Water in engine oil - How common ?
 

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

In article ,
Ralph Modica wrote:

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

Water in Base Oil s ALWAYS a problem that needs correcting ASAP. You
should do an oil change and replace the oil filter before you run the
engine any more. If it was me, I would then put about 10 hours of
a Good hard run on the engine and do another oil change. Are you in
Salt water, or do you run a Heat Exchanger? I suspect that it is a wet
exhaust with no heat exchanger. If this is salt water, you got a
serious problem. If it is fresh water, it is bad, but not as serious as
if it were salt water. Either way, don't let that contaminated oil sit
in the engine.


Bruce in alaska
--
add a 2 before @

Thanks for the feedback !

It is a raw water cooling system and used in salt water, so definitely a
problem. I've talked with an independant Volvo mechanic who noted this is a
KNOWN problem with Volvo engines and has to do with valve timing. He
recommended our dealer check and adjust the "timing module" however, from what I
know of engines, the valve timing is VERY much tied into how the mechanical
pieces are put together and is NOT "electrically adjustable".

Also, I found on the BoatUS consumer site that water ingestion is a problem
unanticipated by boat manufacturers. Volvo & Mercruiser have apparently made
some design changes to prevent water ingestion issues. When boaters experience
the problem and are out of warranty, they are usually stuck with the repair
costs - something that SHOULD have been prevented by a better design of the
exhaust system. I purchased this boat with the implied fitness of it to be used
on the water under boating conditions. To now find that I have purchased a
vessel that is not exactly designed for the expected typical boating use
conditions is not acceptable.

I've left a message at the dealer's service department advising this is a KNOWN
problem and I expect them to address a permanent fix - such as engine
replacement WITH the newest anti-water-ingestion design changes. (The boat is
less than one year old and has 73 hours total on it. Additionally, we have had
an unusual amount of problems with it since new)

Should the dealer or manufacturer(s) (LARSON & VOLVO) decide to give me a
run-around, then I will consider pursuing legal remedy - possibly class-action
suit for a defective design affecting many boaters with similar engine issues.

Regards,
Ralph


Bruce in Alaska wrote:

In article ,
Ralph Modica wrote:

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

Water in Base Oil s ALWAYS a problem that needs correcting ASAP. You
should do an oil change and replace the oil filter before you run the
engine any more. If it was me, I would then put about 10 hours of
a Good hard run on the engine and do another oil change. Are you in
Salt water, or do you run a Heat Exchanger? I suspect that it is a wet
exhaust with no heat exchanger. If this is salt water, you got a
serious problem. If it is fresh water, it is bad, but not as serious as
if it were salt water. Either way, don't let that contaminated oil sit
in the engine.

Bruce in alaska
--
add a 2 before @

Normally after water ingestion one does an oil change, run for maybe
5 or 10 minutes then do another oil change before running the engine
under serious load and RPM. Then I would change it again. I can forsee\NO
situation where water in the oil is an accepted situation. I'd find a new
mechanic!

Doug
s/v Callista

"Bruce in Alaska" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Ralph Modica wrote:

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

Water in Base Oil s ALWAYS a problem that needs correcting ASAP. You
should do an oil change and replace the oil filter before you run the
engine any more. If it was me, I would then put about 10 hours of
a Good hard run on the engine and do another oil change. Are you in
Salt water, or do you run a Heat Exchanger? I suspect that it is a wet
exhaust with no heat exchanger. If this is salt water, you got a
serious problem. If it is fresh water, it is bad, but not as serious as
if it were salt water. Either way, don't let that contaminated oil sit
in the engine.


Bruce in alaska
--
add a 2 before @