Oil in the Bilge

[texasprinter]

I recently restored my S2 8.5 and had the engine area spotless. I decided to replace the oil pressure gage with a mechanical gage. I tested it and ran the engine for an hour.
I took the boat out for a sail the following week and the oil pressure alarm went off. I shut the engine off and ran down and looked into the engine room and to my surprise there was oil all over the place! The shaking of the one cylinder Yanmar shook the fitting loose at the engine. Several quarts of oil are now in the bilge. I shut my bilge pump off and got towed back to the marina. I have Sea Tow insurance but my buddies wanted to tow me in. I bought two cases of beer for them!
I put new oil in the engine and the engine turns over but does not start. Hopefully the engine is not ruined.
Does anyone have any ideas on how to get the oil out of the bilge? I put in a product called Bio Bilge that someone referred to me.
I just ordered another oil pressure gage but this one is electrical instead of mechanical.
Also what should I check on the engine since the oil ran out. It was only running for about 45 minutes.

 

[BobM]

There are a number of oil absorbent pillows you can use. I bought a reusable one when I was in a similar situation (diesel in my bilge). You just wring out the reusable one. Since it is quite a way down the one I used I tied a rope to.

http://shop.sailboatowners.com/prod.php?11362

 

[onecoolair]

I recently restored my S2 8.5 and had the engine area spotless. I decided to replace the oil pressure gage with a mechanical gage. I tested it and ran the engine for an hour.
I took the boat out for a sail the following week and the oil pressure alarm went off. I shut the engine off and ran down and looked into the engine room and to my surprise there was oil all over the place! The shaking of the one cylinder Yanmar shook the fitting loose at the engine. Several quarts of oil are now in the bilge. I shut my bilge pump off and got towed back to the marina. I have Sea Tow insurance but my buddies wanted to tow me in. I bought two cases of beer for them!
I put new oil in the engine and the engine turns over but does not start. Hopefully the engine is not ruined.
Does anyone have any ideas on how to get the oil out of the bilge? I put in a product called Bio Bilge that someone referred to me.
I just ordered another oil pressure gage but this one is electrical instead of mechanical.
Also what should I check on the engine since the oil ran out. It was only running for about 45 minutes.

Texas......Go to the local Walmart in Kemah park in back at the automotive area so as to avoid the masses. See if you can find this stuff call Purple Power should be in the R/V area. You may find some oil assorbent towels. Don't forget the blue shop towells too. Get a buck or two, plastic funnels. If you do not have one get a manual hand pump. Next you need some empty coolant containers check with guys in the auto bay. They will also take all your used oil and properly dispose. Line the area around your bildge with shop towels as well as the area where you will be pouring oil from bucket. Check and tape up manuel pump so you do not have any leaks. Now carefully pump oil into buckets. For the last bit of oil start adding the Purple Power . Once you get to a certain point it will then be safe to start flushing and pumping bildge out with the Purple Power and fresh water. Scrubbing and rinsing all stained areas with the degreaser it should get out most all staining. You can even use it in the wash to remove oil stains from clothing or cushion covers. I once had a large 6qt container of new oil sitting on the shelf in lazzerette above gen. It suddenly sprang a leak. I was lucky that evening I was on board and just happened to catch it just before the bilge could kick on. I poured this Purple Power stuff on the shelf and let it follow the path to the bilge. Where I was able to do just what I decribed above. We no longer buy the large qt oil containers chevron or other wise not even in the dock box. Buy only the smaller 1qt containers and they are then placed in a bucket sometimes two buckets. Lessens learned.

 

[BobT]

Damage would depend on how quickly the engine was shut down after the alarm sounded.
15 seconds? more? hope not... Can you borrow a compression tester?

 

[jrowan]

I had the same boat as yours. The 1 cylinder Yanmar will shake your fillings out its so noisy. Its a tough son of a gun, but if she went dry then you may have burnt up your piston rings and killed the compression. Since Yanmars don't have glow plugs to aid in starting they totally rely on high compression to start the engine. You can try to do a compression test to find out for sure. If its under 200 pounds then your looking at an engine rebuild. Ps. Also check the mounts for your water muffler & motor mounts. That engine shakes so hard all of those bolts were completely loose after 30 years of rumbling around on my S 2. Good luck.