help for my neighbor
Hello,
I'm anchored up on the Cheasapeake and my neighbors were supposed to
leave this morning. They came over about half-hour ago.....in confusion. They
had water (LOTS of water) in their engine oil!
My questions to you are what
might have caused it and how best to fix it?
THANKS,
Tommy
They
had water (LOTS of water) in their engine oil!
My questions to you are what
might have caused it and how best to fix it?
Hi Tommy, too bad for your neighbor, but he won't be able to fix it until he finds out what is wrong.
Odds are, the head will need to come off, no matter what, to find the cause, unless someone poured coolant into the oil fill.
First thing that comes to mind is a blown headgasket.
If this is the problem, chances are the head will need planed down also, once it is off. To check, set a straight-edge (it must be very straight and true) across the head, in several places, and check the depth under it using feeler gauges. There shouldn't be any gaps over, let's say one thousandths and probably less; check with the engine dealer, although this information may be in his shop manual.
Chances are a straight-edge of high enough quality is not available on his boat, so instead, take the head to an auto machine shop. They should be able to check it, and plane it down. If not, they should know who to take it to.
To replace the head gasket, which is not all that difficult, the minimum that he'll need is a head gasket, intake manifold gasket, exhaust manifold gasket, probably the thermostat housing, and thermostat gaskets, torque wrench and if the engine is big enough it'll probably need to be 1/2 inch, rachets, sockets, wrenches, coolant; a dealer that handles his brand of motor could be more specific.
There are other causes, like a cracked head, cracked block, or cracked exhaust manifold,they are less likely, but still possible. Has he overheated the engine lately?
Don't have him start taking the head off yet. I often overlook the simple stuff, so wait awhile and see if anyone on the list comes up with simpler things to check first.
Good luck to him.
Rudy and Jill
Briney Bug, Panama City, Fl
What about a bad oil cooler (heat exchanger). Had this happen to me with
a bad trannie cooler and lots of water showed in the fluid.
Good luck.
Rod Mell
NiSa, Monk 34
Powell River, BC
Rudy and Jill wrote:
They
had water (LOTS of water) in their engine oil!
My questions to you are what
might have caused it and how best to fix it?
Rod Mell nwboater@gmail.com writes:
What about a bad oil cooler (heat exchanger). Had this happen to me with
a bad trannie cooler and lots of water showed in the fluid.
In fact, I had this happen to me on a Volvo. I reassembled the lube oil
cooler but did not install the o-rings quite right. Check to see if he has
done any recent work on the engine.
Scott Welch
Chief Evangelist, Open Text Social Media Group
www.opentext.com
905 762 6101
"Things turn out best for people who make the best of the way things turn
out." - John Wooden
Do you know if the engine coolant is low? If not, it is probably seawater
leaking in through a damaged heat exchanger. If it is coolant, a head gasket
may be the culprit. I would check the heat exchanger before messing with
removing the head. You could also have the oil analyzed to see if it is
saltwater or coolant contamination.
Good luck.
Regards,
--Jim
-----Original Message-----
From: trawlers-and-trawlering-bounces@lists.samurai.com
[mailto:trawlers-and-trawlering-bounces@lists.samurai.com] On Behalf Of
circumnavigate06
Sent: Monday, September 07, 2009 3:49 AM
To: trawlers-and-trawlering@lists.samurai.com
Subject: T&T: help for my neighbor
Hello,
I'm anchored up on the Cheasapeake and my neighbors were supposed to
leave this morning. They came over about half-hour ago.....in confusion.
They
had water (LOTS of water) in their engine oil!
My questions to you are what
might have caused it and how best to fix it?
THANKS,
Tommy
http://lists.samurai.com/mailman/listinfo/trawlers-and-trawlering
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If it's coolant be sure to check the coolant circulation pump. A bad seal
combined with a blocked weap hole in the coolant pump will send coolant to the
crankcase.
George
M/V Ocean Lady
--- On Mon, 9/7/09, Parvey parvey@harbornet.com wrote:
From: Parvey parvey@harbornet.com
Subject: Re: T&T: help for my neighbor
To: "'circumnavigate06'" circumnavigate06@bellsouth.net,
trawlers-and-trawlering@lists.samurai.com
Date: Monday, September 7, 2009, 4:25 PM
Do you know if the engine coolant is low? If not, it is probably seawater
leaking in through a damaged heat exchanger. If it is coolant, a head gasket
may be the culprit. I would check the heat exchanger before messing with
removing the head. You could also have the oil analyzed to see if it is
saltwater or coolant contamination.
Good luck.
Regards,
--Jim
-----Original Message-----
From: trawlers-and-trawlering-bounces@lists.samurai.com
[mailto:trawlers-and-trawlering-bounces@lists.samurai.com] On Behalf Of
circumnavigate06
Sent: Monday, September 07, 2009 3:49 AM
To: trawlers-and-trawlering@lists.samurai.com
Subject: T&T: help for my neighbor
Hello,
I'm anchored up on the Cheasapeake and my neighbors were supposed to
leave this morning. They came over about half-hour ago.....in confusion.
They
had water (LOTS of water) in their engine oil!
My questions to you are what
might have caused it and how best to fix it?
THANKS,
Tommy
http://lists.samurai.com/mailman/listinfo/trawlers-and-trawlering
To unsubscribe or modify your subscription options (get password, change
email address, etc) go to:
http://lists.samurai.com/mailman/options/trawlers-and-trawlering
Trawlers & Trawlering and T&T are trademarks of Water World
Productions. Unauthorized use is prohibited.
http://lists.samurai.com/mailman/listinfo/trawlers-and-trawlering
To unsubscribe or modify your subscription options (get password, change email
address, etc) go to:
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Trawlers & Trawlering and T&T are trademarks of Water World
Productions. Unauthorized use is prohibited.
This is a possibility on some engines and on others it is not. You did not say
what engine the problem is with. I would suggest contacting a local mechanic
for that particular engine since the cause can be minor and easily fixable to
major with serious surgery. Detecting what type of water is in the oil, fresh
with coolant or salt water, is impossible without an analysis. Chuck
To
follow our adventures, go to
http://trawler-beach-house.blogspot.com/
http://sea-trek.blogspot.com/
--- On Mon, 9/7/09, G. Gliksman
george-pamela@sbcglobal.net wrote:
If it's coolant be sure to check the
coolant circulation pump. A bad seal
combined with a blocked weap hole in
the coolant pump will
send coolant to the
crankcase.
George