Excessive moisture

[shibbs]

Hi all, I wonder if any of you technical chaps might be able to give some suggestions.
Ran the boat up today after its winter lay up.
Some of you may remember me having problems with milky oil in the rocker cover last year? Well on running up the steam coming from both the exhaust and the breathers on the rocker covers is excessive!!
To the point where when I take off the tube that runs from the rocker to the carb I've literally got moisture running back out of the tube.
Whilst this explains why my rockers have been going milky i can't figure out what's causing it.
I've got no signs at all of moisture in the sump oil, I've got a good flow of cold water to the leg for cooling and the engine is running at the correct temperature.
At 2000rpm you literally cannot see the leg for steam.
Anyone any ideas?

[ColinR]

I would suspect a head gasket failure I'm afraid.

[shibbs]

Thanks Colin, i thought this but why would both sides be exactly the same, chances of both head gaskets going is pretty slim is it not.
Also, would a head gasket cause the steam from the exhaust?

[Ianfs]

Shibbs

No signs of moisture in the sump oil?

I had an engine with no signs of water in the oil according to the dipstick, until I undid the sump plug. Then litres of milky water came out first.

I'm not suggesting this is what is happening with yours, but the only "true" test would be to open the sump plug and drain some oil into a container, just to test it.

Hang on a minute, didn't you do this already?

[shibbs]

I did, however, i will do it again tomorrow just to confirm!
I meant to do it today to confirm it but ran out of time.

[ColinR]

Thanks Colin, i thought this but why would both sides be exactly the same, chances of both head gaskets going is pretty slim is it not.
Also, would a head gasket cause the steam from the exhaust?

Good point.

A head gasket can cause steam from the exhaust, I've had that on a car, mind you it was a Capri. Everything fell apart on that

That one also filled the sump up with petrol when the rubber failed in the mechanical pump

[Ianfs]

According to the flow diagram in the manual, water flows through the front of the thermostat housing into the circulating pump. It's then pumped into the block either side where the circulating pump is bolted to it, but comes out the top of the inlet manifold and through the base of the thermostat housing . As far as I can see there is only one outlet into the thermostat housing, it is not separated so if one gasket has failed it will mix.

Which oil have you got in the engine?

[shibbs]

The plot thickens,
As for oil Ian, I can't remember what went in in November to be honest. 10:50 rings a bell.
Anyway.. I thought id narrowed it down to an inlet gasket leaking last night by doing lots of reading online, the symptoms fit!
This morning before starting to remove the inlet manifold I thought I'd just check the sump oil as discussed and then re check the compression on each cylinder.
Oil was fine in the sump.
Took plugs out and checked compression and it appears I have none, and I mean absolutely nothing on cylinder 2!!
So the inlet manifold is now coming off regardless!
I just hope it's not a piston or the rings!!

[Ianfs]

OK so the head will have to come off regardless. It could be a valve or a head gasket.

When you get it off, all will be revealed.

I asked about the oil only because I've used ordinary spec'd oil and the recommended Quicksilver oil and unbelievably have found that the recommended oil seems to make the engine run more smoothly.

[shibbs]

Ah i see Ian, Yes it was the correct oil as recommended.
As for the issue, I've discovered what is causing the moisture; the inlet manifold gasket was very slightly passing water from the center cooling ports which was then running into the middle of the V and getting pushed up into the rocker area. All cleaned and ready for a new gasket. I didn't put any sealant on last time i had it apart so can only assume it didn't seal correctly just on the gasket alone.
As for the compression, i took the head off, gasket 'seemed' ok, there were a couple of areas that were iffy but wouldn't have raised suspicion if there were no symptoms if that makes sense..
The piston is fully in tact, i checked the rings by putting some oil in the cylinder and that stayed in place. On looking at the head i can't see anything obvious wrong, and to give no compression in the cylinder i assumed it would be i.e, a hole in piston or a valve completely broken up.
Next is to test the seal on the valves, then to get it pressure checked i think at an engineer.
Stumped other than that.