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Water in the oil. 40Hp outboard, 3 cyl, fuel injected, 2014

Phil46

New member
New to the forum and would appreciate any help your willing to offer.
About me... I have a lot of experience repairing, overhauling and rebuilding gas automotive engines. Both old and new. I have NO experience working on outboard motors.
My boat... 40ELPT, 4 stroke, built 2014, 3 cylinder, fuel injected. S/N 1C293198. I have had the boat for a few years, bought it used. The boat had 67 hours when purchased and has 99 hours now. My Vessel View Mobile device shows no error codes.
The problem... last fall when I changed the oil found a light brown mixture in the crankcase, definitely water. I changed the oil and filter and have run the boat for about 3 to 4 hours since. The oil is again showing as a light brown mixture. Not as much oil as before but still water in the oil. Tried to convice my self it was not water... put a small amount in a glass jar and after about 3 or 4 days the water evaporated from the milky brown solution and left only oil.
What I know now... which is very little. The compression in the cylinders is 165, 170, 168 psi. The plugs are lightly carbon fouled and had a light coating of oil on the tips when removed. The plugs are Champion RA8HC as recommended on the lable attached to the motor.
In cars this is usually a head gasket problem or a hole in the water pump. So I know to check the head gasket and the water pump. I have read several previous posts on the forum and now know to check the exhaust manifold gasket.
Any advice or suggestions would be appreciated.
Do I need to pull the engine out of the outboard housing? I think yes since I don't see how I would disassemble the motor if I don't but an not sure. Any suggestions on which manual I should get for disassembly/reassembly procedures/instructions? I do need a manual. So far the only thing I have seen for 2014 4 stroke outboards is to purchase an online manual subscription.
 
"I thought this was pretty standard in most outboards. I have had this problem(?) with my boat since I first bought it 4 years ago. I change the gear oil every year and a small amount of water shows up at the end of each season. I thought the reason for changing the gear oil was to prevent the water from separating and cracking the lower unit. I changed mine as a precaution but I know a great many people that don't change their gear oil every year and have never had a problem. My motor is a 2 stroke, oil injected, therefore can't comment on water in oil on a 4 stroke. Just make sure you change your gear oil every year."
 
Thank you for your reply. I have not seen water in the lower unit oil but will watch for that to happen. My problem is the crankcase oil.
 
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