Mercruiser 350 Engine Oil Leak

J

JT09

Cadet
Joined
Mar 1, 2009
Messages
9
I have a 1999 Mercruiser 350 with a Bravo III drive. I bought the boat about 3 years ago. On occassion I would notice a few drops of oil in the bilge after running the engine. The oil leak wouldn't happen all the time and when it did it was only very small amounts.

I pulled the engine this weekend to find the cause. I was amazed to find a crack in the front cover (timing chain cover) at the lip for the oil pan as you can see in the attached pic.

Has anyone ever seen this before? What could have caused this crack? Everything other than the cover looks to be in great shape, but I'd hate to put it back together if there is something I should check that I'm not aware of.
 

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rebars1

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Feb 23, 2004
Messages
744
Re: Mercruiser 350 Engine Oil Leak

Can't quite tell from the picture, but has a piece broken off the flange? If so, do you know where the piece went?

Maybe the guy before you installed it crooked and it broke when the bolts were torqued down.
 
chiefalen

chiefalen

Captain
Joined
May 18, 2008
Messages
3,598
Re: Mercruiser 350 Engine Oil Leak

Maybe that ain't the original motor to that boat?

Maybe someone before you did work on the motor and messed it up by cracking the cover.

Maybe, maybe , maybe. Who knows never ceases to amaze me what a butcher can do to a motor.

Ive seen the lower lip rusted right off, wheres the timing mark ? Is that the piece missing?

Good news you can get another one easy and the gasket also.

Paint it 3-4 times on the outside before you install the new one.

Smart you pulled it; bugged you to no end till you found the leak, now your a true mechanic.
 
J

J JACKSON

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Apr 7, 2008
Messages
180
Re: Mercruiser 350 Engine Oil Leak

looks like someone removed the timing chain cover without removing the oil pan that is the only timing i can think of that would brake it like that. hope you found the other pieces of it
 
J

JT09

Cadet
Joined
Mar 1, 2009
Messages
9
Re: Mercruiser 350 Engine Oil Leak

I think the picture may make it look like the right end is broken, but it isn't. Just a crack along the lower portion. I think with it bolted up, the crack was all but closed.

I went to NAPA yesterday to get a replacement, but wasn't happy with the quality, which was strange since NAPA usually has good quality products.

I just ordered a new one along with the pan gasket, ouch! But I don't want to have to do this again.
 
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