HELP!!! My engine leaked all the engine oil into the HULL

maxum2400sc

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Ok here?s the deal. We went to take the boat out today. I was about 400' from the dock and my low oil alarm started sounding. The gauge read zero pressure; I turned the engine off and threw the anchor in. I looked in the engine compartment and the bottom of the hull was filled with oil. I added a qt. of oil and putted back to the dock, my pressure gauge read 20-40.

What is going on?!?!?!

A little history: I changed the oil at the beginning of the season. On the bottom of the oil pan there is a hose that you pull through the boat drain hole and empty your oil that way. It seemed not to have been used in a while since it wasn?t close to the drain hole and it was a pain to get and feed it through the drain hole. I changed the oil and then changed the filter.
For the past couple months I have noticed some residual oil in the hull. I assumed this was from when I removed the filter (I accidently lost almost all the oil in the filter into the haul). I check the oil regularly after and hadn?t notice much of any drop.

The engine is a 2003 Mercruiser 5.0 MPI. Has anyone heard of this? Any starting points to track the leak down? I am thinking that it is somewhere in the oil drain line, as I never noticed any oil the year before until I used the drain hose this season.

I have attached a pic from the bottom of the oil pan of what seems to be a swivel hose connection. Can I remove the swivel? If so how and can I replace it with a regular oil pan plug?

What are your thoughts? Need help!!!!!!!
 

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EddiePetty

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Re: HELP!!! My engine leaked all the engine oil into the HAUL

Re: HELP!!! My engine leaked all the engine oil into the HAUL

...more than likely there was a second gasket on the oil filter (a remainder from the previous filter). Spin your filter off and inspect the gasket area on both the filter and filter adaptor.
 

a70eliminator

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Re: HELP!!! My engine leaked all the engine oil into the HAUL

Re: HELP!!! My engine leaked all the engine oil into the HAUL

Please.. haul is what you do with the trash as in "haul' it to the dump.
You boat has a "hull" and your bilge is filling with oil.
I'll just add, if it's the drain it will leak all the time, if it's the filter seal area then it will leak mostly when the engine is running when there's pressure.
 

maxum2400sc

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Re: HELP!!! My engine leaked all the engine oil into the HAUL

Re: HELP!!! My engine leaked all the engine oil into the HAUL

i will do that, however i am pretty certain that it was clean and clear when i installed the new filter. Also it is completely dry around the oil filter, and the filter is on top of block so gravity wouldn?t have caused the oil to drain from it.

Can i hook up an air line with very little pressure to the block and pressurize it to see where oil might bubble out?
 

gozierdt

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Re: HELP!!! My engine leaked all the engine oil into the HAUL

Re: HELP!!! My engine leaked all the engine oil into the HAUL

The oil drain system could be the problem, especially if there is no oil around the filter. Is there a valve on the far end of the black hose, or do you have to turn a knob on the fitting in the oil pan? If the first, the hose could be leaking. If the second, the knob might not have fully turned off the valve. The problem with either of these is that I think you might have to pull the engine to replace that system- unless you can get a wrench in there enough to unscrew the swivel, then get a drain plug started and tightened. Doesn't look like enough room to me, but the picture doesn't show enough to be sure.

It would be hard to pressurize the oil pan, it's not sealed from atmosphere very well around the top of the engine.
 

maxum2400sc

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Re: HELP!!! My engine leaked all the engine oil into the HULL

There is enough room for a wrench (my body however needs to be upside down, turned and backwards ugh it sucks lol) to install a new plug however there is what seem to be a pull pin that holds the swivel. It doesn?t just screw out. If you look at the picture you can see the silver round pin that is flat on the top and bottom sides. I just don?t know what it does. Do you just pull the pin and pull down on the swivel? Are there even any threads in there to install a normal plug?
 

maxum2400sc

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Re: HELP!!! My engine leaked all the engine oil into the HULL

At the end of the hose is a small hex threaded plug. I have already removed the plug and installed it with teflon tape a couple weeks ago when i suspected it may of been leaking. i know its not leaking from that end. I checked the hose for cracks and didnt find any either
 

