Water in oil...

Glocker

Member
Sep 7, 2019
39
Boat Info
Boat: 2000 Sea Ray 185
Tow Vehicle: 2019 Ford Ranger XLT FX4
Engines
4.3 Mercruiser
If you leave your drain plug out, and your boat takes on enough water to stall the motor, can it somehow get water into the oil; say through the pan gasket or oil filter? Engine in question is a 4.3 Mercruiser.
Thank you!
 
Say it ain't so! Didn't we just talk about things like this in another thread?

You would have to get water all the way up to the intake to get water into the cylinders.
 
tell us the whole story from the beginning , what you have observed and things you have done to confirm this issue.
 
While on an early test drive the owner left the drain plug out of the boat. I popped the engine cover to discover the engine pretty well submerged. The boat began stalling soon after and completely stalled while I was grabbing the owner's trailer to get on the ramp. We let it drain, and the boat started up and ran fine. After I bought it, I had an oil change and the mechanic saw some evidence of water in the oil. The mechanic said he doesn't believe I have a cracked block or a head issue.
 
This could bite you in the ass if it went above the starter, electrically. Water in your oil probably isn't your biggest issue.
 
This could bite you in the ass if it went above the starter, electrically. Water in your oil probably isn't your biggest issue.
Everything is working great. I've been out three times now without any issues so far. The trim pump reservoir also had some signs of water mixed with the fluid but that has been vacuumed out and replaced with my oil change. I forgot that part of it.
 
Your good...maybe have to change out that starter if it went above it. You'll know it before it strands you.
 
Stalling out is a sure sign that something electrical got submerged. Doubtful water would get in through the oil pan unless you already had a leak there. It could get in through the carb (or throttle body), the exhaust, or through the dipstick.

Be prepared for future electrical gremlins. (starter, distributer, sensors, relays, etc.) If it was salt water, even more so.
 
I would change ALL the fluids...... run the boat for a few hours and then change all the fluids again at some point.

Water can be a bitch if you get it in anywhere it's not supposed to be.
 
All water will not come out by simply draining. Even multiple oil changes. It will suspend itself in high spots in the valley under the intake manifold and rocker covers. Unless you remove these items to flush you can be packing it around for a long time. Marine engines normally don't get hot enough to work it out without some help.
 

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