oil leak

[Bill G.]

HI Guys,need some help figuring out an oil leak.A small amount turned up in my bilge on my starboard 230 mercruiser.Checked under with a mirror,looked at dipstick on pan seemed ok small drip at back of engine been there since I owned.1st time in winter lay-up I've seen this oil, hard to see under the outer side of motor is that where the drain plug would be?Other than a small drip couldn't really see anything else,know it's gotta be coming from somewhere.The amount I would descibe as if you spilled some into the funnel and missed but enough to notice.As someone said to me even as we stand here something on our boats is breaking!.Thanks for any help.

Bill G.

[CaptPatrick]

Bill,

Impossible to say from your description, but it doesn't sound a big deal at this time...

Clean up your engines very well, clean the bilges, and spread oil absorber sheets under the engines. This will make it easy to track the source when the next drop falls. The absorbers won't let the oil in the bilge run down hill; the drip will stay directly below the source.

Br,

Patrick

[In Memory Walter K]

Wipe it dry and spread paper towels under the engine to find the exact area of the leak. Then feel around with your dry clean hands for wet spots. I had a similar problem on my B-20 and it turned out to be a pin hole in the oil pan which was almost impossible to see. Unfortunately I had to pull the engine to replace the pan. I was surprised how thin the replacement pan was. Hopefully, you'll find the problem is something simpler. Walter

[STraenkle]

Did you check the oil cooler?

[Rawleigh]

And oil cooler hoses. Remember that a drop of oil can travel pretty far from its source on all of the hoses and wires on the engine. Clean the engine and bilge, find the drip point and then work your way back up whatever is oily!

[Bill G.]

Thanks gentlemen for the input.I think Capt. Patrick's advice with laying down some absorbing sheets(should have thought of that)is next.I did not see any oil running down the hull and the oil does look like it could have been in the area of the cooler hoses,maybe I'll get lucky for once.Any other input is welcomed.
Bill

[Bruce]

Small blocks.
Rocker covers and intake end gaskets are a common leak point.
Grommet around rocker cover vent hose leaks sometimes.

Oil filter remote adaptor if you have one.

Start at the top and find out where it gets wet first.

[Bob H.]

I had major trouble with a mercruiser big block, shellfish in the oil cooler and the remote oil filter leaked constantly, tightened it up and the vibration as well as heat caused the leak to return. BH