water in the oil

[rudyca]

I have a 2012 70hp suzuki, I bought it new, with the hope of never needing another. It has 382 hours and now I'm told I need a new one. There is water in the oil. No good explanation was given. Although low hrs. it was used often, but for mostly short distances(222 hrs. at low rpms). Was not told to use a higher temp. thermostat nor about the anodes.Help.

[rudyca]

I forgot to say that the oil/water mix was coming out of the water intake in front of the prop.

[catacom225]

when you say water in the oil, you mean that when you pull the dip stick out the oil is a milky or coffee color, their are a few thing that could explain oil leaking from the lower section

[artdf175]

agree with catacomb --
more information needed -is it water in the oil or oil in the water?
as asked: what is the status of the engine oil?
status of oil filter? sometime a source of oil leaking when seal fails
have you checked the lower unit oil?
Did you have any maintenance done just prior to discovering a problem?
And whose advice was it to replace this engine without fully understanding the problem? (a dealer trying to sell you a new engine?
Art

[rudyca]

Let me start over again to hopefully be more clear and more helpful. I keep my boat anchored in a salt water creek. Every time I use it I unhook it while I'm in the water, first the bow then the stern. On that day I motared about 500 yards and put the anchor over and got in the water to work-I'm a clam farmer. When I returned to the boat I noticed gas or oil on the water. I did not see this when I unhooked the boat earlier, so I think that the problem just started. When I looked for the source I noticed one drop come off the bottom of the tilted engine - and yes the engine is always tilted when not in use. My first thought was of my lower unit, but about this time and with me looking at it a lot of oil/water mix started to run out of the water intake! O shi*. I started it and slowly went back to the dock. engine started and ran just as normal. Tilted the engine and put arag around the tilted lower unit to contain the now flowing oil/water mess. Took the boat to the dealer I bought it from and who services it and the man scratched his head and said that he didn't know why oil whould be coming from there but it was"bad." The first call the oil pan was full of water/oil and was I sure that I wanted to keep looking. Yes, I do think they wanted to sell me a new one, and keep my old one because that was their offer. But I wanted to know more and had them look for a leek in the head gasket - nothing noticed. The man said that when he put the block(?) back on and hooked the engine to a hose water filled the oil pan-leak from water jacket and oil pan(?). I was given no real answers, just told I needed a new one! The engine is now in pieces on my work bench and I have a new dealer-who is willing to sell me a new engine.Let's see, no recent service before problem, no haven't checked lower unit,oil filter was discarded, dipstick was checked first thing and had oil/water mix at about the normal level, not sure what the difference between oil in water andwater in oil(?), did not see oil mix come out of the pee hole, old dealer implied the problem might be because I did not run it hard enough- 222 of the 382 hrs were "low rpm" hrs., the zink anodes were almost gone(had never been told of them)- someone told me that could be the problem,but don't see how, is there a gasket between head and oil pan(?),if so is there abetter one to possibly stop water intrusion,--plenty of questions. I only know that I'm not going to sell any clams with all the restaurants closed,(no income),I still have to get have to get to my clam grounds and I don't want to buy a new engine. Sorry for a long story, but it's about as good as I can come up with. Happy to hear any more questions or answers. Thanks -- Help.

[catacom225]

Rudyca, yes there is a gasket in the oil pan but i assuming the problem may be in the engine holder which sits on the oil Pan . You say its in pieces, if so have a good look at the engine holder, oil pan check if any mating surfaces are flat and that the gaskets where making good contact and also look for any corrosion., theirs a lot of water circulating around those two items

[artdf175]

Can I make the assumption you have the service manual?
I ask water in the oil question because it wasn't clear the first post
first thought if you have water in the oil pan would be the head gasket-- think about where the water travels from the pump - up to the engine -through the port with the thermostat - through the head- then, I think, dumps into the exhaust porting and out the prop
How did they check the head gasket? If you have it in parts on the work bench - I would pull the head off and inspect it for yourself
the other thing might consider taking the head to a machine shop to see if it has a metal fatigue crack
Art

[rudyca]

First, thanks to those who have replied. New to all of this. Second, afraid that this will be long again-sorry. Lets see, yes I have a shop manual. When I got the boat back I found -- the head cover off, the cam shafts had been removed and loosely put back but I don't know if correctly, the timing chain off, oil pump off, and the head off, and it looks like all the other parts, either still on where they could be or loose. All the gaskets were included -- except the one beteeen the engine holder and the engine, which is where a leak could have happened. I could not find any sign of a problem as far as the gaskets go. I took the lower unit off, have already replaced the waterpump(found a lot of milky oil in the old water pump), took the next part up off, the oil pan off from the engine holder - two of these bolts were not very tight, not real loose but noticeably lesse than others- but no visible sign of failure. I have cleaned all parts or surfaces and bought all needed gaskets and seals. I know just because no problem was seen it dos not mean it wasn't there. I have some time on my hands, plenty of work but no income so I figured I'd give rebuilding it a try- not confident but will have some help. What I did find was ALOT of salt/corrosion buildup in the water jackets, particularly one place near the mid two cylinders. Basicly blocked and corroded half way to the cylinder- if it goes up on me- o well. One thought is a leak at either the engine holder gasket(missing) or the oil pan gasket near the oil and water up take. In any case here I go. Any advise is welcome. There is one thing that has got me wondering-- the manual says to turn the crank to have the marks at 12o'clock and to not turn the crank without the timing chain on. It also refers to other timing marks on the cam shafts. The timing chain is off and the marks are not where the book refers. With everything apart, should I set the mark at 12 (therefore turning the crank with no chain on) and then work back?. Although no sealant is called for with gaskets should I use it in this case and if so, then where? Thanks.

[rudyca]

More questions I'm afraid. The manual showed me how to put the sprockets on the end of the camshafts with the marks at the cylinder face. Only when in this position, the lobes on the camshaft hit the tappit and turn the camshaft out of place(because of the spring pressure on the valve). I can't get it to stay where the book says it should be.