Water in oil

ultimatesailer · #1 11-08-2012

On a Universal diesel 5411 with water in the oil, what is the best way to proceed? I have taken the raw water pump off and put it on tap water pressure and no leaks. I have looked at the high elbows on the exhaust and no water is back flowing. I have replaced the small plate gasket under the timing cover. I have replaced the head gasket and shim. Still getting water in the oil. Changed oil 7 times so far. I was going to remove engine and take off the oil pan and put tap water pressure on the cooling system to see if I could determine underneath where the water is coming from. Anyone else ever deal with this issue? Tkx

hellosailor · #2 11-08-2012

Generally not a good idea to supply pressurized water into an engine, because it can back up in the exhaust, flood the cylinders, hydrolock them and cause damage as well as rust the cylinder walls and slip past the rings and into your oil.

Water in the oil could be a corroded cooling passage but most likely is a blown head gasket. Compression testing, etc. may be able to find that.

johnnyquest37 · #3 11-08-2012

I was having now and then water in the oil of my Universal M-35b. Eventually determined the source was my PSS dripless shaft seal. It had a seawater supply plumbed to the engine's seawater intake hose. When sailing and heeled, the water apparently flowed from the shaft seal, into the seawater intake for the engine and ended up getting into the oil via the exhaust system.

sww914 · #4 11-08-2012

Sounds like a cracked head to me. When you find it you'll know. Was there any sign of water creeping past any of the previous 6 head gaskets? Did you have the head resurfaced? Magnafluxed?

Ferretchaser · #5 11-08-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by sww914

Sounds like a cracked head to me. When you find it you'll know. Was there any sign of water creeping past any of the previous 6 head gaskets? Did you have the head resurfaced? Magnafluxed?

I think you are spot on with that one.

ultimatesailer · #6 11-08-2012

There was no sign of problems with the head gasket. It was only replaced once but the oil was changed many time so the volume would not build up and blow a seal. Without a crack in the block or head how could the water get in the oil? Tkx

sww914 · #7 11-08-2012

If the head is warped it can pass between a water passage and an oil passage around the head gasket. Sorry I misread the head gaskets VS oil changes.

eherlihy · #8 11-08-2012

you can pressure test the cooling system with one of these;

Minnewaska · #9 11-08-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by ultimatesailer

There was no sign of problems with the head gasket. It was only replaced once but the oil was changed many time so the volume would not build up and blow a seal. Without a crack in the block or head how could the water get in the oil? Tkx

Unfortunately, you've probably covered the other reasons already.

As a slight possibility, your water pump may only leak when it's spinning, so your test may not have been good.

steel · #10 11-09-2012

So it doesn't leak with pressurized water in the cooling system. Maybe it only leaks when the engine is warmed up? If it's really not getting in from the cooling system, it must be sea water flowing in from something else, like the exhaust, or crankshaft seals.