Welded Wood
New member
I've got an '88 Malibu Sunsetter. I bought it about 5 years ago, it was impeccable, with only like 200 hrs on it. Supposedly a guy bought it new and kept it in dry storage except for once a year when his family came to see him, but it was maintained like it was used all the time. The first two years I had it, it ran perfect. I changed the impeller and had it winterized and every spring I had a complete service, fluids changed...... Then two years ago in the middle of the summer, we were cruising at about 25 mph, just a good speed, rpm's not high, temp gauge was fine, I can't remember now but I think the oil pressure always read between 40-45? I think. Anyway, all at once, the oil pressure gauge hit 0, totally bottomed out. I immediately shut it off, opened the engine compartment, and every drop of the oil was in the bottom of the hull. I got towed in. Got it on trailer, took it to a mechanic that said it looked like whoever changed the oil must not have screwed the oil filter on tight enough, so he put a new filter, and refilled the oil.... I never got it back in the water that year, so I had it winterized. Then the next summer, put it in, it ran great for 4-5 days, then one day, same thing, engine under no stress, not going fast, oil pressure and temp good, then , everything bottomed out. All the oil was in the bottom of the hull. Anybody got any clues what happened? If it were a blown head gasket would I have been able to run it for a week the second summer with no issues? I'd think the first time out it would leak oil, run hot...?? I drove it 15miles each way on the lake the day before it blew out, watching the gauges the whole time. Help?
