Help - water in the oil

ahsah · Apr 16, 2004

I have a Larsen 1998, with a 4.3 Volvo 190hp carborated. When it was winterized last fall the drain plug on the intake manifold was missed, and I'll assume it is cracked. I didnt catch the forgotten plug when I installed the other plugs so I put it in the water late Friday just before dark. First I let it idle but when I ran it at full throttle it would cut out and the motor was covered with a milky brown oil/water sludge mix, the dipstick was covered to the top with the same stuff. I bought several 5qt jugs of oil $4.87 and three $2.00 oil filters at Wal-Mart figuring it best to get that sludge out of there ASAP. First I pulled the belt off the water pump. Then I tried to suck the sludge out through the dipstick - but it was thicker than honey so I had to drain it into the bilge through the oil pan drain plug. After a couple hours of slow draining I changed the oil and filter and started it up and ran it at high idle until the gauge indicated 200 degrees (about 5-7 minutes). I repeated this two more times and each time the oil got better - the third time it came out like off color milk and was very runny. Finally got to bed at 6:00 am and here it is before 11 and I am getting started on it again I think I'll change the oil a couple more times to see if the oil gets more normal. Then I get to look forward to the tear down for the Intake manifold - any one have a good source on one? What damage might I have done to the engine other than the Manifold crack, and what other things might I do to try to save the engine? The dipstick indicated the engine was full to the top of the sludge, I wonder if I should way overfill the oil too or maybe fill it up with diesel because that sludge is stuck to everything when I look through the oil fill cap. But it is getting better. Thanks for your help. Steve in Iowa

ahsah · Apr 17, 2004

Re: Help - water in the oil

rickdb1boat · Apr 17, 2004

Re: Help - water in the oil

ahsah You will get faster and better results if you post in the "I/O or Inboard Engine Repair & Questions" section. This is for Merc outboards and many here may not be able to help you as well. Try re-posting here: Post Here

ahsah · Apr 17, 2004

Re: Help - water in the oil

Sorry for the off topic post.

moderator1 · Apr 17, 2004

Re: Help - water in the oil

Moving to I/O's.

moderator1 · Apr 17, 2004

Re: Help - water in the oil

ahsah First Mate Member # 3008 posted April 17, 2004 11:56 AM -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I have a Larsen 1998, with a 4.3 Volvo 190hp carborated. When it was winterized last fall the drain plug on the intake manifold was missed, and I'll assume it is cracked. I didnt catch the forgotten plug when I installed the other plugs so I put it in the water late Friday just before dark. First I let it idle but when I ran it at full throttle it would cut out and the motor was covered with a milky brown oil/water sludge mix, the dipstick was covered to the top with the same stuff. I bought several 5qt jugs of oil $4.87 and three $2.00 oil filters at Wal-Mart figuring it best to get that sludge out of there ASAP. First I pulled the belt off the water pump. Then I tried to suck the sludge out through the dipstick - but it was thicker than honey so I had to drain it into the bilge through the oil pan drain plug. After a couple hours of slow draining I changed the oil and filter and started it up and ran it at high idle until the gauge indicated 200 degrees (about 5-7 minutes). I repeated this two more times and each time the oil got better - the third time it came out like off color milk and was very runny, but the oil was never really hot I could put my fingers in the draining oil. Finally got to bed at 6:00 am and here it is before 11 and I am getting started on it again I think I'll change the oil a couple more times with longer draining periods - to see if the oil gets more normal. Then I get to look forward to the tear down for the Intake manifold - any one have a good source on one? What damage might I have done to the engine other than the Manifold crack, and what other things might I do to try to save the engine? The dipstick indicated the engine was full to the top of the sludge, I wonder if I should way overfill the oil too or maybe fill it up with diesel because that sludge is stuck to everything when I look through the oil fill cap. But it is getting better. Thanks for your help. Steve in Iowa

ahsah · Apr 17, 2004

Re: Help - water in the oil

Well here is more info if there is still someone interested - Talked to Gene70 on the phone he was very helpful. When this happeded the top of the engine was covered with the water/oil sludge - not sure where it was coming from. Per Gene I drained the water from the block drain plugs, manifolds, and pulled the risers and manifolds off both sides and inspected the plugs. I found nothing - everything was normal. The motor runs perfect. I did notice the spark arrestor was full of the same sludge, but traced it back to the hose from the port side valve cover, there is no check valve in there and i think it filled the motor and backed up thru the hose to the carb. and maybe spilled all over the top of the motor. Apparently when you get water in the motor and it is running it is whipped up to about 3 -4 gallons of sludge. It was everywhere, in the bilge - motor was full of it - it was kinda of like cake icing only brown. After 4 oil changes I am still draining milky oil out of the drain plug. Now I have to put it back together to do a couple more oil changes. I'm kinda leaning on filling the engine with diesel fuel to see if I can get all the water/oil stuck to everything, hate to do that because of the smell - I am still draining it into the bilge and catching it outside. All night all day and still baffled Steve

