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1985 OMC stringer 800 with a 4.3 possible cracked engine block

weterthebetter

weterthebetter

Member
I had a Topic on can you repace engine without pulling the out drive.
Thank you for the replies.

Now may not have to pull engine,
I gave the cooling system a leak test of 23 lbs of air, the results was no leakage.
The puzzling thing is the oil is milky. I changed the oil and filter twice.
The engine runs great, but how is the water get in the oil??
The only cracks I found was each exhaust manifolds has a crack along the bottom about 3-4 " long.
Any body have any input on this??
I was going to do a Compression test to check each cylinder for PSI but got snowed out.
I let the cooling system with 23 lbs of PSI for one hour, no loss if PSI.
Thank you
 
weterthebetter said:
I had a Topic on can you repace engine without pulling the out drive.
Thank you for the replies.

Now may not have to pull engine,
I gave the cooling system a leak test of 23 lbs of air, the results was no leakage.
The puzzling thing is the oil is milky. I changed the oil and filter twice.
The engine runs great, but how is the water get in the oil??
The only cracks I found was each exhaust manifolds has a crack along the bottom about 3-4 " long.
Any body have any input on this??
I was going to do a Compression test to check each cylinder for PSI but got snowed out.
I let the cooling system with 23 lbs of PSI for one hour, no loss if PSI.
Thank you
Click to expand...


If the Water can only come from the cooling system , Wouldn't pressurizing the system show if there is a leak?
operating temperature might show a leak.
I'll try doing another pressure test with a higher PSI may be 50 PSI might show something different
Those two Exhaust manifolds cracks on the bottom shouldn't cause water to get in the oil,Right.
 
weterthebetter said:
If the Water can only come from the cooling system , Wouldn't pressurizing the system show if there is a leak?
operating temperature might show a leak.
I'll try doing another pressure test with a higher PSI may be 50 PSI might show something different
Those two Exhaust manifolds cracks on the bottom shouldn't cause water to get in the oil,Right.
Click to expand...


I guess I would not be able to patch the exhaust manifold inside.
​​​​​​​Will a 1987 Cobra OMC work, I can get two for 189.00
thank you
 
Ayuh,.... Did ya Drain the block, before ya did the pressure test,..??

If not, do so, 'n test again,....
I'd like to see 20 psi held 24 hours,.....

The '87 motors won't fit, as they're not '85s which is the only vintage block that'll fit yer parts,....
The '87 exhaust manifolds are bat-wings that won't fit yer drive, 'n are well known to be junk, because of core shift durin' the castin' process leads to catastrophic failure, destroyin' the motor in the incident,....
 
bondo said:
Ayuh,.... Did ya Drain the block, before ya did the pressure test,..??

If not, do so, 'n test again,....
I'd like to see 20 psi held 24 hours,.....

The '87 motors won't fit, as they're not '85s which is the only vintage block that'll fit yer parts,....
The '87 exhaust manifolds are bat-wings that won't fit yer drive, 'n are well known to be junk, because of core shift durin' the castin' process leads to catastrophic failure, destroyin' the motor in the incident,....
Click to expand...

So 1985 exhaust manifolds are the only ones that will fit, just like the engine.?
What are they called ,so I can get a replacement manifold ,
I was looking at a set manifolds that said fit 1985 -1990
s-l64.jpg
 
Last edited:
Ayuh,..... Again, the 4.3l from 1985 was produced 1 year, 'n 1 year only, the rear main seal, 'n Block castin' changed in 1986, which won't bolt to yer drive,....

Yer drive was discontinued in 1985,....
The Cobra came out in 1986,....
The exhaust connections changed when the Stringer died, 'n the Cobra came out,.....
Stringer drive exhaust manifolds are nothin' like those used on the Cobra,....
Different connections to the drive,.... Motor connection didn't change,....
The batwing manifolds, like in yer picture, are known for catastrophic failures from core shift durin' the castin' process, causin' instant motor destruction,....
And,... The outlets of the batwings won't fit to the exhaust openin's of the stringer drive, 'cause there's no parts to do so, as OMC never used the 2 together,....

With creative engineerin',....
It's "Possible" to put traditional 2 pc. manifolds, 'n risers onto the motor, 'n rig some plumbin' to get the exhaust into the Stringer's exhaust outlets,....

In all honesty, go back to yer plan to part out this barge,....
Yer tryin' to polish a turd,.....
 
In all honesty, go back to yer plan to part out this barge,....
Yer tryin' to polish a turd,.....[/QUOTE]

Yep,I get it, Thanks for your input.
I had enough of this turd, are shipwreck marine salvage yard has closed down, so hopefully this 1985 can find a home for parts.
 
Thank you all for your help.
Finally after 3 days of snow I got uncover the project.
I found out Where the water got into my 1985 4.3 OMC STRINGER.
I found the fuel pump gasket upside down causing the engine to let water into the engine when I steam cleaned
the bulge area and engine.
Engine cylinders PSI 160 in all except one it was 155 PSI
Cooling System PSI check was 20 PSI for 6 hrs, three days later still holding 5 PSI.
Got new used Batwings, old ones were cracked on the out side.
She Runs great,
I changed the milky oil and filter 3 times,
I wonder how many times more I will have to change the oil and filter to clear up the milky oil?

Here is the set up I used to check for cracked block,heads.cooling system.

PSITESTERSYSTEM.jpg


4.3eng.jpg

4.3.jpg
 
I wonder how many times more I will have to change the oil and filter to clear up the milky oil?
Click to expand...

Ayuh,.... Easiest way is to Run it,.....

The remainin' water will steam off,.... evaporate,.....
 
Hey GUYS an GALS, The project is done , Thanks to all of you that gave me input and answers.
After draining and flushing the milky oil three times, I poured a couple of quarts down each head and let it drain
out of the oil pan, filled it up with 4.5 gallons of oil new filter and there we go no more milky oil.
She runs like a top 160 PSI in each Cylinder ex cept one and it is 155 PSI . .
Now it is time for Cosmetics and wait till the snow melts.
Thanks again for all that helped.
 
weterthebetter said:
Hey GUYS an GALS, The project is done , Thanks to all of you that gave me input and answers.
After draining and flushing the milky oil three times, I poured a couple of quarts down each head and let it drain
out of the oil pan, filled it up with 4.5 gallons of oil new filter and there we go no more milky oil.
She runs like a top 160 PSI in each Cylinder ex cept one and it is 155 PSI . .
Now it is time for Cosmetics and wait till the snow melts.
Thanks again for all that helped.
Click to expand...

May we assume that is a typ-o?


.
 
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