Stupid me, no oil

[nola mike]

Had been running great and been working very hard over the last week. Yesterday did a few hours of water sports (the kid did his first deep water slalom start and old dad managed to get a turn as well), then went on a fully loaded ride. Noticed oil pressure bouncing around 50 (usually around 60), didn't sweat it too much, figured it was the hard running. Kept my eye on it and it slowly dropped. Started bouncing lower before checking it out. Oil level low but looked like it was a quart below the add line. Tried to restart and there was no pressure. Engine made some noise and I shut off within seconds. Managed to get a neighbor to run me out some oil (after calling another neighbor to source the oil). Added 2 qt (now to top of fill line) and restarted. Made noise for a couple of seconds before quieting down. Ran back with only 6 aboard, 7 miles at 3300 rpm, everything seemed fine. Back at idle it was still quiet. Kicking myself for not checking in a couple of weeks, and surprised that being a quart low caused that big of an issue that quickly. Hoping I didn't do any permanent damage but I guess I'll just need to wait and see. Wondering if oil analysis will be informative, but probably not. Maybe if I make it through the summer I can get another short block and rebuild over the winter....

 

[cyclops222]

I did a lawn mower oil change.
Always wanted a stronger motor. Was interrupted by a neighbor.

 

[Lou C]

My 4.3 had the original 1988 short block which is hard to believe being run in salt water for 20 years but it’s true. I check the oil every time I use it & have a couple qts in the boat (and Dexron ATF from when my old p/s actuator leaked a few years back) as well. Spare belts & hoses & points blah blah blah!
Some engines can use a fair bit of oil depending on conditions and age. Any of the older 4.3s that have never been rebuild (like mine, still has the original pistons and rings) probably will use a fair amount of oil when running on plane for a while. I think I usually add between 1-2 qts every season, and that's probably only 30-40 hrs. But it runs great, doesn't foul plugs or smoke, so I just check it every time. I think Merc published a max oil consumption for some of their inboard engines of a qt per 15 hrs but that seems very high to me.

 

[Lou C]

I did a lawn mower oil change.
Always wanted a stronger motor. Was interrupted by a neighbor.

I still do the lawn mower oil change every season. 1987 Briggs & Stratton 3.5 hp with the pulsa jet carb (the one that sits on top of the gas tank with the 2 fuel tubes screwed into the bottom of the carb). Why'd I keep it? Because unlike modern carbs I can set the fuel mix how I want, not how the EPA has decreed it should be set! When these carbs are clean and properly adjusted, they will start in 2 pulls.

 

[Bondo]

Had been running great and been working very hard over the last week. Yesterday did a few hours of water sports (the kid did his first deep water slalom start and old dad managed to get a turn as well), then went on a fully loaded ride. Noticed oil pressure bouncing around 50 (usually around 60), didn't sweat it too much, figured it was the hard running. Kept my eye on it and it slowly dropped. Started bouncing lower before checking it out. Oil level low but looked like it was a quart below the add line. Tried to restart and there was no pressure. Engine made some noise and I shut off within seconds. Managed to get a neighbor to run me out some oil (after calling another neighbor to source the oil). Added 2 qt (now to top of fill line) and restarted. Made noise for a couple of seconds before quieting down. Ran back with only 6 aboard, 7 miles at 3300 rpm, everything seemed fine. Back at idle it was still quiet. Kicking myself for not checking in a couple of weeks, and surprised that being a quart low caused that big of an issue that quickly. Hoping I didn't do any permanent damage but I guess I'll just need to wait and see. Wondering if oil analysis will be informative, but probably not. Maybe if I make it through the summer I can get another short block and rebuild over the winter....

Ayuh,..... That's why I check the oil level, every 1st start of the day,.....

 

[Lou C]

Ayuh,..... That's why I check the oil level, every 1st start of the day,.....

Any oil is better than no oil at all…..

 

[cyclops222]

Not always.
I used 2 stroke oil in my motors. Problem was
It was for air-cooled 2 strokes. Black spark plugs in minutes.

A fatal wearing out problem occurs when you use your Marine 2 stroke oil in air cooled machines. They need the higher temperature rated oil due to hotter temperatures in air cooled machines. Chainsaws at WOT for several minutes at a time.

 

[nola mike]

Well, I've done about 40 miles and all seems well. Haven't pushed it too hard, but ran at 3800 rpm for a while today. At speed it's steady 65 psi pressure. Hot engine at 600 rpm is 25 psi, which seems lower than prior but IDK. Comes up to 40+ psi at 1k rpm. No noises. Hopefully dodged a bullet.

