Water in Oil Problem

[ScCoghill]

First time user so bare with me...I have 2000.5 Maxxum 2300SR with the 5.7 Mercruiser and an Alpha 1 outdrive. The other day we started the engine to warm the oil for annual oil change. Found white milky color oil after running for 10 minutes on the foot. The guy who came to change the oil took the coolant hoses off the manifolds and bypassed them to try and pressure test the cooling system. When he did this, the water began to come into the top of the valve covers. We drained out all the oil and water and then commpression checked the motor (185 PSI on all 8). I then put in 5 qts of new oil and cranked the motor up to at least get some oil back up in top of motor. Several people told me to yank intake and I found plastic gaskets and alot of rust on the bolts and gaskets. All the bolts seemed awful loose as well. My question is: 1. How do I get all the remaining water out of engine once I put it back together? 2. Is there a certain gasket that seems to work better? I have a friend who works for NAPA and he said the plastic intake gaskets on the 2000 model GM motors were junk. I hate to pull heads or buy long block if the problem was the intake gaskets. Anyone have anything to offer about this problem? I also tried to pressure check cooling system but it wouldn't hold air prior to intake coming off.
VR,
Scott Coghill

[marshmat]

Oh, dear.... this kind of crap always happens JUST out of warranty...

Getting water out of where it shoudn't be is a bit of a pain. And you can't start it up until you do, else you'll damage it. Patience and a lot of soft clean cloths....

I'd just go with a generic aftermarket gasket; you might have to have one custom-cut by your local gasket shop. From what you describe about water coming into the valce covers you may have more leaks in other gaskets, which will also have to be replaced. Take a torque wrench and the shop manual, and get all the bolts to proper spec'd torque with the new gaskets. You'll probably have to go back and check these again after a bit of running.

[PowerTech]

just get some replacement gaskets from the local mercruser dealer and reasimble that motor pronto.get it running soon like tomarow and change the oil a few times and then run the shit out of it checking the oil often.Take a good look at the exhaust manifolds remove the 4 bolts on top very easy thing to do and check them out,It's a cheap gasket to buy.What you are looking for is water leaking from the manifold water jacket into the center of it where the exhaust goes.If you see streaks outside were the gasket is on the manifold it is leaking inside to.But what ever you do don't bull shit around looking for a cheaper or better gasket you can do that later just stick something in there and fire it up.I don't know were the water came from but I do know it needs to get out rite now.

[gonzo]

Standard procedure is to run the engine untils all the water evaporates. If you can't do that, then fill it to the top with kerosene or diesel fuel to prevent rusting. It takes very little time to cause major damage.