water in oil

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Aug 3, 2009
109
Catalina 30 great neck, ny
As a new boat owner after many years, I committed a foolish mistake and forgot to open the fresh water valve and ran my universal m18 until the impeller melted. I was coming out of a marina that had a repair shop and after a number of units, and telling me that they had to replace the pump, they certified that the engine was in goodshape. I was far from home port and it took three days to get there, one under motor. When I returned, I found that the pump leaked oil at the gasket and I topped off the oil. I then noticed that they level shot up above the "full line" and drained off the excess. The next day I ran the motor and found the oil level, again, above the full mark and checking the dip stick, the oil was milky. I removed the pump, drained the oil and found it was saturated with water. The pump did not look new, the gasket was the wrong one and I contacted the marina and they overnighted me a new Oberdofer. I installed the new one with a proper gasket, filled the crankcase and found, immediately, that there was oil/water present. I drained it again, refilled it and ran the motor for 15 minutes. The oil level remained constant, so far and I am hoping that this did the trick. If not, I will have to pull the head and possibly replace the head gasket. Has anyone had a similar problem? Does the pump sometimes leak water into the oil system?
 
Feb 26, 2004
23,074
Catalina 34 224 Maple Bay, BC, Canada
Pump seals in addition to impellers

If you ignore the tone of the fella who posted the linked topic, it describes how raw water pumps work, Sherwood, Oberdorfer, doesn't matter.

http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,5073.0.html

It sounds like between the wrong "mechanic" who gave you the wrong gasket, if you'd gotten a "new" pump then you should have received new seals and bushings which would have avoided water in your oil.

It aslso sounds like you got ripped off, because a burnt up impeller rarely means you need a new pump, and then they f-ed up the installation. Too bad they're so far away, but maybe you can get there by car more quickly. I'd be pretty mad at 'em.

They could well have left out a seal, causing your oil water mix!!!

Fix the pump properly, consider doing it yourself so you know how it is supposed to be done correctly, and take it step by step from there, by draining the oil/water mixture and see if the new pump seals solve the mixture in the future. Only you can tell what kinda damage may have occurred.

(When we first got our boat 11 years ago, we had a "weeping" pump, so I read up on it, found out it cost almost as much to have a shop replace the seals and the bushing on the old pump, so I bought a new pump, and installed it myself. I was, and still am, no genius or great diesel mechanic, but this ain't rocket science and you should learn how to do these kinds of things for your own safety. - editorial over)
 
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Mar 8, 2009
530
Catalina 22 Kemah,Texas
I am in total agreement. I understand not wanting to do it but i sleep better knowing its right when i am finished.
 
Jun 25, 2004
146
Catalina 310 Hilton Head
Yep, those universal's water pumps are shaft driven and water can get past the seal and into the oil. I rebuilt my fuel pump twice before a good mechanic figured it out.
 
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