Water in oil?

[C.Fisher]

We are getting water in the oil in one of the engines, stock mercruser 454 with b&m blower only runnin 5psi max at 4400 rpm. I am curious as to where i might start to look. Engine runs fine, but i am thinking it may be a head gasket or intake gasket.
Before I start to tear into this thing is there any tests i could do or other simpler possiblities before i tear the top half down?
Thanks in advance
Chad

[Infomaniac]

Check the exhaust first.

[dego red]

Yup, cracked manifold, riser or elbow will do it, also gaskets. red

[flatnfast]

i had water jacketed bassets on my boat and the #2 cylinder header jacket cracked and allowed waer into the motor.

[C.Fisher]

Originally posted by Infomaniac
Check the exhaust first.
Well the exhaust will be the 1st to come off anyway but I am still worried it might be something else. The headers are CMI's
and the amount of water it took on in the short amount of time is what is worrying me. It took on about a quart or so of water in less than 1/2 hour of run time. If it was the exhaust wouldnt this thing be bending rods if it was coming back in the exh ports. Is there anyway to pressure check the cooling system?
Thanks again for the help.
Chad

[1BIGJIM]

If you have water coming in the exhaust and ran if for a half an hour, you would notice it at idle. It would load up and run terrible if run at all. That's a good amount of water

[eliminatya]

i just encounered the same problem was wondering what you guys think. blown 580, lightning headers, and o-ringed with copper headgaskets. water in the oil. could it be due to reversion. the boat is a jet i would think if it was a head gasket the pan would be completely full or am i wrong to assume that. i appreciate any advice

[dego red]

Same as above....check your exhaust first. I know from first hand experiance. I made the mistake of starting my water leak hunt from the inside out, intake manifold head, etc. Just a lucky fluke that I found the port side elbow was cracked after pulling the same side head on a goose chase for the damn water. red

[C.Fisher]

Trust me I would rather do easy than have to tear down in the heads and do a head gasket. Trying to get the heads off in this thing is going to be an abortion.
We have 4 possiblities.
1, exhaust
2, intake gasket
3, head gasket
4, oil cooler?
I hope it would be the headers.
http://www2.freepichosting.com/Images/421538159/0.jpg

[1BIGJIM]

Nice looking ride. Again as you said "quart or so of water" thats alot of water. I had an exhaust leak once on a riser. What I did was just losen the exhaust manifold and pulled it back from the head and started the engine. If you have a leak that bad you will see water trying to come back into the heads.