EddiePetty

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Re: HELP!!! My engine leaked all the engine oil into the HULL

...continuing the double oil filter gasket theory:
The filter itself may be perfectly dry. When the engine is running and the system pressurized, oil will spray out of the weakest point in the gasket's circumference. (kinda like a leaking gasket on a garden hose)

Just check your filter...at least I'll feel better!!!
 

gss036

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Re: HELP!!! My engine leaked all the engine oil into the HULL

I had a friend who had the same thing about a year ago, his oil pan had rusted through. If that is the case, you might, but that is a mighty big might be able to change the pan with out lifting the engine.
 

maxum2400sc

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Re: HELP!!! My engine leaked all the engine oil into the HULL

I am certain that the oil filter area is dry, but that will be the first thing that i look at tomorrow.

I hope that my pan wouldnt be rusted through. its only a 2003

does anyone know how to remove this oil drain hose
 

paultjohnson

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Re: HELP!!! My engine leaked all the engine oil into the HULL

Clean the heck out of the lower half of the engine with degreaser. carb cleaner . whatever get a good flashlight and a mirror you should be able to spot the leak
 

a70eliminator

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Re: HELP!!! My engine leaked all the engine oil into the HULL

Clean the heck out of the lower half of the engine with degreaser. carb cleaner . whatever get a good flashlight and a mirror you should be able to spot the leak

Exactly.
Oil can leak out the back of the intake manifold to block seal and run down the back of the engine, I've seen oil pressure senders crack and hemorage too. but more than likely it's that drain fitting.
 

paultjohnson

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Re: HELP!!! My engine leaked all the engine oil into the HULL

also depending on how your house is set up Scalding hot water after degreaser does wonders. My driveway is right next to my utility room On occasion I have hooked a garden hose up directly to the drain valve on my hot water heater- ran hose thru window= damn near sterilized my engine... SQUEEKY CLEAN Bow Hi [pointy end] transom plug out...
 

NHGuy

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Re: HELP!!! My engine leaked all the engine oil into the HULL

Paul has a good trick but you need to collect all the oil possible through the drain first. Next, find and correct the oil leak. Then get some absorber mats to wipe up all the oil you can. And after it's that clean start with the final cleaning. I did mine with Simple Green and a sloshing ride around the neighborhood, of course I wasn't dealing with a leak cleanup, just 21 years of boating. And a little power steering fluid.
 

BigBadJohn86

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Re: HELP!!! My engine leaked all the engine oil into the HULL

I was thinking the same thing on the oil filter gasket when I read this. Not that I've ever pit the oil filter on with an extra gasket but I have taken oil filters off and the gasket was still in. I changed the oil
in my grand prix a couple months ago and found 2 gaskets on there
 

maxum2400sc

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Re: HELP!!! My engine leaked all the engine oil into the HULL

yeah im going to scrub it up and see if i can find it coming out from anywhere.

Does anyone know how to remove that drain tube? i would like to just remove that and put a plug in
 

BigBadJohn86

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Re: HELP!!! My engine leaked all the engine oil into the HULL

You might pull the filter and see if there's a second gasket. Maybe even put yet another filter on. Maybe your filter had something wring with the gasket. Then monitor oil levels after running her and also look for signs f a leak
 

paultjohnson

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Re: HELP!!! My engine leaked all the engine oil into the HULL

Thanks NHGUY for the reminder to be ecologically responsible!!! Clean well with rags and leave some down there when you spray degreaser.. Just use common since.. Vehicles on the road leak thousands of gallons a day on the street BUT us boaters are better then that !!!
 

maxum2400sc

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Re: HELP!!! My engine leaked all the engine oil into the HULL

the filter is mounted on the top of the engine. I have check around the filter and all other lines to and from the filter. nothing is wet at all. if it was the filter i would expect to see some oil somewhere
 

howlnmad

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Re: HELP!!! My engine leaked all the engine oil into the HULL

That drain attachment should just screw into the pan in place of the original plug.

Check the filter gasket. I doesn't cost anything.

No you can't pressurize the motor, it's vented.

I doubt your pan is rusted through, it would leak all the time.
 
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