Honda BF225 water in the oil

Hey everyone. I've got a pair of 2008 BF225s on my Everglades. I had an issue with the port motor burning oil. While on the river coming in, I noticed it had alot of oil dripping down the side of the cowls making a nasty mess in the water. Great. I figured I had blown a head gasket. While disassembling, I noticed it had alot of water and oil mix in the left side of the engine (if you are standing behind the boat) so I popped the head off, had it surfaced, new Felpro head gasket, torqued, Yay! It ran great on the hose in the yard. Put it in the water and it pumped the block full of water. I took it home, took the head off and put a Honda head gasket in and new Honda head bolts. Put it back together, run it on the hose, runs great, so I take it back to the river and put it in. I run it for ten minutes and it fills the engine with water again. There is no water in the combustion chambers but it is pushing oily sludge out of the exhaust in the prop. Any guesses? I'm thinking maybe a cracked head at this point. But, my BF225s both have ZY3-1-HF cast onto the head. Is that the head part number? I've searched for that and can't find any heads by that part number.

Quick update. I had the foot off the engine while diagnosing the head gasket as i was trying to see up inside to see where the oil sludge was coming. When the foot came off, the water tube from the water pump to the engine was stuck in the pump. Inside the extension case was a chewed up rubber sleeve and a stainless washer. While sitting here brainstorming, I looked up the gasket between the engine and the oil pan and discovered Part # GROMMET, WATER TUBE 19252-ZY3-000 . I believe I found my leak. I'm going to take the extension case off and see if I am indeed missing this grommet which appears to seal the tube to the engine inside the oil tank area.

Ok so I got it apart and took the oil pan off. The exhaust pipe on the affected side of the engine had a massive exhaust leak and it was blowing directly onto the oilpan. The inside of the oilpan was correspondingly dark and even in the water jacket there was evidence of overheating. But, there was no massive evidence of leakage however, it just started so perhaps there isn't a stain? Anyway, I believe Im getting water into the oil and vice versa here where the exhaust runs thru the pan and where the waterjacket goes. Ordering all new gaskets then reassembling.

Ingrampba said:

Ok so I got it apart and took the oil pan off. The exhaust pipe on the affected side of the engine had a massive exhaust leak and it was blowing directly onto the oilpan. The inside of the oilpan was correspondingly dark and even in the water jacket there was evidence of overheating. But, there was no massive evideView attachment 29101View attachment 29102nce of leakage however, it just started so perhaps there isn't a stain? Anyway, I believe Im getting water into the oil and vice versa here where the exhaust runs thru the pan and where the waterjacket goes. Ordering all new gaskets then reassembling.View attachment 29100

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So, I ordered a new pan gasket, exhaust gaskets, and the rubber plug for the water tube. Put it all back together, put the boat in the water, it fills the oilpan full of water in ten minutes. This is after replacing the head gaskets on the left head as well. its only getting oil/water mix in the left side of the engine if your are standing behind the motor. Its not getting into the water jacket on the right side so so far I have avoided taking that head off. Somewhere water is coming in under pressure and in the left side cooling jacket and fill the oil pan with water. Anyone have any ideas?

Still stumped. New head gaskets on both heads. New pan gasket. New water tube grommet. I'm wondering if I have either a failed head casting or failed oil pan casting. I'm going to take the foot off and hook a water hose directly to the water tube and pressurize the cooling system to try to see where the water is coming from and how its getting into the oil tank. Oil is also getting into the coolant as its coming out of the exhaust mixed with cooling water.... the saga continues.

So I believe I hve found the source of my issue. The previous owner had a "mechanic" who worked on the boat. His work was atrocious at best. When they put a new shortblock in the port motor, he did a poor job. When I got the boat, the 2 bolts that hold the housing together under the left side exhaust housing were not installed. I just assumed that the holes were empty castings. They are not. They hold the midcase together. Because the bolts were missing, water pressure eventually separated the cases allowing water under pressure to escape into the oil pan and for oil to enter the cooling jacket on the left side of the engine. I discovered all of this when I purchased another 225 yesterday and it had bolts in those holes. I asked the dealer that I bought the 225 from if the lack of those bolts would cause my issue. He said absolutely. So, after replacing both head gaskets, exhaust gaskets, mid case gaskets, heads, and four oil changes, it was the lack of these two bolts in the midcase under the exhaust manifold that caused the water intrusion.

