'87 OMC 5.0, Need help!!!!!

Hey guys, new to the forum, this is my first post. I need some help. I have a 1987 Baylliner Capri which was given to me by my aunt. She believed the boat to have a cracked engine block as water was leaking into the oil and an uncommon amount of oil was in the bilge. Upon recieving the boat I took it down to the only marine shop around and asked them to take a look at it, citing the problems my aunt described to me as to why she believed it was a crack in the block. Well needles to say they said no crack, but the timing was off and the carb may need to be rebuilt. Well I took it out on the water and was not running well, would not go above 2500RPM. Took it back into the shop and they said to rebuild the carb.

So they rebuilt and the boat ran fine all season for me. Started great, pulled hard, and had great top end. Honestly it ran like it was almost new. Come fall I took it to a guy downtown who was willing to winterize for me for cheap, and he gets to looking at the motor and tells me there is all kinds of water in the oil, and that the block is cracked and I need a new motor. Well he is just trying to sell me a motor, but I do believe him. The oil on the heads is white, and it's white all the way down at the bottom of the dipstick. Thing that bothers me is that it ran great, not common with a motor that has a cracked block, or even busted head gasket because it would have lost compression and not run well.

Here's the deal. I got the boat for free. I'm a 20 year old college student with hardly any money, and I want the boat to work. Last time I had it in the water it was running great, and I want it to continue to run that way. I'd love to rebuild it but don't want to pay the money. If all else I will just run the crap out of it until the motor goes and then get another motor and fix the boat up nice in 3 years when I have the money after I graduate. I was wondering if you guys had any idea on what I can do, either to fix it or to keep it from losing oil and/or water getting in the oil.

Long story I know but I'm real fond of this boat, I learned to ski on it and it's what gave me my passion for boating; we would always go down to my aunts lakehouse and enjoy time on the water. Help me out, how can I save her??


Specs:
1987 Bayliner 1950 Capri
19' Bowrider
5.0 Liter OMC
305ci Chevy Block

 

This is a quick and dirty way to maybe fix it. It doesn't always work. Disconnect the intake water hose from the transom shield. Disconnect the hoses to the exhaust manifolds. Connect a garden hose to the exhaust manifolds so you can run the engine without burning the exhaust hoses. Route the water hoses into a container and run the engine with block sealer that you can buy at any automotive supply. If the crack is small it will fix it. Good luck.

 

Sounds like good advice.

I just wanted to recommend the Bayliner Owners Club, too. Its a good forum, and you will get alot of hits, probably stir up a hornets nest by not fixing "properly" and aggressively, but explain just like you did here, and weed out what you can use. There are alot of mechanics who specialize in I/O's there.

If you are attached to the boat, you can learn alot about it at the BOC, meet other enthusiasts. Become an active member, and you will be rewarded.

General web address:

http://p076.ezboard.com/bbocweb


And the "technical forum" is where you want to post:

http://p076.ezboard.com/fbocwebtechnicaldiscussion


Good Luck,

Mike

 

I´ve been through that!!!

I faced the same situation 6 months ago. My Ford 5.8 had water in the oil but was running fine for some time, just a little bit hard to start, the problem was a leakage on the exhaust manifold. It went down through the exhaust pipes, the combustion chamber, passed by the rings and accumulated at the oil pan. It ruinned the engine and i had to complete overhaul it. I suggest you check the exhaust manifolds and mainly the risers.
Good luck!!!