I took a trip 4 or 5 weeks ago on our houseboat. I checked my oil before I left it was fine . I checked it again before the trip home it was fine. I have not started my engine since we got back. I went to check it yesterday because we were goning to take a short fall cruise. The oil was 6 or 7 inches up on the dipstick with bubbles on it. Water! I pulled the oil filter ,no water pure oil. I pumped the oil pan out and pumped 4 to 6 quarts of water , no oil! It was 99% water. I pumped it empty. I have 454 Mercruisers MPI's 1999 models. Anyone have any idea what could have happened?

USUALLY WATER IN OIL COMES FROM RUSTED OUT MANIFOLDS. HOWEVER YOUR BOAT IS A 99 SO THERE ARE OTHER PLACES TO LOOK. IS YOUR BOAT RAW WATER COOLED OR DOES IT HAVE A COOLING SYSTEM? WAS IT PURE WATER OR ANTIFREEZE. IS IT POSSIBLE THAT YOU COULD HAVE INGESTED WATER THRU THE EXHAUSTS DUE TO WAVE ACTION? WAS THE ENGINE LOCKED UP DUE TO WATER IN THE CYLINDERS? DID THE PROBLEM RETURN? CALL ME.

Thanks for the reply Old Houseboater. I don't think it could be wave action nor is the engine locked up. The water was plain oily water as the boat is raw water cooled. The boat is a 1999 HarborMaster. I pumped the engine dry thru the dipstick and proceeded to refill with oil. I changed the oil filter which had no water at all. After 6 qts. of oil I checked the stick again. Nothing! Only a few small drops of water on a otherwise dry stick! No oil! I turned the engine over 2 or 3 times but did not start it. I checked the stick again this time it had oil and water back up the stick 6 or 7 inches again. I then quit to seek advice.

WOW! YOU HAVE A MASSIVE LEAK. YOU COULD HAVE HEAD GASKET LEAK, EXHAUST MANIFOLD LEAK, INTAKE MANIFOLD LEAK, OR ?

SUGGESTION:

1 EMPTY ENGINE

2 REMOVE PLUGS AND OIL DRAIN PLUG

3 TAKE HOSE OFF RAW WATER PUMP

4 HOOK UP GARDEN HOSE TO ENGINE, AND TURN ON AN EASY FLOW (DO NOT RUN ENGINE).

5 SEE (LISTEN WITH STETHESCOPE IF POSSIBLE ) TO WHERE WATER IS ENTERING ENGINE.

IF IT DOESNT COME OUT OF SPARK PLUG HOLES ITS PROBABLY INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET OR MANIFOLD.

IF IT COMES OUT OF PLUG HOLES IT COULD BE HEAD GASKET , CRACKED HEAD, EXHAUST MANIFOLD.

WORST CASE WOULD BE BUSTED BLOCK.

IT IS UNUSAL TO HAVE THIS MUCH WATER APPEAR IN SUCH A SHORT TIME.

AFTER YOU FIND THE LEAK. DRAIN THE ENGINE AND CHANGE THE OIL RUN THE ENGINE WITHOUT WATER FOR A FEW SECONDS TO CIRCULATE NEW OIL THEN PROCEED WITH CORRECTIONS.

THE OTHER NORMAL WAY TO FIND THE PROBLEM IS TO TEAR THE ENGINE DOWN.

KEEP US INFORMED

Sounds to me like you have an internal crack in the block. You say you filled it with new oil and turned it over a few times. I don't think a head gasket or exhaust manifold leak would do this. It seems like all the water in the cooling jacket of the block is draining into the crankcase. You can plug up the exhuast manifold hoses and remove the thermostat and rig a radiator pressure tester to the water inlet hose and see if it will hold pressure much the same way a car is tested. This will tell you if you have a head gasket or internal leak. Best of luck to you!

Years ago I had that problem, pulled a plug and the water poured out. Turned out a friend "helping" messed up the timing. Re-set the timing and it never happened again.

Good luck, we're all interested to hear how you make out.

Well let me give you an update on my problem. As I first said there was no old oil in the engine after I pumped the water out,( I did have three other people see this) turns out the oil was in there it just didn't come down in the oil pan . ? The stick was dry. When we turned the engine over the new oil and the old oil showed up on the stick. I pumped it all out again and refilled and flushed it out twice more. I have had two service techs check to see where the water came from without any luck. It has since been run about an hour or two without a problem. I will have to change the water pump as it is showing a dribble coming from it. Any ideas? Mike