43L water under distributor cap

"I have a 1991 Campion Allante

"I have a 1991 Campion Allante boat, 4.3L Inboard, 2BBL carburetor. I am getting water under the distributor cap and causing the engine to crossfire and misfire. Also when I pull the breathers out of the valve covers I am getting a small amount of steam along with the usual blow by. I have no water in the oil though which seems wierd to me. I think it could be an intake gasket leaking into the lifter valley and causing this steam. I also have done a compression test and that turned out well as all of the cylinders make around 160 psi.Any help would be appreciated."

Steam out of the breather? Are

Steam out of the breather? Are you sure?
Try condensing some vapor on a cold surface (like a mirror left in the freezer for a while) and see what you get.
Have you changed the oil lately?

Rod

Yes I have just changed the oi

Yes I have just changed the oil. I am 100% sure its water vapor out of the top of the valve covers and in the distributor cap.

"Is your bilge blower working?

"Is your bilge blower working? Do you run it all the time? You should. Is there standing water in the bilge continuously? Do you have an auto bilge pump? If the water in the bilge is not drained (more than a few cupfuls) then it becomes water vapor as the bilge air warms. The vapor will migrate everywhere it can. If you are getting a continuous accumulation of water in the bilge requiring pumping it out, find the leak and fix it.

Water vapor coming out of an engine is a byproduct of combustion. If your engine is not reaching the correct operating temp. then the vapor is not cooked out of the engine where it condenses. Change your thermostat to an OEM type.

The dist. cap has a gasket and a vent/drain. Is there a thin film of oil on the inside of the cap? Seal may be leaking moisture that is in the oil via the shaft. More likely the dist. gasket is defective and/or vent is plugged and the dist. cap may also have a fine crack in it.

Replace the cap and rotor after drying the dist components. It also may be time for a good set of wires. How old are the spark plugs? If the optic sensor under the rotor is heavily rusted (it will fail) it could be part of your misfire problem. New models won't rust; about $50."

"It sounds like you have cooli

"It sounds like you have cooling water getting into your oil sump or crankcase somewhere. You may have a cracked head, cracked block, or leaky head gasket.

Rod"

I have already replaced the di

I have already replaced the distributor cap and rotor with a new one. The bilge is as dry as a bone and always is. Is there any way to determine if it is the head gasket or intake gasket without taking it apart? Or is there a way to pressure test the cooling system like you do on a car cooling system? I don't think anything would be cracked because this problem started last summer so improperly draining the motor is a long shot I think anyways.

"You can pressure test a fresh

"You can pressure test a fresh water closed system. A raw water cooled engine can be done but will take several locking longnose pliers for the hoses to be pinched shut, two plates to seal the tops of the exhaust mans. and method to induce air pressure into the cooling system like replacing one hose with a bicycle tube w/air valve; gauge would help by installing in place of the temp. sender. Pump in 10-15 psi and see if it holds."

I think Guy's first note s

I think Guy's first note says a lot. Moisture is a normal part of combustion and will be more visible if the engine isn't getting hot enough. Do we have the right thermostat in the engine?