Burning rubber and oil leaking into bilge

[beruken]

I have a 1999 Sea Ray 190 Cuddy Alpha 1 Gen 2 4.3L MCM that started smoking with a burning rubber smell. I forgot about the rubber issue and let the boat sit for a few weeks. Got back in and experienced the same issue within a couple miles. Next thing I know, I have a fair amount of oil in my bilge and I can't tell where it is coming from but I think somewhere around the timing cover. I found some broken rubber pieces in the bilge that look like flat rubber bungee cord material. I can't imagine the rubber has any association to my engine but don't know what cause the oil in bilge issue. After The first time the burning rubber started I had run the bilge pump after a storm and never saw oil in the water. I had water in the bilge today too without oil.Today when it occurred again I opened the engine compartment and saw smoke but no oil until I got back to the marina. Now it has quite a bit of oil in the bilge. Engine is running fine and the oil pressure looked good. After looking at other posts I have to assume it is the timing cover or maybe oil pan gasket? Thoughts?

Thanks.
Ken

 

[Scott Danforth]

your coupler is probably toast. motor must be pulled

regarding the oil leak, your plastic timing cover needs to be replaced. get the parts from a GM dealer (4 times less expensive than a marine dealer)

 

[harleyman1975]

Yes I'm thinking engine coupler failure. Need to check alignment and if it is off need to know why it is off. (possible rear mount failure). this could be putting [pressure on rear seal] and making it leak there...possible but doubtful.

 

[beruken]

Thanks for the feedback. Not happy to hear this. I always heard issues come in pairs but this is ridiculous. Just need to get it a couple miles down river to the boat ramp. Hope I can make at a slow pace. Any chance the leak is a valve cover? I couldn't see where it was coming from. I'd expect the two to be related.

 

[Scott Danforth]

there is a chance that the leak is the valve cover, however most likely the typical 4.3 timing cover issue. Motor needs to come out. Achris has a few threads on it. the chunks of rubber are your coupling pieces or the rubber from your harmonic balancer.

 

[beruken]

there is a chance that the leak is the valve cover, however most likely the typical 4.3 timing cover issue. Motor needs to come out. Achris has a few threads on it. the chunks of rubber are your coupling pieces or the rubber from your harmonic balancer.

Harmonic may be more likely as I thought it was a little wobbly at idle while looking for the leak.Also, the rubber pieces where up front in the bilge and engine compartment. Any chance it can motor at idle a couple miles down river? Just found out I don't have tow insurance.

 

[Bondo]

Any chance it can motor at idle a couple miles down river? Just found out I don't have tow insurance.

Ayuh,.... It may well run just fine that far,......... or Not,.....

That's a 10lb. steel/ cast iron ring, spinnin' at motor rpms,.....
If it walks off the hub, it can tear up some stuff before comin' to rest,...

You'll be safer by callin' in a favor from a friend to have them tow ya to the haul-out,....

'ell, a 12' tinny, 'n 7hp motor would do the job,...

I take it yer not fixin' it yerself,..??
If ya did, it ain't a very bad job, if ya got the tools, 'n space in front of the balancer,....
You could do it right where it's sittin',...

 

[beruken]

Thanks Bondo, makes more sense than to risk further damage and yes being the fact that I'm cheap and won't pay up to fix this boat though it is still a nice one, I'll tackle it myself at first.

 

[Scott Danforth]

get a balancer puller at your local auto parts store with their loan-a-tool program. however you may need to pull the motor if your oil leak involves the front cover as the oil pan may need to come out.

 

[beruken]

thanks.I verified the balancer is part of the equation. I'm going to need to winterize before any work is done as it likely won't be happening until next spring. What is the likelihood I can get the anti freeze in the block without running it? Is it possible to wet vac any remaining water in the system after draining?

 

[Scott06]

Don't need antifreeze, pull the drain plugs out of the block sides (2), exhaust manifolds(2), pull the recirculation hose of the circulation water pump. Probe the holes for debris.

If you're bored or have too much beer to drink can back fill antifreeze through the thermostat housing into the block, pour in through the hoses into exhaust manifolds etc .

I do it makes me feel better but I just drained it for years and was ok, just gotta make sure drain holes are clear. I only started doing that after watching my neighbor pay $12k for a new engine in his master craft cause he didn't drain it. If you go this route make no mistake drain the block before antifreeze addition.

 

[beruken]

Well I started to tackle this and have pulled the harmonic, risers and are attempting to lower the oil pan with the engine in place. I am estimating about 4 inch of room to lower it. I know people have stated I need to pull the motor but does this sound doable without detaching anything from the rear of the motor? It seems like a small gap between the pan and the engine would be enough to replace the timing cover.

 

[Scott Danforth]

You may be able to replace the front cover. However your not going to remove the pan or have an easy time with the gasket. Not without sawing off the oil pump and pickup that goes to bottom of pan.

Getting the pan off and being able to work easily just ain't gonna happen with the motor in the boat PERIOD. It's less than an hour of work to pull a motor

 

[beruken]

So you're saying once I break the seal I definitely need to replace the gasket?

It may only take an hour with the correct tools/lift and garage... none of which I have. I'm working with this on my trailer in my driveway. Thanks!

 

[Bondo]

So you're saying once I break the seal I definitely need to replace the gasket?

Ayuh,...... That's Correct,....

 

[scoflaw]

The rubber pan gasket is good to reuse. Cork, forget about it. There's been plenty of timing covers replaced without disturbing the oil pan. Some timing cover kits come with 2 short pieces of pan gasket.

 

[beruken]

well, time to pull the motor. It's up in the air and I can't get the back half of the oil pan to separate. Do I need to loosen the flywheel/coupler housing?

 

[Bt Doctur]

Should not have to but it makes life easier. You do need to remove all the bolts first