water in oil

[Batabbom]

I have a 5.7 VP. I went to change the oil for the season finally. Anyway the oil was a brownish white color. I changed it 3 times and finally it looks ok. Besides a head gasket what else could cause water to get into the oil? Could fogging oil cause this from winterizing? Last thing I need is to throw alot more money into the boat but If I have to I will. Any suggestions on what I should check before getting into changing the head gaskets. I remember my mechanic I used last year said I had a crack in one of the exhaust boots but he said he short term fixed it. (because of time) and it would be ok for a while. Could this cause it?

[mikie]

If you have a separate oil cooler, it could develop a leak and put water into your oil. Otherwise, head gaskets or heads seem to be the most likely culprit. Can't see how fogging the engine would cause water to get into the oil. Have seen I/O overheat to the point where it actually stopped and sucked water up thru the exhaust into the motor as it cooled down.

[Batabbom]

Its not over heating at all. I'm not a 100 percent sure its water but I don't know what else it could be. Can water get in through the exhaust somehow without it being a head gasket. I'm not sure if i have a oil cooler.

[mikie]

The only other way for water to get into the oil through the exhaust would be to get into the cylinders through the valves, in which case it would at least miss and most likely bend something or lock up. An external oil cooler is a tube approximately 2"-3" in diameter and about 10"-12" long, one of the large water lines will go in one end and out the other, there would be two smaller (approx. 1/2") oil lines going into the side of the tube and to the motor.
Have you been running the motor and then checked to see if there is water in the oil again?

[Batabbom]

I ran the boat and checked the oil. There is still a small amount mixed in but nothing like when I first changed it. I am thinking whats there is from drainging down into the pan. I changed the plugs this weekend and all of them were carbonated from trolling. How can I tell if its the oil cooler?

[mikie]

Take the 2 oil lines off of the cooler and hook them together with a coupling. Leave the oil connections on the cooler open and run the engine for awhile - if any water comes out of the oil line connectors it's leaking. Or you can take it off and take it to a radiator shop or someplace where they can pressure test it.