Mercruiser 3.0L Engine block crack?

[The_Dude_Abides]

Hello everyone,
I recently purchased my first boat: a 2006 Bayliner 185 with a Mercruiser 3.0 Alpha Gen 2 I/O. I've been educating myself as much as possible on boats, boating, seamanship, and the Mercruiser. I've been lurking on this site for sometime, and now I need some help. This boat is run (and has been run by previous owners) in the midwest on freshwater only (to my knowledge).

Engine runs fine, but I was investigating why I always seem to have a little bit of water in my bilge (not enough to even allow the bilge pump to pump it out - but that's still about 2 gallons). I'll take and suck it out with a bucket and then the next time I'm out, it's back. It's possible its from wet kids (we go tubing), but I wanted to make sure I didn't have a leak.

Anyway, when I was looking around, I found what might be an engine block crack. Not sure how serious this is... Obviously you never want to have a block crack.

I'm going to have this looked at by a marine mechanic, but wanted to be educated when he came out. It's on the left side of the engine. Here's a large image of it:



As can be seen in the picture, the crack did have some oil on it, but I wiped it off and haven't seen any oil returning. Granted, it's been sitting in my lift as I have been on vacation and haven't had a chance to run it again (don't think I want to until its checked out either). The oil levels look good, but I can't be certain my lift is level.

I can get my thumbnail in the crack, so it isn't just a scratch, its a crack.

Here's a wider view of where the crack is (red circle):



​What is your prognosis? And what should I expect from the mechanic?

Thanks!

 

[Bondo]

The oil levels look good,

Ayuh,.... Welcome Aboard,..... So long as the oil level isn't risin', 'n gettin' milky lookin',....

External cracks can be epoxied if water leaks out,...

Never seen a block crack leak oil,....

 

[The_Dude_Abides]

Thanks. The oil was clean, but perhaps a little high. As I said, I had trouble reading the oil as I don't think my lift is completely level, so I chalked it up to that. I'll monitor it. What would be the issue if it is rising?

thanks again!

 

[tpenfield]

There is an old saying. . .

If it looks like a duck, waddles like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it is probably a duck.

 

[Bondo]

What would be the issue if it is rising?

Ayuh,.... Coolin' water enterin' the oil cavity,.... a Frozen Busted block,....

 

[The_Dude_Abides]

Thanks Bondo!

 

[The_Dude_Abides]

Thanks all, I talked to a mechanic who advised me to clean up the crack, and go out on the water and run it hard with the dog house open to see if it was leaking anything. I had my wife bring it to WOT for a few minutes and generally run around for awhile while I watched. Nothing leaking out of it. In fact, I've used it a few times since and it seems to be bone dry (now that the initial oil is gone). No water and no oil leaking!

That brings up the next question: Should I fill it with some epoxy or something to prevent it from spreading? If so, what do I use (JB Weld?)?

Thanks!

 

[Scott06]

Epoxy isn't going to keep a crack from spreading, onkynused to keep water from leaking. If it's not leaking water out and oil isn't getting water in it, count your blessings leave it alone and go boating.

 

[Bondo]

Ayuh,.... Ditto,.... The damage is Done, 'n it survived,....

Go boatin',..... maybe play the lottery,....