friend until 4 years ago. His brother took it, messed up the lower unit, and then it sat on a boat lift over water for 2-3 years, basically untouched. I was told that it was winterized, but I'm not 100% confident in that. So my thought is that the inactivity, combined with the half season of activity that I've now given it, combined with the rainwater issue that it has been exposed to since mid-May has created a problem with one of the gaskets.
How big of a job is it to replace all the gaskets in this engine. I am definitely handy, but admittedly a novice. There are gaskets at multiple levels in the engine, right? Like at the oil pan to the block, then block to head, etc?
I didn't find an existing post of how to replace the gaskets, does anyone know where I can find good directions, and hopefully pictures, for what is involved in this project start to finish? Does anyone think I'm barking up the wrong tree and want to point me in a different direction?
Please excuse the long post, just trying to get all the information out there.
I can't wait to hear your thoughts!
Joe
At this point, I'm blown away at the happiness that I don't have water getting in. Use the boat for two days on the lake, one just putting around for a couple hours before the fireworks, the next tubing for a couple hours. Did multiple checks, and the oil was absolutely clean through it all.
Then it rained.
My bilge isn't automatic, and so it holds rainwater until I go flip the switch. I pumped it all out, and the next day ran the boat for 20 minutes before checking oil - the dipstick was as full as I'd ever seen it with milk.
I'm hoping it's just gaskets for a couple of reasons: if it was a crack, it would be happening from the water being run through the block, right? and it isn't. The boat was meticulously maintained from original purchase in 1983 by a family friend until 4 years ago. His brother took it, messed up the lower unit, and then it sat on a boat lift over water for 2-3 years, basically untouched. I was told that it was winterized, but I'm not 100% confident in that. So my thought is that the inactivity, combined with the half season of activity that I've now given it, combined with the rainwater issue that it has been exposed to since mid-May has created a problem with one of the gaskets.
How big of a job is it to replace all the gaskets in this engine. I am definitely handy, but admittedly a novice. There are gaskets at multiple levels in the engine, right? Like at the oil pan to the block, then block to head, etc?
I didn't find an existing post of how to replace the gaskets, does anyone know where I can find good directions, and hopefully pictures, for what is involved in this project start to finish? Does anyone think I'm barking up the wrong tree and want to point me in a different direction?
Please excuse the long post, just trying to get all the information out there.
I can't wait to hear your thoughts!
Joe
