Oh boy, oil everywhere but the motor.

[gixxerjim]

First day out,cruised downriver a mile or so to our favorite boating spot on a lake. Parked for a couple hours to play with our kids, then out on the lake and opened up the 1988 3.0l four cylinder Alpha1. Shortly noticed an odd tapping sound like dry lifters, checked the oil pressure, zero. Immediately turned off the engine. Oil all over in the bilge, dipstick dry. Oil filter tight. With my wife and 3 young boys in the boat I didn't try to go much further in my investigation. Parked it.

Finally getting to pull the hood on it tonight. Plan to investigate for obvioius leak spots, if none found fill it with oil and disconnect the coil and turn it over with no spark.

Any ideas where specifically to look or any experience with this kind of predicament? I am kind of fishing in the dark here! I wonder if the filter seal gave out since there sort of looked like a major leak puddle under it.

Thanks
Jim

 

[FreeBeeTony]

Re: Oh boy, oil everywhere but the motor.

Maybe the drain plug came out on the bottom of the pan?

 

[tpenfield]

Re: Oh boy, oil everywhere but the motor.

Does that engine have the 'remote oil filter' ? or is it right in the engine block? If remote, then hoses leading to it would be the first places to look.

Otherwise, valve cover gasket . . . oil pan gasket . . . Front/rear crankshaft seals would be the places that I would look.

 

[Don S]

Re: Oh boy, oil everywhere but the motor.

Put oil in it, and start it up on muffs and look for the leak.

Looking is the only way to find leaks guessing where they leak seldom works.

 

[Josh P]

Re: Oh boy, oil everywhere but the motor.

ya let it run just moniter it well... most oil leaks wont show under just cranking

 

[gixxerjim]

Re: Oh boy, oil everywhere but the motor.

First report. No oil in it at all. No clear exit points. Guessing something at the back...rear main? Seems like all of the oil just dumped out. Not a usual leak in my limited auto experience. Stumped for now hope to run it on muffs yet tonight.

 

[gixxerjim]

Re: Oh boy, oil everywhere but the motor.

Found it....1" long crack in the oil filter, right at the base. Facing the hull. I hope no engine damage. Opinions? When I shut it down the temp was.normal, but the motor felt and sounded ....wrong. but not by much....

 

[mjfink]

Re: Oh boy, oil everywhere but the motor.

Others will probably disagree with me, but, IMHO, the damage is either done or it isn't. Put oil in and give it a shot. If you spun a bearing or melted something in the crank, you'll know it real quick. If not, I'd probably run it easy for a bit, then drain out the oil and look at it. If it looks like steel wool, you probably have a bigger problem. If it's clean, you probably dodged a bullet on this on.

Found it....1" long crack in the oil filter, right at the base. Facing the hull. I hope no engine damage. Opinions? When I shut it down the temp was.normal, but the motor felt and sounded ....wrong. but not by much....

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: Oh boy, oil everywhere but the motor.

First day out,cruised downriver a mile or so to our favorite boating spot on a lake.

Since this is your first day out, This is the first run since winterization, oil and filter change etc?? New oil filter? You may have some recourse with the manufacturer of the filter.......

 

[fat fanny]

Re: Oh boy, oil everywhere but the motor.

Good point! They would definately be hearing from me eighter way!

 

[Don S]

Re: Oh boy, oil everywhere but the motor.

You guys must just like finding some to blame for any peoblems that come up. Not what caused the problem, or ask some other questions, just say "Blame This Guy" to hell with what the problem is.

At this point, no one knows how long the filter was on ther, or if it was rusty, was it installed properly, or if the owner looked at the oil pressure gauge when he started the engine or let it warm up, or why didn't the alarm system work. or .................

Nope first thing out of your mouths are "Let's blame the oil filter manufacturer" :facepalm:

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: Oh boy, oil everywhere but the motor.

You guys must just like finding some to blame for any peoblems that come up. Not what caused the problem, or ask some other questions, just say "Blame This Guy" to hell with what the problem is.

At this point, no one knows how long the filter was on ther, or if it was rusty, was it installed properly, or if the owner looked at the oil pressure gauge when he started the engine or let it warm up, or why didn't the alarm system work. or .................

Nope first thing out of your mouths are "Let's blame the oil filter manufacturer" :facepalm:

I sort of expected an answer like, "I haven't changed the oil in 5 years"

 

[NHGuy]

Re: Oh boy, oil everywhere but the motor.

Well OP, neatly remove and save the cracked filter in case there is no other evidence found. You MAY have some recourse. But truthfully, in my 25 years of auto stuff I have seen 1 failed filter, and it was not a cracked outer shell.
As said, put on a filter, put some oil in there, hook it to muffs, and see how it runs. Our fingers are crossed for you.

 

[fat fanny]

Re: Oh boy, oil everywhere but the motor.

Well after Don lashing us (rightly so in some aspects) what does the inside of the filter look like? and are the threads crossed? and what does the face of the oil filter housing attachment on the block look like are some of the ports clogged and or blocked? I should have used better judgment before posting earlier and suggested further investigation to root cause. Check for faulty filter,installation error and internal block issues. Good luck and post back with picks and or findings.

 

[spdracr39]

Re: Oh boy, oil everywhere but the motor.

Maybe there was water in the filter and it froze over the winter. Could the engine have had water in the oil from the season before and would it have separated enough to freeze.

 

[gixxerjim]

Re: Oh boy, oil everywhere but the motor.

I change it at the end of the season. I probably squeezed too hard tightening it to the block. I don't use a tool, and at 165 lb don't have a tremendous grip, but it had a dent in of at the crack. Another dent 180deg. Not blaming Purolator.

 

[Don S]

Re: Oh boy, oil everywhere but the motor.

I change it at the end of the season. I probably squeezed too hard tightening it to the block. I don't use a tool, and at 165 lb don't have a tremendous grip, but it had a dent in of at the crack. Another dent 180deg. Not blaming Purolator.

I rest my case.


Put some oil in it, run it and see what happens.

 

[gixxerjim]

Re: Oh boy, oil everywhere but the motor.

Boat started and ran well on the muffs. Taking her out today. Fingers crossed!

 

[gixxerjim]

Re: Oh boy, oil everywhere but the motor.

Trip report: all seems good, started and ran normally. Put about 30 miles on er, much of it at high throttle after inital checks. Ran out to normal RPM, no vibrations or noises or inconsistencies whatsoever. Seems to run same as it has in the 5 years we've owned her. Checked the oil and looks clean golden color, no metal flakes or darkness or anything.

Thanks for the help guys.

 

[NHGuy]

Re: Oh boy, oil everywhere but the motor.

Proverbial bullet dodged? Boo yah.