water in motor oil

followme21 · Jun 1, 2010

So I posted earlier today about how my bilge filled with water from improper seal around the base of the plug. When I got home from work I sealed it correctly and checked the motor oil and sure enough there was a quite a bit of water in there. As I stated the water level was above the crank pully. It never did get hot as I watch the gauge a lot, even on our way back to the dock after the level dropped it never overheated. I have allready drained and changed the filter once, ran it for about 5 mins then changed it again. And plan on doing it at least one more time. It was still quite milky...but not as bad.

Question is how did the water get in there..I am guessing the crank seal??? if I recall it is designed to keep oil in but not necessarly other fluid out..or is there something else I should be looking at?? Like I said it never overheated so I dont think anything is cracked..
It runs good, no misses and spark plus still look good.

Thanks alot people.

dannyual767 · Jun 1, 2010

Re: water in motor oil

You said, "I have allready drained and changed the filter once"

I'm guessing that you didn't change the oil, right? If I were you, I'd go ahead and change the oil and filter and then run the boat some more. If the water had entered the engine from outside of the engine, then your new oil should stay looking like oil and not a milkshake.

If you've got a nasty engine issue (crack, blown head gasket, etc.) then the milkshake looking oil will come back.

followme21 · Jun 1, 2010

Re: water in motor oil

Pretty sure I drained it correctly, I was able to reach down to the pan and pulled the plug as well as the filter. I let it drain for about 45 minuets. Replaced everything, ran it for another 5-10 minuets, with some sea-foam, and pulled the plug and filter and it was still a little milky, I am hoping it was maybe some water up on the head or top of the moter or something. Find it hard to think that I would of craked something without any overheating issue and as smooth as it is running.

dannyual767 · Jun 1, 2010

Re: water in motor oil

Okay, I get what you're saying. You changed the oil and filter and ran the engine for a little while but the oil is still a bit milky. Yes, there could be some residual oil/water from before the oil change. Obviously I'm not looking at the oil so I don't really know how much water is in it and it makes it hard to give advice.

If you really think that its just residual milkiness, then I'd put the boat in the water and run it some. You need to heat that oil up to boil out all of the water that's mixed in the oil. I'd stop occasionally and make sure the milkiness isn't getting worse due to a cracked block/head or blown head gasket.

Or you could just change the oil and filter one more time.

followme21 · Jun 2, 2010

Re: water in motor oil

thanks I wil give that a try...

Chris1956 · Jun 2, 2010

Re: water in motor oil

4 cycle motors have vented crankcases. It is likely that the water was high enough to enter thru the vent, on the side of the block.

followme21 · Jun 2, 2010

Re: water in motor oil

hum never though of that it...not sure how high it got on the sides I do know it was at or near the top of the bottom front pully... Also while running on muffs..after about 5 or so minuets I start to notice steam coming from the exhaust...I assume this is normal from the heat buil up in the exhaust manifolds?? Normaly I try to run on muffs as little as possible but in this case I have been heating it up more. So should I be concerned with this steam from the exhaust..Still runs nice and smooth.

nlain · Jun 2, 2010

Re: water in motor oil

I take it this is an I/O, you can just hook up the flush and run it on the trailer, not really necessary to put in the water and run under load, engine will warm up and oil will warm up sitting on the trailer, no need to take a chance of blowing an engine out on the water. Just don't run over about 1200 rpm. I boat in saltwater so every time I pull out I flush for about 20 min on the trailer.

tbird175 · Jun 2, 2010

Re: water in motor oil

followme21 said:
hum never though of that it...not sure how high it got on the sides I do know it was at or near the top of the bottom front pully... Also while running on muffs..after about 5 or so minuets I start to notice steam coming from the exhaust...I assume this is normal from the heat buil up in the exhaust manifolds?? Normaly I try to run on muffs as little as possible but in this case I have been heating it up more. So should I be concerned with this steam from the exhaust..Still runs nice and smooth.

Steam from the exhaust is caused by water vaporizing from the heat of the exhaust. Moisture in the exhaust system will vaporize upon start up of an engine but should go away auickly, if it persists, you may have a more serious problem. Could be blown head gasket or crack in block or head.

followme21 · Jun 2, 2010

Re: water in motor oil

I appear to be getting steam after the motor is warmed up. Could it not be coming from the exhaust manifolds? As I understand on this I/O the coolant water runs through the exhaust manifolds, as the exhaust manifolds heat up could it be turning the coolant water that is running through it into steam and out of the exhaust?

dannyual767 · Jun 2, 2010

Re: water in motor oil

At this point, you should just run the motor and get it up to temperature to boil off the remaining water in the oil. If it never boils away, then you know that you've got a bigger engine problem. If the oil clears up, go boating and have fun.

dannyual767 · Jun 2, 2010

Re: water in motor oil

followme21 said:
I appear to be getting steam after the motor is warmed up. Could it not be coming from the exhaust manifolds? As I understand on this I/O the coolant water runs through the exhaust manifolds, as the exhaust manifolds heat up could it be turning the coolant water that is running through it into steam and out of the exhaust?

Rereading this, it sounds like you've run your engine this morning? If so, is the milkiness of the oil worse than before? Hopefully not.

followme21 · Jun 2, 2010

Re: water in motor oil

Have not run it this morning. Last evening before rains came I drained the old oil (about 45 mins of drain time) then refilled with fresh oil/filter. Ran for about 5-8 mins, thats when I noticed the steam. I have never run it that long on the muffs, usally just start, get to operating temp and shut down. So after I ran it for those 5-8 mins I drained, still a little milky, I let it drain overnight. I will fill back up when I get home and give it another shot.

Silvertip · Jun 2, 2010

Re: water in motor oil

Crankcase ventilation is not in the side of the block -- they vent through the valve cover(s). However, if this is a four banger, the distributor/block joint would allow water intrusion if the water level got that high. A leaky fuel pump gasket, timing cover, timing cover seal, rear main seal, or the dipstick tube joint could all let water get into the crankcase.

followme21 · Jun 2, 2010

Re: water in motor oil

Yea it didnt get as high as the dist or valve covers. but was possibly above the front cover and front crankshaft seal, and possibly even the dipstick
hole (where it enters the block). From doing a search and reading about other people sounds like the steam coming from the exhaust is pretty common on these I/O. So I am gonna go witha long run on the muffs when I get home and see what happends. I know it never overheated as I watch that gauge close stayed right at 180 or so all day even after "the incident"

QC · Jun 2, 2010

Re: water in motor oil

A little late but I am going to move this to the I/O section. Would be nice to know what make model etc. we're dealing with. Can help with the archives and this specific issue.

followme21 · Jun 2, 2010

Re: water in motor oil

Thansk for moving it, I kind of saw it heading in that direction. I should of described what it was again in this thread. I described it in the original thread describing the original issue. Anyway its a I/O 1984, Merc 5.7. Thanks again

bruceb58 · Jun 2, 2010

Re: water in motor oil

Chris1956 said:
4 cycle motors have vented crankcases. It is likely that the water was high enough to enter thru the vent, on the side of the block.

Please let us know where the vent is on the side of a 5.7 Chevy block.

bruceb58 · Jun 2, 2010

Re: water in motor oil

If the water got over the starter, which it sounded like it did, go ahead and replace your starter before it eventually fails on you.

water in motor oil

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