 

[Scott06]

Well, I've done about 40 miles and all seems well. Haven't pushed it too hard, but ran at 3800 rpm for a while today. At speed it's steady 65 psi pressure. Hot engine at 600 rpm is 25 psi, which seems lower than prior but IDK. Comes up to 40+ psi at 1k rpm. No noises. Hopefully dodged a bullet.

You are fine don’t worry about it

 

[nola mike]

Well...
The boat continues to run relatively well. Many miles on it in the last couple of weeks. Unfortunately, it's going through a lot of oil (maybe 1 qt/10 hours). Yesterday spent a few hours cleaning out the bilge. Today had fresh oil in the bilge. Can't tell where it's coming from; I don't see anything from the top end. Was able to get my phone down there somewhat, and the front all looks clean as well. Front half of the pan still clean, as is the drain plug/remote filter. I *think* there's oil coming down the transom, but real tough to see anything back there. Only places I can think of are RMS or rear pan gasket? Gasket was replaced when I put in the engine, but I didn't do the RMS (yeah, I know). Regardless, any other possibilities that don't involve pulling the engine? Torn about whether to try to wait till the offseason or just suck it up and do it now. If I do it now I feel like I'll be rushing to get back on the water. I'd like to take my time and clean/paint the engine (everything's rusty since the big dunk), and my steering is stiff. Would be easier to address that with the engine out. OTOH, having the engine take a dump with all the oil while I'm on the water isn't appealing. For those keeping score at home, I now have 1/5 of my conveyances working (down a skiff, a VW, a mini, and now this...'97 Ranger only thing running well ATM)

 

[Lou C]

Do you have a remote oil filter mount?
How about the oil pressure sensor & the plug above the normal oil filter mount? What about the sealer on the back of the intake?
A qt in 10 hrs isn’t that bad, I’d just check the oil before each use. That’s what I do with mine…

 

[nola mike]

Do you have a remote oil filter mount?

Yes, looks good at all the connections and the pan drain.

How about the oil pressure sensor & the plug above the normal oil filter mount?

All good.

What about the sealer on the back of the intake?

Crossed my mind. I didn't see anything, but I'm going to take a closer look there.

A qt in 10 hrs isn’t that bad, I’d just check the oil before each use. That’s what I do with mine…

Really? Seems like a lot, and my bilge is nasty. This is new for sure. Like I said, I'm worried that whatever is leaking is going to bust free at an inopportune time.

 

[1985 Century Mustang]

Checking the oil is the first thing on my check list. The Bilge plug is second on my list before going out. I trailer my boat.

PS - It wouldn't hurt to do a compression test.

 

[Lou C]

Maybe put some dye in the oil & use a black light to track it…you’re thinking it’s leaking not burning it correct?
Also sometimes the valve cover gaskets can leak
behind the exhaust manifolds in that rear lower corner…

 

[Lou C]

Not always.
I used 2 stroke oil in my motors. Problem was
It was for air-cooled 2 strokes. Black spark plugs in minutes.

A fatal wearing out problem occurs when you use your Marine 2 stroke oil in air cooled machines. They need the higher temperature rated oil due to hotter temperatures in air cooled machines. Chainsaws at WOT for several minutes at a time.

I have two mixes of 2 stroke fuel, one for all the Echo stuff and Husky chain saw (air cooled 2 stroke oil) and the other for the Toro 2 stroke 5 hp snow blower, that gets TCW-III as per Toro. Pennzoil Syn TCW-III. These run cooler and slower than typical air cooled 2 strokes so the theory is the TCW-III results in less deposits.

 

[crazy charlie]

Harmonic balance .Easy fix with sleeve kit and will leak precisely the amount of oil you mentioned. Been there...had that done. Charlie

 

[nola mike]

Harmonic balance .Easy fix with sleeve kit and will leak precisely the amount of oil you mentioned. Been there...had that done. Charlie

Definitely somewhere inaccessible in the rear. I'm going to keep better track of how much I'm losing.

 

[Pmt133]

If it is the intake rail that only tends to leak when running harder. The vette wouldn't leak at all until it got up to 3500 rpms and stayed there for a few seconds. Figured it out in the driveway running. There ain't too many places to leak back there.

 

[04fxdwgi25]

what can leak in the back of a GM V6?
Intake manifold gasket (especially where it contacts corner where block meets heads, meets intake)
Valve cover gaskets
Oil pressure sensor (if it screwed into the block back there)
Distributor missing gasket / o-ring where it enters intake
Rear main seal.

Only real bad one is the rear main. All others can be found by reaching back there and feeling for oil, start at the top and work down. Good lighting and mirror helps.

 

[Lou C]

I just saw a super powerful black light on South Main Auto’s you tube. Put some dye in the oil & it will be obvious!