Trojan Boat Forum

Well after many. hours of working on my port side engine I finally got it to fire up and everything was running great, it was a very exciting moment. And then after about ten minute the engine alarm buzzer went off. I check the gauges everything looked ok but I shut it down and visually checked the motor , nothing, checked the oil and it was about 2 inches above the fill line on the dip stick and the color is similar to chocolate milk and thin. So I suspect water, not sure if I blew a seal or something and that why the alarm went off. And I`m not really sure where to go from here . The motor fires up with no effort at all and the alarm goes on and off. ( engine is a crusader 270 )

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Got to get rid of that milky oil ASAP, find/fix the water leak and get new oil in and running through the engine ASAP.

This oil needs to be changed pretty quick as well ...

whats the best way to get the oil out ?

My guess is improper engine winterizing and you now have a cracked block, exhaust manifold or oil heat exchanger. As Ross stated, change the oil ASAP. Then run it just to circulate the fresh oil and shut it down right away. Look for any obvious water leaks coming from the engine, exchanger or manifolds. Then starting with the heat exchanger then manifolds remove them and inspect for cracks.

Hope this helps

Paul wrote:My guess is improper engine winterizing and you now have a cracked block, exhaust manifold or oil heat exchanger. As Ross stated, change the oil ASAP. Then run it just to circulate the fresh oil and shut it down right away. Look for any obvious water leaks coming from the engine, exchanger or manifolds. Then starting with the heat exchanger then manifolds remove them and inspect for cracks.

Hope this helps

+1
oh oh. Who winterized the engine? I expect to hear about several of these every Spring start-up. Hope that's not your case. Keep us posted.

I pump out the oil through the dipstick tube, approx 20 liters . I believe that it is gas mixed with the oil not water, due to the extreme smell of gasoline . Is this possible, Could the engine be flooded so bad the gas got into the oil from trying to start it.

The diaphragm in your mechanical fuel pump can split and cause this exact problem. (especially if it's an automotive pump) Replace the pump and be sure to use a marine pump. Can you post a picture of your fuel pump?

I will take a few pictures tomorrow. I am pretty sure that I have electric fuel pumps and they were installed about a year and a half ago by the previous owner, un less there is a second mechanical pump that is mounted on the engine that your talking about? Would this cause the engine alarm to go off ? Sorry just trying to understand all this. The oil is like a light brown color, or a light mud look

Re how to get it out - sucking it out through the dipstick tube is typical. I use one of these http://ca.binnacle.com/images/productim ... 07-MED.jpg

I try to get the curl out of the tube that comes with the extractor (no good to you if the curl in the tube lifts the end of it back out of the oil in your pan), and use the dipstick markings to mark how deep I need to insert the tube to get a couple of inches below the surface of the oil in the pan. Pump 20-30 times, then let the vacuum do the rest. When it starts sucking air, push the tube in a bit further, to get out as much as you can.

I typically get 4-5 quarts out of my Chrysler 360s with the extractor, then you get a bit more when you swap the filter. It might take 2-3 oil changes to get all the water out.

I have had water in an engine (and oil) once before due to cracked exhaust manifold.

Sorry to here of all this---- if you want to know what is in your muddy oil, just take a sample of the oil you removed,be sure to shake the jug first and fill a jam jar or something clear and leave to settle---- if it is water then it will separate and be on the bottom with the oil on top after being left for a while----- we are looking for different densities --- try this---Mike

I put the oil i removed in a clear jar, left it over night and I notice no separation at all. So I will start with the fuel pump diaphragm. I will take some photos today. and post .

Gas generally doesn't turn oil tan in colour, water does. Gas just thins out the oil. I'm wondering what alarm sounded.

The oil is definitely thinned out I guess it could be a combination of water and gas , Its for sure a lot of gas from the smell. The alarm that went off is the engine temp / oil pressure alaram , oil pressure is high, I`m guessing due to the amount of fluid in there . My thinking ( or wishful thinking ) if it is a large amount of water would it fill up the cylinder and not start?

TC wrote:Gas generally doesn't turn oil tan in colour, water does. Gas just thins out the oil. I'm wondering what alarm sounded.

+1
Probably more than one issue going on here

Marklo,

Have you figured this one out yet?