4.3 oil capacity question

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Racerjoe56

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I have a 1997 SeaRay 175.. 4.3 carb engine. At some point the boat was repowered with a brand new 2003 4.3 Vortec bobtail motor (looks like it included everything). The engine has the aluminum oil pan. Last winter I drained the water out of the block but never lowered the bow so the water could run out of the front of the intake. Never seen a GM engine that did not have the water ports at the rear of the intake - expensive lesson learned... Long story short I ended up rebuilding this engine this summer. When I put oil in it the thing took 9 qts of oil to show full on the dipstick... ran the engine about an hour and changed the oil.. 9 more quarts of oil... I have looked all over and do not see any charts that show any Mercruiser taking 9 quarts of oil... am I missing something? Ever heard of this? Thoughts or ideas.

The dipstick is seating fully and it does have the dipstick tube that runs down to the "T" that also mates the flex drain hose at the base of the pan.

Engine is 2003 4.3 carb - with aluminum oil pan
Serial number is 0M649804

Thanks
 
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Fun Times

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If the oil pan is stock, then with 9 qts your engine should be way over full. It used to be 4.5 qts but merc has since lowered it to 4 qts seen in the following link, http://www.marinemechanic.com/merc/distributors/mercurymarine/sterndrive/oilcapacity.PDF

You may want to try measuring your oil dipstick like found in Mercruiser service manual # 25 (Merc part number 90-8613281) on page 3A-55, also see page 1B-6 for old oil level while your in there. http://www.maxumownersclub.com/forum/site_files/manuals/mercruiser/25.pdf Then with the boat at rest in the water, add 4 qts of oil and mark/scribe a line on the dipstick and see what you come up with.

Good luck.:)
 
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kanteen

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I think the previous two comments are great places to start. Oil Pan or Dipstick.

How much drained out when you changed it? I'm assuming it TOOK nine quarts, and didn't USE nine quarts?
If it was overfull you might start aerating the crank, which would be "foamy" oil. Pull the dipstick after running and see if it has bubbles.

Are you sure the engine is level when you are filling it? My boat requires the trailer jack cranked to it's absolute highest for the engine to be level. At that point the bow is pointing way up, but the engine is level.
 
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Racerjoe56

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Thanks for the thoughts and service manual - I will look at the dipstick BUT this is the same dipstick that was in it. The engine was full of oil and water (almost like a glue after sitting a couple of weeks after finding the manifold crack) so Im not sure how much was in it.... I pulled engine - new rod, main, cam bearings, cam, lifters, rings, oil pump, timing set, everything else is the same.... I am almost positive this is GM pan.. will check tomorrow in the light and take a couple of pics... engine is sitting level and it takes 9 quarts to show full on dipstick....Items of note - with the 9 quarts and test driving the boat... oil pressure was erratic and would drop as engine speed increased and sustained.... lifter was leaking down after sitting overnight.... valve train is noisy (all three of these are signs of overfilled oil based on this service manual)

Everything points to it being overfull on oil but im just not seeing how I would know oil level if it does not show on stick with 4 - 5 quarts in it... VERY ODD.

Any thoughts suggestions appreciated....
 
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Racerjoe56

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Figured it out.... takes 9 qrts to show full on dipstick... no way the engine holds 9 qrts.. think ... think... think . Hmmm dipstick is the same so it must be routed and mounted incorrectly... I took about 50 pics of this thing before I took it apart.. studying pics I see that the dipstick tube runs level and parallel with the bottom of engine up to the front then through the hole in the power steering pump bracket and connects to the lower bolt on the water pump... mine was not like this.. mine was angled up as it ran towards the front of the engine... passed through a different hole and was attached to the head. So the dipstick only runs down the tube a little ways and if that portion of the tube was several inches higher than it should be then that would mean that there would have to be several more inches of oil in the oil pan so that it would show correct on the dip stick.. :) took it apart and routed it correctly - shows way over full now...:)
 
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Kubaat3lover

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Racerjoe56, ive got the same issue, i have a question to You but cannot send Private Message,
 
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