Ralph,
This valve timing thing is a wives tale. All gasoline engines have some
valve overlap. The overlap uses gas inertia to breathe better and increase
the vollumetric efficiency. Typically, high performance engines use 106
degree valve centers and torque/ mid-speed work engines use between 108 and
114 degree centers. In all these cases, gas direction reversal only takes
place at very low speed and low throttle settings. (idle) The term for this
is reversion. This is what causes carborators to become black. It is exhaust
deposits. This can be a problem if there is excessive exhaust system back
pressure. However, in a marine environment, this would never cause water in
the oil, even if water vapor was being ingested at low speed, it would be
exhausted on the next cycle. It might make the idle a bit rough, but that is
all. My experience indicates a faulty exhaust manifold casting. Many of
these are porous or cracked and the water jacket, being higher than the
head, allows water to leak into the exhaust ports at shutdown and because
the engine is stopped, the water will slowly leak past the rings into the
pan. Another responder mentioned a head gasket leak and of course this is
possible, but on a relatively new engine, highly unlikely. To test for a
faulty manifold casting, it is necessary to use block off plates to the
water jacket and charge the water jacket with compressed air and watch for
leakdown.
Steve

"Ralph Modica" wrote in message
...
Hello :

I have a 2003 Larson Cabrio 254 Cabin Crusier w/73 hours on the 5.7 Volvo
Penta
I/O.

Have recently discovered water in the engine oil. The dealer's mechanic is
telling me this is "Normal" and may occur if the boat ingests water while
coming
down off-plane too rapidly or even if water is splashed too high while
putting
the boat in the water at a launch ramp.

Seems this is TOO easy an "explanation" for what I think is a defective
engine
gasket.
IF this IS something common, I'm amazed more people have not complained to
the
manufacturer's about designing their boats better to avoid water
ingestion.

I've also heard water ingestion is a common problem on Volvo 8-cylinder
I/O
engines. There is apparently a problem with valve timing being off - this
allows
the intake stroke to pull vacuum while an exhaust valve is still open,
thus
sucking water into the cylinders. Has anyone here heard of this or have
further
details ?

Thanks in advance !

Ralph