Water in oil, 2004 Suzuki DF115

[Parrotthead]

I was just reading an old post about a guy who had water in the oil in 2004 DF115. I have the same problem and am wondering how the situation turned out? This motor has been well maintained, only has 500 hours on it and has been religiously, flushed after every use in the salt.

Last fall I thought I blew a head gasket while fishing salmon off the mouth of the Columbia river. I have owned this motor since new and it had always been bullet proof. Well, long story short, I didn't realize there was salt water in the oil for a couple fishing trips, until the motor started running bad. While trouble shooting, I pulled the dipstick and found the engine full of the white crap. I took it to 2 shops here in Portland and found one that agreed to pull the engine apart. I had them rebuild the motor, and valvetrain, complete with new cams. It cost me 3800 bucks. I got the motor back in November and moth balled it till May. I took it out a few times, did the break-in proceedures and after about 12 hours run time, found water in the oil again.

Back to the shop to tighten everything and recheck all gaskets. The motor worked fine for 2 short trips. Took the family out over the fourth of July for about 8 hours. Motor worked fine but I had a hard time keeping it running at initial start up. It seemed like fuel pressure, because after pumping the fuel ball for several minutes the motor finally ran. I checked the oil at the end of the trip and guess what??? Water in the oil, about a quart.

I took it back to the shop and they are telling me that their tech has no idea whats going on and Suzuki has no answers either. The owner of the shop doesnt want to put more labor into this and basicly I have a motor that runs great but leaks water into the oil. I'm screwed out of 3800 bucks. They want to sell me a new motor.. (of Course). It seems to me that there is a fine crack somewhere that is misting water into my lube system. The problem is, Where in the world is it coming from??? Could the engine holder be the culprit? The mid and upper engine have been pressure tested and hold at 70 and 30 pounds respectively. It seems that it doesnt leak until the motor is really warmed up.

Any ideas will be helpful. HELP??????

 

[Parrotthead]

Re: Water in oil, 2004 Suzuki DF115

anyone with any ideas???? any help would be appriciated

 

[AlwaysFishn']

Re: Water in oil, 2004 Suzuki DF115

Hmm where do I start you probably read my report I recently had the motor apart again I realized I had vertical grooves in my cylinders due to the water in oil issue so I had a machine shop (pm me I'll tell you where) they had to do a 2 over bore he also checked for any warp-age on the block and head so I put all new gaskets again in the ordeal tighten everything to specs ran it this weekend still have water in oil it's gone beyond pissing me off I called dealer which he has really been helpful without a doubt but to my conclusion I've realized I either need to get a new cylinder head or new motor.

I see you fish out of the same area as I do. I to had all services done to this motor right up until this issue and the fact the service guy told me it will run me damn near the price for a new motor thinking I can fix this myself beings I'm pretty mechanically incline to do myself and all and all I'm so far into it I've got to keep going now. I'm in the process of getting a cylinder head well see

 

[berzerk22]

Re: Water in oil, 2004 Suzuki DF115

I have a 70 hp doing exactly the same thing, had all the work done that you have and no luck to date. Did you ever figure out the problem? PLEASE SHARE!

respectfully
Berzerk22

 

[noelm]

Re: Water in oil, 2004 Suzuki DF115

I guess the oil filter O rings have been checked/replaced? that is the ones under the part the filter screws on to, a few Suzukis had corrosion building up and causing the O rings to leak water into the sump.

 

[berzerk22]

Re: Water in oil, 2004 Suzuki DF115

Thank you so much for your reply! Not sure i know what o-ring you could be talking about. My situation is this. The oil filter receptical is cast into the engine block. The cavity where the filter screws onto has a threaded nipple in the center, of course, but i cant tell if this nipple screws out or if it is actualy milled out and part of the engine block. I used a light and looked very close and it appears by looking inside and around the outside of the nipple that it is milled and part of the engine block. I really cant see an area where a gasket or o-ring could be other than the one on the filter itself. any other ideas is GREATLY appreciated!

Thanks
Berzerk22

 

[Anchor Management 1]

Re: Water in oil, 2004 Suzuki DF115

I have repaired many of these by changing the oil cooler.

 

[bezerk]

Re: Water in oil, 2004 Suzuki DF115

this engine does not have a oil cooler only the 140 have one.
when you took the head off was their alot of sand on the bottom of #4 cyl water passage
seen a lot of them leak there ,on the crankcase side .not the head

 

[berzerk22]

Re: Water in oil, 2004 Suzuki DF115

Thanks so much for the information from all of you! This is the best help that I have recieved from anyone. As I was trying to find an oil cooler in my service manuel, the last post came in. I had come to the conclusion that my engine did not have an oil cooler and was going to post that. As far as the sand thing, I have not broke the engine down again yet in hopes that someone could give me information that the problem could be somewhere other than the head/block. The last time this happened, i didn't notice sand anywhere, but wasn't really looking for that, it could have slipped by me. I do run this boat in shallow water alot, salt and fresh, this is very very possible. I have been racking my brain on how i can put the cooling system under some pressure before i tear into it again to maybe find where it is leaking by. Problem is, unless i can use some type of died liquid that will stain where it goes, i will not be able to see the problem. any ideas on this?

