Oil changes and bellows questions

T

TiredoleBoy

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Jul 11, 2010
Messages
172
Ok so I am going nuts trying to change this oil. It is a 88 barretta success with the 4 cyl merc inboard. The shop always used the dip stick tube with a pump to change it. BUT. I did purchase a pump but I imagine the oil may be a bit to thick for it to work correctly cause i have been attempting to pump it out but NADA! I am afraid to start this to warm the oil up due to the milky appearance. I attempted to loosen the drain nut at the bottom of the pan but it does not biudge and the square head is stripping. I have fought this damn thing al day trying to do something that normally would take a half an hour.
An Ideas? Think it would hurt to start it to warm the oil? Just don't want spin a bearing. On a car I would just drain it and flush the system but ....
Next I have a cracked shift bellows and the other ones show some cracking, They all need replaced. How involved is it to change these things. The shop wants 450.00,
 
zbnutcase

zbnutcase

Commander
Joined
Sep 19, 2009
Messages
2,055
Re: Oil changes and bellows questions

And of course you need to find WHY the oil is milky, not just change it. Bellows job not that difficult, been covered here lots, do some research, ask questions if need be. And I would replace lower shift cable while your there.
 
Gary H NC

Gary H NC

Fleet Admiral
Joined
Dec 1, 2005
Messages
8,972
Re: Oil changes and bellows questions

What kind of pump are you using?
 
T

TiredoleBoy

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Jul 11, 2010
Messages
172
Re: Oil changes and bellows questions

zbnutcase said:
And of course you need to find WHY the oil is milky, not just change it. Bellows job not that difficult, been covered here lots, do some research, ask questions if need be. And I would replace lower shift cable while your there.
Click to expand...

I think I figured it out. The bellows was allowing water to squirt into the compartment and get sucked into the carb.Because there is no other way due to this design for water to get into this system. Antifreeze yes, water no.
Oh and yes I have had some issues with the cable in the past. I actually wd 40ed it all winter to free it up. It works good now. But...
 
O

[OBC]Patch

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Jul 6, 2010
Messages
45
Re: Oil changes and bellows questions

prime your pump with a little good oil first, then try again.
Happy wakes
 
Philster

Philster

Captain
Joined
Sep 15, 2009
Messages
3,342
Re: Oil changes and bellows questions

I lean towards cracked block.

Also, when unscrewing the drain plug from a weird angle, make sure you are backing it off in the right direction. It can get very confusing. You have to imagine yourself lying on your back looking at the head and turn counter-clockwise.
 
T

TiredoleBoy

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Jul 11, 2010
Messages
172
Re: Oil changes and bellows questions

chriscraft31 said:
You have a cracked block my friend.
Click to expand...

How could I have a cracked block, it is not anti freeze it is river water. The fresh water intake does not circulate the block from what I understand. This is a closed system with antifreeze,
Oh and it was winterized by the marina and they are the only ones to touch it since. So if this is true someone else will be repairing it for free.
 
T

TiredoleBoy

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Jul 11, 2010
Messages
172
Re: Oil changes and bellows questions

Philster said:
I lean towards cracked block.

Also, when unscrewing the drain plug from a weird angle, make sure you are backing it off in the right direction. It can get very confusing. You have to imagine yourself lying on your back looking at the head and turn counter-clockwise.
Click to expand...

That is what I am doing.
I guess I should confess. I am an EX ASE mechanic for 30 years. Boats how ever scare me. I suppose I need to stop and equate them to the cars I have rebuilt.
 
T

TiredoleBoy

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Jul 11, 2010
Messages
172
Re: Oil changes and bellows questions

[OBC]Patch said:
prime your pump with a little good oil first, then try again.
Happy wakes
Click to expand...

Tried it to no avail, But after some searching I found I was able to remove the dipstick tube. Now the oil is coming out but rather slowly. So I guess at least it is leaving the engine. This stuff is really thick.

As for the cracked block. I went to the local marina who had it last and he explained to me how the fresh water from the stern drive cools the anti freeze and if a cracked block existed it would be antifreeze in the oil.:confused:
I just don't want to start ripping stuff apart to determine the cause.
Now when I put oil back in do you suggest to run it for a few then re run it ( start it) and do this roughly 3-4 times or until the oil is clear? If so, do you think a cheaper oil would be sufficient this uses a 25w 40 I think and I can only get the merc brand at 5 bucks a quart. I did get 20 50 @ 10 bucks a 5 gallon jug.
I do know we would do this to cars and it seemed to work fine. But with cars and watered oil you knew what rhe problem usually was.
 
N

nitrosteve

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Jul 19, 2009
Messages
152
Re: Oil changes and bellows questions

Is it possible the heat exchanger has a hole in it allowing Anti-freeze to be diluted with fresh water which would cause the block to freeze and crack over the winter. I hope this isn't the case but that's really the only way I could see getting that much water in the oil.
 
bruceb58

bruceb58

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Mar 5, 2006
Messages
30,476
Re: Oil changes and bellows questions

How much water is in the oil? Just a little will make it milky. Sounds like you have the 470. Not positive but those cam seals where the water pump is may allow water to get into the crankcase via the cam shaft seals.
 
T

TiredoleBoy

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Jul 11, 2010
Messages
172
Re: Oil changes and bellows questions

I have the 3.7 After looking at the service manual, the sea water only circulates through the regulator and the heat exchanger then dumped back out. The antifreeze level is the same, no water dilution as would occur if a pin hole was there. The oil is very thick so it could have been a little water only. I am wondering if the oil tube at the carb arrestor was off if it would suck this water into it. I do know how ever we were very lucky we did not sink now I found the bellows rupture. This must have happened along the way.
I bet if I did not slow down it would have made it to the dock.

I don't KNOW I am wracking my brain over this one. I am getting very scared to even put this back in the water after repairs...:(
 
salty3rd

salty3rd

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Jul 13, 2010
Messages
109
Re: Oil changes and bellows questions

I had milky oil in my 470, it ended up being a bad gasket on the expansion tank that sits on the exhaust manifold. I was told to run strait kerosene in the engine till it warmed up and that would get the water molecules out of the bearings and other moving parts. I then ran it with regular oil and changed it; I did this twice and then added the final oil. I never had a problem since; knock on wood...This was several years ago.
 
T

TiredoleBoy

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Jul 11, 2010
Messages
172
Re: Oil changes and bellows questions

Salty 3rd said:
I had milky oil in my 470, it ended up being a bad gasket on the expansion tank that sits on the exhaust manifold. I was told to run strait kerosene in the engine till it warmed up and that would get the water molecules out of the bearings and other moving parts. I then ran it with regular oil and changed it; I did this twice and then added the final oil. I never had a problem since; knock on wood...This was several years ago.
Click to expand...

Was it water or antifreeze in the oil?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top