# Boat experts: What did I do to my boat? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 21, 2011, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boat-experts-what-did-i-do-to-my-boat/582692 "2011-05-21T16:16:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2011, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boat-experts-what-did-i-do-to-my-boat/582692/1 "2011-05-21T16:16:59Z")
95 Bayliner inboard/outboard. They dropped the lake about 20 feet last night and I woke up this morning with the boat partially beached. It was leaning almost 90 degrees to port, stuck on a rock at the bow and at the stern by the propeller. I used lever and boards to pry the bow off of the rock. It freed, but the stern was still planted by the prop, and the boat was probably at a 45 degree to port. I climbed in the boat, raised the prop and it leveled out. I pushed it free. It started okay, but when I got up to speed it was spewing a milky-white water/oil mixture out of the engine. Then I lost all oil pressure (I guess I was losing it as I went). I shut it down, rowed it to the neighbors dock. I came back here, popped a beer and logged in to the dope. So, any ideas on how I fucked up my nice new (to me) boat? ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2011, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boat-experts-what-did-i-do-to-my-boat/582692/2 "2011-05-21T17:07:08Z")
I’m not a mechanic, but it sounds like the radical list allowed oil to get into the fuel system. That could mean you’re either out of oil or your plugs are gummed up. ( or both). Try checking and topping off your oil and changing the spark plug(s). ---
**Author:** ![Nametag](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nametag/32/406_2.png) [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2011, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boat-experts-what-did-i-do-to-my-boat/582692/3 "2011-05-21T17:18:02Z")
Spewing out of the engine? Spewing where, the exhaust? Water intrusion through the exhaust is apparently quite common in beached boats; I also suspect it’s quite easy to crack a gasket if the engine is resting on its prop (though I’m no expert), and the loss of pressure suggests that to me. Unbalanced force, strain, distortion, you get the idea. Don’t start the engine again; get thee to a marine engine mechanic and beg him to save your engine. ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2011, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boat-experts-what-did-i-do-to-my-boat/582692/4 "2011-05-21T17:24:02Z")
> [@Nametag](#): > > Spewing out of the engine? Spewing where, the exhaust? Spewing out of the top of the engine somewhere and into the boat. The back is full of this white-milky stuff. ---
**Author:** ![JBDivmstr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b4bc9f/32.png) [@JBDivmstr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JBDivmstr)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2011, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boat-experts-what-did-i-do-to-my-boat/582692/5 "2011-05-21T18:21:31Z")
What kind of motor does it have? And by, “Spewing out of the top of the engine”, is it coming out of, or from around, the cylinder head? The milky white description, is usually indicative of motor oil mixed with water. That is, on automobiles… boats usually draw water out of the lake/river, etc. and pump it thru a heat exchanger. Regardless, the loss of oil pressure is a sure sign of a serious problem. :eek: If it were me, I would heed Elmer J. Fudd’s advice, check the oil and spark plugs. If it has a dedicated cooling system, you might want to check the fluid level in that, also. If all of your fluid levels are ok, and there doesn’t seem to be any water in the oil, try starting it and keep a close eye on the oil pressure. :dubious: If your oil pressure is still low/not registering, I would not start the engine again, and heed Nametag’s advice… “Don’t start the engine again; get thee to a marine engine mechanic and beg him to save your engine.” Good luck… (And please, let us know what you find out.) 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![JBDivmstr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b4bc9f/32.png) [@JBDivmstr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JBDivmstr)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2011, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boat-experts-what-did-i-do-to-my-boat/582692/6 "2011-05-21T18:32:09Z")
20 feet?! In _ **one** _ night?:eek: Out of curiosity, what lake are we talking about? And how big is it, approx.?😕 Man, that’s a **hell** of a drop in water level, in _ **just** _ one night!:dubious: ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2011, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boat-experts-what-did-i-do-to-my-boat/582692/7 "2011-05-21T19:30:33Z")