Sorry you had to go thru all of this because of 2 bolts, but glad you figured it out!

I am happy for you that your issue has been resolved.
A shop manual might have been of help to determine if the holes were indeed missing screws or were just part of the casting.
Obviously the threads have not been compromised.

I have the manual. There are alot of empty castings on the bf225. Its hard to know which ones have bolts or supposed to have bolts in them.

Hi,
I was following your posts but didn't have any knowledge of what might be the cause of the leakage. I'm glad you finally figured it out.

Now, you're saying that you bought another outboard? I'm guessing to replace the one that was leaking?

So, now you have a "spare"?

MAN! That's a hard way to go!

But at least you solved the mystery!

jgmo said:

Hi,
I was following your posts but didn't have any knowledge of what might be the cause of the leakage. I'm glad you finally figured it out.

Now, you're saying that you bought another outboard? I'm guessing to replace the one that was leaking?

So, now you have a "spare"?

MAN! That's a hard way to go!

But at least you solved the mystery!

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I spoke too soon. The dealer and his mech were sure that was the issue. Well, after 2 different heads, new head gaskets, oil pan gaskets exhaust gaskets, and those two pesky bolts, I put it in the water today and filled the oilpan with water in less than 4 minutes. Its mixing oil and water and also pushing oil/water out the cooling system on the left side of the engine. So, I guess I'll swap the mid case out with the one I got with the spare 225 I picked up on Friday and swap out the oil pans just in case its a cracked pan. Have to change the oil and filter again (this is the 5th time). sigh.

Ingrampba said:

I spoke too soon. The dealer and his mech were sure that was the issue. Well, after 2 different heads, new head gaskets, oil pan gaskets exhaust gaskets, and those two pesky bolts, I put it in the water today and filled the oilpan with water in less than 4 minutes. Its mixing oil and water and also pushing oil/water out the cooling system on the left side of the engine. So, I guess I'll swap the mid case out with the one I got with the spare 225 I picked up on Friday and swap out the oil pans just in case its a cracked pan. Have to change the oil and filter again (this is the 5th time). sigh.

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Eureka! By accident I forgot to drain the oil pan before removing the foot and lower case. Oil n water start pouring out of the lower unit. I quickly get it off and shine a light up into the engine. I had it tilted almost all the way up to get the lower unit off. I see where mocha latte is coming out of the drains in the midplate gasket. I pop off the mid case and peel the metal back and can now see my problem. The mid case had a small hole in it from corrosion. Half of a stick of steel stick and no more leaks.... finally solved.

in thr pic I held a flashlight in the oil galley and you can see the hole at the bottom next to the bolts.

So...leaving those two bolts out as mentioned before is ok then?

KIDDING!....but couldn't resist ;>)

Seriously though....
Iooking at the picture of that hole in the case the metal looks pretty "thick" there. As in possibly 1/8" or so. Is it? Or is that just my imagination and a trick of the light?

jgmo said:

So...leaving those two bolts out as mentioned before is ok then?

KIDDING!....but couldn't resist ;>)

Seriously though....
Iooking at the picture of that hole in the case the metal looks pretty "thick" there. As in possibly 1/8" or so. Is it? Or is that just my imagination and a trick of the light?

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It was pretty thick but it also formed a natural pocket where sedument accumulated and eventually corroded it out. I filled the area with steel stick. The problem is corrosion has already set in so eventually it'll corrode around the epoxy. I plan on replacing the mid mount this winter.

Interesting for sure!

Hopefully your struggles and, more importantly, the story you have provided about finding the source of the leak, will help others avoid all the work you had to go through.

Thanks for the obviously painful blow by blow narrative.

You sir possess tons of tenacity!