2008 Mercruiser 4.3 MPI

[Joshua4009]

I have a maxum SR31900 with a mercruiser 4.3MPI. I have had an oil leak and haven't been able to pin point it. We thought it was the drain hose. Now its gotten worst which has allowed me to find it. Its likely a pin hole somewhere. Symptoms: At idle or gas up without load NO LEAK! Not a drop! At full throttle on the lake under load its spraying out and bouncing off the water hoses and fuel separator so the leak is sort of high. Thats on the left side of the engine as your facing it. No water in oil. Could anyone offer some advice? I had read that it could be the timing chain cover and that its a cast and prone to crack. I also read that it could be the front main seal. Thoughts?

 

[tpenfield]

Since we cannot see the engine and the oil spray, it is unlikely that we will be able to tell you the source of the leak.

Are you able to see the leak if you rev the engine up a bit in neutral, or does it really take a WOT run? Are you able to trace back from the spray on the hoses to the engine? . . . Could be the timing chain cover, but there are other possibilities.

 

[alldodge]

Thats on the left side of the engine as your facing it.

Being on the starboard side this is a real puzzler, if it was on the port side I would think its the remote oil filter lines. Spraying means its under pressure and the oil behind the timing cover has none, just splash and flow

 

[scoflaw]

Clean the engine real good, then start looking for the source