In looking at various boat threads your issue (milky water-oil coming out of top of engine) seems mainly related to water infiltration due to poor winterization causing a 1:cracked block 2:a cracked manifold intake 3: blown head gasket Since yours is (seemingly) not temp stress related it sounds pretty much like what Nametag suggested. ---
**Author:** ![NinetyWt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/cc9497/32.png) [@NinetyWt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinetyWt)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2011, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boat-experts-what-did-i-do-to-my-boat/582692/8 "2011-05-22T00:10:03Z")
> [@JBDivmstr](#): > > 20 feet?! In _ **one** _ night?:eek: > Out of curiosity, what lake are we talking about? And how big is it, approx.?😕 > > Man, that’s a **hell** of a drop in water level, in _ **just** _ one night!:dubious: This is my question too. That has got to be a huge outlet. Either that or the dam broke. ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2011, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boat-experts-what-did-i-do-to-my-boat/582692/9 "2011-05-22T01:43:50Z")
> [@JBDivmstr](#): > > 20 feet?! In _ **one** _ night?:eek: > Out of curiosity, what lake are we talking about? And how big is it, approx.?😕 > > Man, that’s a **hell** of a drop in water level, in _ **just** _ one night!:dubious: Sorry, I meant 20 linear feet. In other words the shoreline receded 20 feet. I looked up the stats and it really dropped 6 feet. It’s Tygart Lake near Grafton, WV. 1750 acres. I started to change the oil, but there is so much oily residue in the stern that it is going to need a hell of a cleaning. So I took it out and will take it to the mechanic to give it a once over. Thanks for the advice. ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2011, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boat-experts-what-did-i-do-to-my-boat/582692/10 "2011-05-22T02:37:24Z")
Oh, and any suggestions on how to clean the oily filth that is in the carpets, upholstery, etc? Seems like a nightmare. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2011, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boat-experts-what-did-i-do-to-my-boat/582692/11 "2011-05-22T02:41:57Z")
[Dawn dishwashing liquid](http://www.dawn-dish.com/en_US/home.do) is a very powerful degreaser, and is what many hazardous material crews use to clean up highway oil spills. Might be worth a try along with some moderately applied pressure washing. > **[Dawn Dishwashing Liquid](https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dawn-Dishwashing-Liquid/103499359705928)** > [@](#): > > From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia > Dawn is a brand of dishwashing liquid owned by Procter & Gamble. Introduced in 1973, it is the best-selling brand of dishwashing liquid in the United States. Besides being used for dishwashing purposes, Dawn products are also used to remove grease from other items, such as animal fat spilled onto highways, and oil on animals, such as during the Exxon Valdez and Deepwater Horizon oil spills. Procter & Gamble has run advertisements in the past that promote Dawn as the best product to use when cleaning animals that have been affected by oil spills . ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2011, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boat-experts-what-did-i-do-to-my-boat/582692/12 "2011-05-22T12:44:00Z")
MILKY WHITE = boater nightmare. Water has intruded into the engine. It is mixing with oil and causing a milky or milkshake-like substance to overfill the sump… and it will find its way out. Your engine is rusting. You have 24-48 to take action. All milky oil must be pumped out and the engine must be ‘pickled’ or cleaned completely and thoroughly immediately. The source of the trouble is a headgasket, warped head from overheating, failed exhaust cooling jacket/joints. ---
**Author:** ![JBDivmstr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b4bc9f/32.png) [@JBDivmstr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JBDivmstr)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2011, 11:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boat-experts-what-did-i-do-to-my-boat/582692/13 "2011-05-23T11:04:01Z")
Hmmm… Not that I’m doubting you, but 6’ is still a hell of a drop, in just one night.:eek: At least, that would be pretty significant in any of the lakes around here, that I’m familiar with. Did you find out **why** they dropped the water level, so fast?😕 Oh, and good luck with the boat motor, hope it isn’t a major problem.🙂 (Although, it sounds like it couldn’t get a whole lot _ **more** _ “major”, than what it _already is_.:() ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2011, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boat-experts-what-did-i-do-to-my-boat/582692/14 "2011-05-23T16:41:59Z")
News [article](http://wvgazette.com/Outdoors/201105071542) on the fluctuating water level.