Water In Oil

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benhoward

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Joined
Aug 8, 2011
Messages
3
I recently purchased a 1989 Galaxie 17.5' boat with a OMC 3.0 liter 4cyl. The motor was supposed to be newely rebuilt with everything havung been inspected and gone through. I took it out about 6 time and it ran great, I went to take it out this weekend and checked the oil to find it was milky and when I drained it it had about a pint of water in the oil pan. I assume its a head gasket or cracked head but does anyone else know of anything else that it could be? I am new to boating and after a 4k investment kind of bummed, hoping for a miracle i guess..
 
metalwizard

metalwizard

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Sep 13, 2010
Messages
411
Re: Water In Oil

Just curious you said you took it out six times.. was that this season? is there a chance it may have froze at some point? if so you may be sunk...

But determinately pressure test the engine and see where the water is coming from.
 
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benhoward

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Aug 8, 2011
Messages
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Re: Water In Oil

Yes I have taken it out at least 6 times this season. I took it out two saturdays ago and ran it all day long without even a shutter of a miss. Fired up great and pulled a tube all day long. It did start having trouble sitting at idle for more than a few minutes but would fire right back up. I figured that to be the carb needing adjustment. Then this past Saturday when I went to take it out I checked the oil as always and it was full of water..
 
H

HCMQA

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Sep 30, 2010
Messages
107
Re: Water In Oil

Could the water have accumulated over those six times?

Did you check the oil each time?

Near the end of the last time it ran well did you perform a very hard stop after running fast? Maybe water past a flapper? just a guess.

Maybe a riser?

Just a few thoughts before the bad news of a cracked block.
 
B

benhoward

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Aug 8, 2011
Messages
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Re: Water In Oil

I ran it hard the last time I took it out, although never over reving it or overheating it that I noticed. I was cutting left and right and may have had a few somewhat hard stops, but nothing out of the norm. I check the oil each time I take it out and had checked it that time before putting it in the water also. This was the first sign of oil/water mixture. I had no biuld up of bilge water at any point on the last few runs either but did notice that I had oil in the bottom of the boat after the last run. Not oil/water mix but some oil under the motor, I checked everywhere that I could see or feel and the only place that I even felt anything was along the bottom of the oil pan and that wasnt much. I am wondering if I change the oil and filter out and hook the water hose to it, how long would it take to mix the oil and water if it is a cracked head or blown gasket? could I run it for a few minutes without doing severe damage to the block if there is not already any??
 
H

HT32BSX115

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Dec 8, 2005
Messages
10,083
Re: Water In Oil

There's really nothing you could do at this time to hurt anything as long as you have oil in the pan and water on before you start it.

If there IS water in the pan, remember that oil floats on water.

If there's enough water in there to be picked up by the oil pump, you will destroy the engine (due to lack of oil to the bearings........water isn't a very good lubricant!!!!)

So remove ALL the oil and replace it. Ensure that you have no water in the pan.

If there's a cracked head, block or blown gasket the oil won't fill up very fast with water.
 
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