Help a family diy guy out please

bruceb58

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Mar 5, 2006
Messages
30,615
I just has to ask those 2 questions to eliminate that possibility even if it was a low probability.

An oil change is not going to fix your problem if the water is entering the crankcase internally.
 

jimmbo

Supreme Mariner
Joined
May 24, 2004
Messages
13,956
Ok you bought the boat in February. When did you fire it up? After your ran it, did you drain the engine completely? Your story jumps around leaving big holes in it. Was the boat left in the berth for three days? Or did you pull it out and relaunched it, after you fixed the prop? What do you mean by "It did not freeze after I plugged cooling system up"?

After you started it the first time, was there any time the temp were it was stored dropped below freezing?
You said the unit was "professionally winterized in November" Any paper work regarding that?
 
Last edited:

Four winn probs

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Mar 27, 2016
Messages
33
I mean after I put the plugs,back in the cooling system it has,not froze here in dallas texas so don't think it could have cracked. But I bought the boat late feb. First cranked it mid March after I put all the plugs back in. Put her in a slip late March and was able to pull the boat out of water in this slip so every time I brought her back I pull her out with hydra hoist. Then on the first real day out 15 mins in milkshake pouring all over intake appearing to come from the breather.
 

Four winn probs

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Mar 27, 2016
Messages
33
I have all the records from the previous owner is how I no the previous maintenance. It had a oil change and some other things. (918.35 worth) 5/15/15 then winterized (125) on Nov 4th by same place. I talked to the guy and he remembered the boat and the owner.
 

jimmbo

Supreme Mariner
Joined
May 24, 2004
Messages
13,956
Water got into the oil. Cracked block, cracked intake, cracked head, bad intake manifold gaskets, or some prankster dumped a few liters of water in. Those are about the only way water gets into the crankcase.

On the service records, there was no mention of milky oil drained out?
What were the other things?
 

jimmbo

Supreme Mariner
Joined
May 24, 2004
Messages
13,956
I betting the intake didn't get drained, froze and cracked. For some reason Volvo had an intake on the 4.3 that needed to be drained separately. A lot of marine mechanics, used to MerCusiers often need informing of it
 

bajaunderground

Lieutenant
Joined
Apr 18, 2008
Messages
1,401
As the more experienced fellas on here have been sayin'...you have a water infiltration issue. The reason it didn't rear it's ugly head on any other outing was because the amount increased over time, after each use...your last timeout, it over-flowed with the water/oil mixture and created the oily foam and milky oil you had. Somewhere, you're getting water into your crankcase. If I was a betting man, I'd bet you have a crack in the heads, block, and/or intake manifold. If your "mechanic" did a pressure test, it was most likely a compression test as the crankcase pressure test is a little more involved.

You'd have to verify both winterization processes as being done completely correct, otherwise I'd be thinking cracks from freezing? Is this boat from Dallas?
 

Four winn probs

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Mar 27, 2016
Messages
33
As the more experienced fellas on here have been sayin'...you have a water infiltration issue. The reason it didn't rear it's ugly head on any other outing was because the amount increased over time, after each use...your last timeout, it over-flowed with the water/oil mixture and created the oily foam and milky oil you had. Somewhere, you're getting water into your crankcase. If I was a betting man, I'd bet you have a crack in the heads, block, and/or intake manifold. If your "mechanic" did a pressure test, it was most likely a compression test as the crankcase pressure test is a little more involved.

You'd have to verify both winterization processes as being done completely correct, otherwise I'd be thinking cracks from freezing? Is this boat from Dallas?

well the intake didn't have any plugs removed for winterize so if there is supposed to be one removed then it prolly cracked the intake. yes the boat was bought new here in dallas in 1999 and never left.
 

Four winn probs

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Mar 27, 2016
Messages
33
I betting the intake didn't get drained, froze and cracked. For some reason Volvo had an intake on the 4.3 that needed to be drained separately. A lot of marine mechanics, used to MerCusiers often need informing of it

can I hold the place responeable for not draining the intake???
 

Maclin

Admiral
Joined
May 27, 2007
Messages
6,761
can I hold the place responeable for not draining the intake???

Probably not since you ran it during "winter" after it had been winterized. There would be no way to tell if they did or did not do something that caused this in my opinion.
 

bruceb58

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Mar 5, 2006
Messages
30,615

jimmbo

Supreme Mariner
Joined
May 24, 2004
Messages
13,956
Just out of curiosity. Does it actually get cold enough to freeze in Dallas? I'm not trying to sound ignorant, but Dallas is in a different country and very far south from my perspective. I thought that part of the continent would be mostly desert
 

Scott Danforth

Grumpy Vintage Moderator still playing with boats
Staff member
Joined
Jul 23, 2011
Messages
51,243
Dallas drops into the 20's in January at night in many locations.
 

jimmbo

Supreme Mariner
Joined
May 24, 2004
Messages
13,956
To me that's warm. in January it can get to -30 - -40 day or night here.
 

bruceb58

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Mar 5, 2006
Messages
30,615
I just wen to Wunderground and there were very few days in Dallas that fell below 30 in Dec-March but probably depends on the area. I know where I live, the temps can be 5 to 10 degrees different between my house an d 5 miles away.
 

Maclin

Admiral
Joined
May 27, 2007
Messages
6,761
Yes, I live in Dallas now, transplanted from Kansas, and the low temps have surprised a lot of boat owners here in the last couple of years. Lots of craigslist boats in the spring that say "all it needs is a block...".

Here three years ago I got the warning text of a sudden freeze in late October and had to make a rush trip to storage and drain the I/O engine and manifolds, It hit a low of 26 with sustained 28 degree temp for 6-8 hours, very sudden. Had not planned to winterize until Thanksgiving weekend. First two years for me here in mid 2000's it never got below freezing all winter. Never know, can't bet on it. I will never even think on skipping winterizing here, some do.

In Kansas I always drained in early to mid October, Could have ice storms there for Halloween :)
 

Maclin

Admiral
Joined
May 27, 2007
Messages
6,761
Jimmbo, sometimes the dog's gallon size re-appropriated boiling pan water is frozen solid.
 

Four winn probs

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Mar 27, 2016
Messages
33
Well the craigslist.com boat mechanic just cald abs said 3 oil changes later it is looking better and running like a champ. He said he took it to lake and ran it for 30 mins and it did good. So now we're going to meet at the lake tomara at noon. Ima test drive it for a while and if all goes good I guess pay the guy. Is there anything I should look for besides oil water milkshake coming out of breater? I'm going to take her out for at least an hour. Make sure it's not a temp fix.
 
Top