in the middle of my 3week Cruise I noticed oil leaking from the engine. It was very hard to pinpoint the source. I thought it might be coming from somewhere around the HP fuel pump. A very knowledgeable friend suggested the dipstick. We tried taping the dipstick with duck tape and strategic placement of oil absorption pads around the engine. Thought it was the dipstick for a bit but it returned with it sealed.
My son joined us and looked. He said it was coming from behind the fwd stbd motor mount. While I trusted his opinion I knew that wasn’t it because those bolts are all dry - meaning no oil behind them, and nothing could escape even if the bolts were removed.
Once back home (and many oil pads later) I pitched fluorescent dye and black light. Guess what - the oil was coming from the motor mount - impossible but true. I pulled the mount and found different sized bolts in each of the three fasteners holding the mount to the engine. Some time in the past 2 of the holes were ruined, one was origional, one had a thread insert, one was over drilled and tapped. All connected to engine oil. A quick cleanup and good goop down with permitex #2 and all is good
Moral of the story is don’t overlook the impossible sources or you could be eating crow for a long time.
Photo 1: selfie of me looking for oil leak. Be sure and don’t let the better half know you can see bodily fluids with the light and glasses or you’ll be cleaning the head for a while
Photo 2: the greenish color is the dyed oil.
Les
My son joined us and looked. He said it was coming from behind the fwd stbd motor mount. While I trusted his opinion I knew that wasn’t it because those bolts are all dry - meaning no oil behind them, and nothing could escape even if the bolts were removed.
Once back home (and many oil pads later) I pitched fluorescent dye and black light. Guess what - the oil was coming from the motor mount - impossible but true. I pulled the mount and found different sized bolts in each of the three fasteners holding the mount to the engine. Some time in the past 2 of the holes were ruined, one was origional, one had a thread insert, one was over drilled and tapped. All connected to engine oil. A quick cleanup and good goop down with permitex #2 and all is good
Moral of the story is don’t overlook the impossible sources or you could be eating crow for a long time.
Photo 1: selfie of me looking for oil leak. Be sure and don’t let the better half know you can see bodily fluids with the light and glasses or you’ll be cleaning the head for a while
Photo 2: the greenish color is the dyed oil.
Les
