I got some bad news, could use some advice.-gctid389196

[Guest]

I noticed an oil leak on my 2355 5.7l mercruiser. I took it to a local shop, their first thought after looking at it was an oil cooler but after he got into it deeper he called me back with the bad news.

He said the oil was leaking from a seal where the timing chain cover meets the oil pan on the port side.

Shop fees are $109 an hour with an estimate of 8.5 hours to fix it.

Does this sound accurate? If it was something simple I have some mechanical skills but he said they have to pull the motor to get to it. I don't have the skills, time or shop to handle that big a project.

Any advice would help.

[Guest]

Replacing a timing cover is pretty easy- you'd have to remove the water circ pump and balancer. How much access is there in front of the engine?

Your quote sounds excessively high....

[Guest]

Is this similar to your setup? If so, great- break out your tools and git 'er dun! No need to remove the engine.

[Guest]

They are going to have to pull the engine to replace the timing cover gasket. There really isnt enough room to get a slide in there to remove the balancer. My 3055 barely has enough room as well, but I think I can get a slide in there.

Bummer man, if they are pulling the engine then that price is pretty accurate. If they arnt somehow, then its probably a little high with 8 hours, replacing the seal should be no problem and is done easily, but if you have to pull the motor to do it thats another story.

I will be going down this road next year, my starboard engine has turned into an oil leaking pig.

Here is a pic of my old 5.7 98 2355 engine bay. Its a bit fuzzy, cell phone 4tw.

[2850Bounty]

Try to tighten all of the oil pan mounting bolts, and perhaps the timing chain cover bolts, before coming to the conclusion that the engine needs to be pulled.

15-25 minutes tops, unless access is horrible!

.

[Guest]

I just spoke to the shop again, I guess he said they don't know the actual seal that may be leaking they just tracked the leak to where the timing cover and oil pan meet the block.

Biohazard's picture is just like how my set up looks. Access isn't great to that area, I guess that's why the want to lift the motor to see where it is truly coming from. Also bad part, is they are several weeks behind right now.

Im going to put a haz-mat pad down by the leak to keep it from the bilge pump and check the oil after my weeken on the lake. If I'm not leaking too bad I may wait till the off season to fix it.

We have a small window of warm weather in Colorado, I'd hate to miss the season with the boat in the shop.

[2850Bounty]

Wipe the front of the engine down real well.

Run it until the leak would normally appear, and wipe again with a clean white cloth to help pin-point the leak.

Start high, and work your way down.

Tighten these bolts yourself (do not over-tighten), and repeat the test.

How much oil is being spilled?

Is the leak posing a danger to the engine oil level?

Can you live with it for a while?

.

[Guest]

2850Bounty wrote:
Wipe the front of the engine down real well.

Run it until the leak would normally appear, and wipe again with a clean white cloth to help pin-point the leak.

Start high, and work your way down.

Tighten these bolts yourself (do not over-tighten), and repeat the test.

How much oil is being spilled?

Is the leak posing a danger to the engine oil level?

Can you live with it for a while?

.

That's the problem, the leak is where you cant see it. I noticed I was a quart low at the beginning on the season so I added oil. Im going to try to see how much is leaking if it's not too bad I'll wait so I'm not down during the height of the summer.

It bums me out cause I just bought the boat a months or so ago. Of course it didn't leak when I checked out the boat.

[Guest]

If the timing cover is leaking at the corner were it meets the oil pan? then yes the motor should be pulled to fix correctly, the timing cover gasket has a small tab that over laps the oil pan gasket, might be able to loosen the oil pan enough to slip the tab in over the pan gasket, providing this is that style gasket,

[Guest]

tank1023 wrote:
That's the problem, the leak is where you cant see it. I noticed I was a quart low at the beginning on the season so I added oil. Im going to try to see how much is leaking if it's not too bad I'll wait so I'm not down during the height of the summer.

It bums me out cause I just bought the boat a months or so ago. Of course it didn't leak when I checked out the boat.

Unless you have oil floating in your bilge I wouldnt worry about it for now, fix it over the winter. Mine leaks in a few places around the oil pan, I just clean it up. Its not enough to pool just an annoyance.

[captharv]

It is fairly common for the pan itself to leak on the bottom. A good scrape and it rusts thru.

I think the timing chain cover tabs into the pan, so it also has to come off. Have him check the pan also.

When mine went on my 1985 engine, it had 800 hrs on it. My mechanic, whom I trust, said the chain was stretched and he wanted to replace it. he quoted 150 for a merc part, and 35 for a NASCAR quality timing chain. I had him put in the NASCAR one, as that is inside the engine and doe not have to be marine......

Dependent on hours, have that checked too.

Changing the chain is easy when the timing cover is off. Hard when you have to pull the engine again.

[Guest]

biohazard wrote:


I will be going down this road next year, my starboard engine has turned into an oil leaking pig.

Ahh good ol GM based engines...some things never change.

I too have done this job on two engines with a bit over 100k on them, only in trucks not a boat.

The gaskets are pretty poor quality and compress to the point of no more sealing. The first job I thought I could get away with loosening the pan and wiggling the timing cover out, but it still leaked and I ended up pulling the pan as well.

I would think it's doable in the boat if you can get the balancer off, just won't be a fun job. They are saying the balancer doesn't come off with the engine in or that the tool to remove the balancer doesn't fit?

[yachtman]

Tigjten the bolts first but if you do in fact have to fix a leak at the timing cover here is what you should consider. If its the timing cover youll have to pull the oil pan so change the oil pan gasket change out both crankshaft oil seals front and back while you are in there and the timing cover gasket. So you have a mechanical fuel pump? It could be coming from there if you have one. Just something else to check also.

[Guest]

Try going to the local autoparts store. Ask them for a bottle of tracer dye for engine oil. Clean entire area with brake clean or any good cleaner. Add the dye run the engine. Check for leak with UV light. Sometimes the leak can be spotted almost immediately, other times you may have to run the the engine for a while. Leak will show up bright yellow with the uv light. Check front harmonic balancer seal, lower lip seal, pan gasket corners. While you have the dye in it, also save your self some future work, and check the oil pan drain plug, cooler lines valve covers, ect.

Hope this helps

Frank

Ase Master tech.

Mercury marine tech

37 years experience

Bayliner 3870 twin hino 220

[Guest]

fnmvon wrote:
Try going to the local autoparts store. Ask them for a bottle of tracer dye for engine oil. Clean entire area with brake clean or any good cleaner. Add the dye run the engine. Check for leak with UV light. Sometimes the leak can be spotted almost immediately, other times you may have to run the the engine for a while. Leak will show up bright yellow with the uv light. Check front harmonic balancer seal, lower lip seal, pan gasket corners. While you have the dye in it, also save your self some future work, and check the oil pan drain plug, cooler lines valve covers, ect.

Hope this helps

Frank

Ase Master tech.

Mercury marine tech

37 years experience

Bayliner 3870 twin hino 220

Great ideas thanks!