Help!

[throwerb]

So I move to Tennessee and my boat has been plagued by a water in the oil problem. First I thought is was the intake manifold gaskets because I could turn most of the bolts by hand, that wasn't it. Then I had a local marine shop pressure check the oil cooler, wasn't it. Next we took off the heads thinking one could be cracked or maybe it could be a head gasket, not it. What else can I check the motor runs as strong as ever, just can't find where the oil is mixing with the water. I tis a 468 chevy with Lightning exhaust. Any ideas? Thanks...Throwerb

[DeputyDawg]

Are you running a water pressure regulator? If not you might have too much water pressure which can cause the milkshake thing to happen. If you have a dump valve check it and make sure it is all the way open and not corroded or blocked in anyway that could cause too much pressure. If you can give us a little more info on how your engine is plumbed because that might help in diagnosing the problem.

[throwerb]

Are you running a water pressure regulator? If not you might have too much water pressure which can cause the milkshake thing to happen. If you have a dump valve check it and make sure it is all the way open and not corroded or blocked in anyway that could cause too much pressure. If you can give us a little more info on how your engine is plumbed because that might help in diagnosing the problem.
I'll do the best I can. Water comes in from Jet pump and goes to oil cooler then to block, then out to lightning exhaust. Don't know how much you can see from these pics, but you can see a few in my pic gallery as the boat is in the shop right now. By the way it's way more than just some foam.
http://www2.***boat.com/image_center...t=7&thecat=500

[DeputyDawg]

Sorry throwerb, but I can't tell much from the pictures. You didn't mention a water pressure regulator so I am assuming you aren't running one although I would highly recommend one. Do you know if you have any type of gate valve on the dump line(water that goes overboard) on your boat? If you do have one be sure and check it to be certain that it is all the way open and isn't corroded or blocked in any way. Did this problem just all of the sudden start happening or had there been any work done to the boat? Had the boat been sitting for any period of time without being used before the problem started?

[throwerb]

Not sure about the valve. I think the water all runs out throught the lightning exhaust. No work done. Problem started this year after hauling the the boat from California to Tennessee. First some foam and now way more than foam.

[bigblockbill]

I had a block that had a hairline crack in the cylinder once. Finally blew air in the spark plug holes with the valves closed and shot water out the block. Took the head off and sure enough, almost not visiable to the naked eye, but there was a small crack.
So try backing the valves off (or rotating the motor over till the piston is at TDC for that hole), removing the valve stem from a compression gauge and blowing air into each cylinder. Listen/watch and hear where the air is leaking out. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesnt.

[throwerb]

I had a block that had a hairline crack in the cylinder once. Finally blew air in the spark plug holes with the valves closed and shot water out the block. Took the head off and sure enough, almost not visiable to the naked eye, but there was a small crack.
So try backing the valves off (or rotating the motor over till the piston is at TDC for that hole), removing the valve stem from a compression gauge and blowing air into each cylinder. Listen/watch and hear where the air is leaking out. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesnt.
Thanks.

[hack job]

iam jsut wondering if it might be condinsation ? do you store the boat out side? what are your oil temps getting up to? how much water are we talking about? a light amount or a lot?

[SmokinLowriderSS]

You haven't mentioned if you have any kind of INLET valving to restrict the water volume coming in. If for any reason your incoming water volume exceeds the outflow volume, you will get a pressure rise in the block. Whether that is a partly blocked outflow or an excessively open inflow, the result is the same, and at something arround 30 PSI (perhaps more or less) water will push past gaskets into the motor.

[throwerb]

iam jsut wondering if it might be condinsation ? do you store the boat out side? what are your oil temps getting up to? how much water are we talking about? a light amount or a lot?
Alot of water, oil looks avacado green/brown. Boat is stored in my garage. Water temp never above 170 not sure about oil temp.