This is a great source! thanks again to all that took the time to help!
Berzerk22

 

[bezerk]

Re: Water in oil, 2004 Suzuki DF115


you may be able to drop the lower uint, then use the water pick up tube to presure the water cooling system.

 

[berzerk22]

Re: Water in oil, 2004 Suzuki DF115

Thanks for the picture.Just got back in the house from working on the engine. I decided to tear it back down again. I got the head off and like last time, I couldn't find anything wrong. checked the block and head for warpage with a straight edge, every thing good there. There is no sand or debris in the jackets. The only thing I found I didn't like was some brine buildup in the jackets in the block, no large pits, just thought i did a better job of flushing after a salt water run. I took the head and gasket to a mechanic friend of mine just for his opinion and he said everything looked fine to him too. I have decided that i am not going to let it whip me this time. the engine is no good to me like it is. I am going to keep taking it apart until I find something. will go through midsection and lower unit next. Then I will take the crank case apart if i find nothing there.

Keep your ideas coming
Thanks for your time
Berzerk22

 

[patbalmos]

Re: Water in oil, 2004 Suzuki DF115

What about the oil pan being corroded through have you checked that yet?

 

[berzerk22]

Re: Water in oil, 2004 Suzuki DF115

It is Sunday 11:30 p.m. EST and i have worked on this thing off and on all day. I have completely disassembled the engine. The block and midsection is completely apart. I have went over the entire engine with a straight edge, magnifying glass, lights everything else I could think of and can find nothing wrong. There are no cracks or corroded spots inside or out on the oil pan, acually, it is remarkably clean. I did find a little bit of sand/brine buildup at the bottom jacket, which is probably common since this is the first place the water comes to from the water pump, of the #4 cylinder like Berzerk posted with the picture, but no where near as bad and not blocked by any means. The head gasket appears to have no breach anywhere. There is also some very small pits in the cylinder walls, I guess from the salt water form when I ran it when mixed with oil, but i had to hold the light just right to even see it. I am no mechanic though, this could be more serious than I think? I am going to call several machine shops tomorrow to see if anyone can check the head and block for me. I have one in mind in paticular that is a machine shop but specializes in race engines for cars. If one of these shops can check/test the block and head and can find nothing wrong, I have no idea what i will do next! One thing is for sure, water is getting in somewhere! We will see how long it takes to find it. At this point, I have accepted the fact that the engine is no good to me like it is and as long as it is only costing me a few bucks and time, it has become a challange to me, and I hate to lose.....at anything!!

Thanks again for all your post!
All ideas are helpful and very appreciated!

Berzerk22

 

[patbalmos]

Re: Water in oil, 2004 Suzuki DF115

Try to look very closely at those pits you see in the cyl walls. I have seen engines before that had pits on the inside of the cyl bores that I could barly see. Upon closer inspection I found that they went all the way the through into the water jacket. They were very small and took quite a bit of scraping and observation to reveal on the outside. The machine shop said they were caused by electrolysis.

 

[berzerk22]

Re: Water in oil, 2004 Suzuki DF115

Ok. I will do. Still trying to find a machine shop to inspect. Everytime I say "boat engine block" they say "not interested". Will keep trying

Thanks alot for your time
Berzerk22

 

[berzerk22]

Re: Water in oil, 2004 Suzuki DF115

Still no machine shop. What is it with machine shops that will work on auto engine blocks, but not interested in marine engine blocks? Whats the difference? Anyway, just to fill you guys in on what i have done thus far. I have had 3, 20-30 year experienced machanics look at my stuff, and none of them can find anything wrong. They all have said the same thing, "looks good, put it back together". Not going to do it, not giving up that easy. I do have a shop that said they would test the block and head, but they are 200 miles away. Just got to find the time to get them there. I am working on a way to pressureize the system like Berzerk suggested. If the machine shop results come back that there is nothing wrong, I am going to put it back together just enough to put in under pressure to see what that will show.

Thanks again
berzerk22

 

[revenge97]

Re: Water in oil, 2004 Suzuki DF115

what did you ever find out or do to repair your issue ??

 

[James R]

Re: Water in oil, 2004 Suzuki DF115

Don't know much about this but there have been several instances where "lost foam" technology used in aluminum block manufacture has resulted in cracks or voids which open up when the metal heats up. Some early OMC 60* motors exhibited this. Saturn also had problems way back.

 

[MIMMO]

Re: Water in oil, 2004 Suzuki DF115

Hello, I have the problem of water in the oil with my DF115, but I hate that it passes through the engine between the junction of the drain pipe and motor support. I also noticed the bubbles on the inner wall of the engine mount. I measured the plans and I just found a difference in that area, both on the support side of the block. I proceeded to disassemble the whole thing and I did correct the plans. I did not get the result because the media has become weak and then sold to the first heat. The engine is perfectly without any problems of loss of power or overheating. I ask if anyone has managed to solve the problem by changing the exhaust pipe. I thought about creating a connection between the shaped piece of stainless steel and the motor support protecting the junction from the water and exhaust gas flow. Think will work? Thanks Sorry for the translation is not perfect. Mimmo

 

[clanton]

Re: Water in oil, 2004 Suzuki DF115

Go tp www.batauto.com click on forums, then small engines, then post on WATERGLASS. This nay be a last resort fix.