Frozen M-18 - Rebuildable?

[Jimski]

2 part question:
1. I have a frozen M-18 that's been in my garage for 2 years. It froze after sucking water through the exhaust and filling up the crank with seawatar then sitting for 2 months. I replaced it with a used engine off ebay for $1500. The frozen engine has been sitting in my garage burred under crap for 2 years. Is it rebuildable after sitting this long?

2. Now 2 years later, the ebay engine is still running OK, but is leaking much oil into the bilge. The source of the oil leak appears to be the dipstick tube. The dipstick is popping out of the tube, then oil is blown out. I believe the dipstick is popping out of the tube due to excessive blow-by. Is this a sign this engine has seen better days? Or is there another reason this might happen?

I hate oil leaks. Seeking advice on how to proceed to an oil free bilge.

Boat is Catalina 30.

Thanks
Jim

 

[Justin_NSA]

Rust and pitting of bearing and ring surfaces are what I'd expect to see. You won't know until you open it up.

 

[Jim26m]

1. If you didn't tear it down, and dry it, or fill it with oil before you stored it, odds are you have the beginnings of a good mooring block... If you have nothing else to do, tear it down and take a look. I would rebuild the running engine before I went after one that froze from water intrusion.

2. Check your crankcase breather tube and filter for clogging (is the eBay engine an m18 also?). Crankcase over-pressure can be caused by clogged crankcase vent system. Hope it's that simple.

Good luck!

 

[Justin_NSA]

I hate oil leaks. Seeking advice on how to proceed to an oil free bilge.

Boat is Catalina 30.

Thanks
Jim

this is more than just an oil leak. You are wise to want to fix the problem.

 

[Jim26m]

this is more than just an oil leak. You are wise to watch to fix the problem.

High crankcase pressure is bad.

 

[Jimski]

Yes the ebay engine is an M-18. I will have to inspect the crankcase breather.

Oh, one other tidbit - the oil consumption is 1 quart in 50 hours. That seems high for an engine this small. Does not look like its being burn, though there is a lot of steam. I am looking into why the water flow rate out the exhaust is abnormally low. Impeller was just replaced in October.

 

[jssailem]

@Jimski You may have a piece of the impeller broken free and clogging your raw water lines. You may have clogs in your heat exchanger. You may have a problem with your new impeller.

I would look to the heat exchanger first. While at it I would have the HE boiled out at a local radiator shop. Cost about $65 up here in the PacificNW. This will give you a chance to install a new seal on the HE and the process will verify that there are no leaks (all good info in my experience). While at it I would inspect all hoses to assure no plugging or leaks.

Then test the system by starting your engine and observing the water in the exhaust. If still not flowing in volume, then inspect the water intake and any strainer for debris blocking your water intake.

Let us know your results. Good luck.

 

[Jim26m]

You could easily blow a quart out of the dipstick in 50 hours, but you should be able to tell if you've added a quart to the engine room/bilge... if it's not burning it, most likely it's leaking or blowing out.

How does the engine run, otherwise? Reasonable power, starting, etc?

Just for an additional data point for the group, is the engine running hot, or at normal temperature, when you're seeing steam in the exhaust?

 

[Stu Jackson]

Have you considered getting a new dipstick? If the rubber seal is dead, it'll do that. Least expensive first step. Good luck.

Next is checking the oil breather. Many of us have routed it to the air intake. It came with just a hose to the engine floor pan.

 

[kappykaplan]

Many of us have routed it to the air intake.

 

[HMT2]

Have you considered getting a new dipstick? If the rubber seal is dead, it'll do that. Least expensive first step.

Had a similar problem, new dipstick no problem.

 

[Afrakes]

Run a compression test on the engine before you do anything else. Sounds like the problem might not be solved with a new dipstick and or seal. Had a similar issue on an M-12. It needed to be rebuilt. Time to pop the head on the seized M-18 and take a look. Won't cost you much time. How many hours did it have on it?

 

[jibes138]

Take the oil pan off the engine in the garage and see what the lower end looks like. If the crank, cam, bearings, pushrods, gears, cylinders, etc. are all rusted up you're in a heap of trouble. This is a lot easier to check than pulling the head.