A Unique problem I have never seen

Bt Doctur

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Aug 29, 2004
Messages
19,291
Have never run across this in my lifetime. Customer buys a boat from Georgia, 5.7 MPI BIII.
no water test, no history just that it was winterized.
Engine oil is clean and full , belt in good condition, overall appearance VG.bateries are good
Now the only problem is the HX is filled with clean OIL
How do you flush it out ??????????????????????????????
 

achris

More fish than mountain goat
Joined
May 19, 2004
Messages
27,468
...
How do you flush it out ??????????????????????????????
Degreaser?

Maybe just drain it as best you can, then fill it with water and let the oil float to the top.... ????
 

Scott Danforth

Grumpy Vintage Moderator still playing with boats
Staff member
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Jul 23, 2011
Messages
49,540
Pull HX
Empty oil
Fill HX with gas or other cheap solvent
Dispose of gas/oil
Use dawn dish soap and hot water to clean remainder residue

If the engine cooling water jacket is full of oil, more cleaning to do
 

Bt Doctur

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Aug 29, 2004
Messages
19,291
most FWC mercs have the exaust manifolds in the system also
Should be interesting, will try to have some pics or video
 

Scott06

Admiral
Joined
Apr 20, 2014
Messages
6,428
Have never run across this in my lifetime. Customer buys a boat from Georgia, 5.7 MPI BIII.
no water test, no history just that it was winterized.
Engine oil is clean and full , belt in good condition, overall appearance VG.bateries are good
Now the only problem is the HX is filled with clean OIL
How do you flush it out ??????????????????????????????
Drain it out use solvent like gas or kerosene to cut the oil use hot water and palmolive to get oil residue out.
would have never thought of dish soap until my vet recommended it for getting fuel oil off of animals fur…the quote was “use dish soap preferably palmolive”…
 

racerone

Supreme Mariner
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Dec 28, 2013
Messages
37,818
Is it a closed cooling system that should have antifreeze in it ??
 

zellerj

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Dec 13, 2017
Messages
136
Might only be a small amount of oil My guess is that the owner made a mistake and added some oil to the HX. Since oil floats on water, it would appear that it is full of oil, but might just be a thin layer floating on top.
 

Scott06

Admiral
Joined
Apr 20, 2014
Messages
6,428
Would love to hear the story how the oil got there
I can tell you how i did it on my car… i would put my used oil in what ever gallon containers i had around the garage oil, washer fluid, antifreeze.…

just finished a cam swap on pontiac 389, had a AF jug of used oil on the floor right next to the jug of AF i was topping the radiator off with…

in the end wasnt much was able to suck it out with a turkey baster and sop it up with paper towels as its on the surface.…probably what happened here doesnt take much oil to look like a lot in the radiator cap
 

tank1949

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Apr 4, 2013
Messages
1,892
Have never run across this in my lifetime. Customer buys a boat from Georgia, 5.7 MPI BIII.
no water test, no history just that it was winterized.
Engine oil is clean and full , belt in good condition, overall appearance VG.bateries are good
Now the only problem is the HX is filled with clean OIL
How do you flush it out ??????????????????????????????
So, maybe someone put oil into the incorrect HOLE? Undo HX end caps and drain as best you can. Then fill with dish soap and water and drain.
 

Bt Doctur

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Aug 29, 2004
Messages
19,291
Final follow up
Oil was placed in the plastic overflow bottle and only the heat exchanger was compromised. Motor was not run so no mixing tool place. No oil in the lower hose to the circ pump. So just a HX cleaning and degrease and were good to go.
 
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