Bondo · Apr 18, 2004

Re: Help - water in the oil

I Don't Know Where your Problem Is, But filling the Engine with Diesel Isn't going to do Any Good.......... Once you Find the leak, Normal Oil Changes will Clear up the Sludge......... Have you Pulled the Intake Manifold ???? The 2 of Most common places for your motor to Freeze-Crack are Either the Bottom of the Intake Manifold, or the Block, just down from the Deck, in the Lifter Valley........ IF it's the Intake Manifold, You could then Rinse the lifter valley with Diesel,+ Reinstall the Manifold,+ do a Regular Oil Change............ IF it's the Block, The Motor Has to come OUT...... Good Luck.........And, Pull the Intake.....

ahsah · Apr 18, 2004

Re: Help - water in the oil

Thanks for the reply Bondo, I really suspect the intake manifold since I didn't pull the drain plug last fall. I remember the year or two before when I pulled the drain plug on the front of the intake manifold that a lot of water came out. When I put it in the lake this year and ran it - I think water filled the engine thru a crack in the manifold. My next project is to pull the intake. Been a while I know that I have to pull the carb and distributor and it is more involved than pulling the risers and manifolds. The diesel was to try to melt any sludge and soften it up so it will drain out the plug - but I hate the smell of diesel. The mechanic at work said if it had a cracked block I would have oil in the water which I didn't. I worry that there might be enought water in there to do some damage - rust - corrosion. Because it might be a couple weeks before I get it back running again. Where can I pick up a intake? (beside the Volvo dealer) I'm sure that there are many after market intakes for a 4.3L chev. Thanks again

Bondo · Apr 18, 2004

Re: Help - water in the oil

Pull the Dist. Disconnect the Carb. linkages,+ lines.... Then pull the intake, as a unit...... I'd look on ebay for a replacement........

The mechanic at work said if it had a cracked block I would have oil in the water which I didn't.

Only If the crack is in a Pressured Oil Area...... If it's Cracked in the lifter Valley(Where I Suspect) It'll Only allow water into the Oil..... Not the Other Way......

I worry that there might be enought water in there to do some damage - rust - corrosion.

Flushing with Diesel will do No Good....... It'll Never See the Problematic Areas..(In the Bearings, Etc.)........ It's a 20 minute job to pull the Intake....... At that Point, You'll Know wether you Need an Intake, OR, A Block..........

ahsah · Apr 19, 2004

Re: Help - water in the oil

Well here it is Monday and I pulled the intake (1998 4.3L Volvo). The intake is cracked (because I missed the 5th plug) - the water jacket under the carborator cracked and let water into the lifter valley. When I put it in the water and ran it - it FILLED I mean to the top of the motor with a brown sludge before could get it shut down (about 20 minutes). That sludge must have came out of the spark arrestor and spilled onto and all over the top of the motor. The PCV valve is even clogged up with the stuff. After 4 oil and filter changes, there was still lots of the sludge (1/4 inch) stuck to the bottom of the intake manifold, and the distributor shaft had a 1/4" of the sludge stuck to the shaft. Not enough oil is flying around to knock it off these parts, and the oil never builds up high enough to wash it off, and I can't get the engine warm enough either to assist in the drying out process. I can clean all of this out with rags - but I probably should pull the tappet covers and clean the sludge out of them also. Is there any way to get the oil pan out of the 1998 4.3L GM without pulling the engine? This lower part of the engine might get cleaned from the turbulance of moving parts throwing oil around. I found an intake on ebay and it is on the way, $120 plus shipping. Thanks Bondo for the tip! I need to order gaskets for - exhaust - risers - intake manifold - gooseneck - carborator- and now the tappets. How important is it that I use Marine gaskets? I have seen this discussed before - I'll do a search on it. I talked to a guy that does mud racing, their motors get water in them often, he said to put 1 quart of diesel in with the oil at every oil change (and change it often) until it clears up I imagine that would just kill the viscosity, don't know about heavy loading or high RPMs either. Thanks for the help Steve in Iowa - the forgetter of the 5th plug.

Help - water in the oil

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