Milkshake oil

[laserfish]

2000 model 21V. Help all! I do not want to do more than I have to, but want to do everything I need. Went to change the oil this year and it was like pancake batter, thick batter! Also found a blown freeze plug. My gut says to pull the motor, drop the pan, clean everything, check the bearings. Pull the intake and valve cover gaskets and check everything. It could be as simple as an intake gasket and as bad as a cracked block. It was running so I know there is no water in the cylinders.
To pull the motor do I remove the bellhousing from the block, trans from the bellhousing or remove everything at once?

[UNSTUCK]

Well you really can’t hurt it any more by running it now. If this was my boat I’d replace the freeze plug, change the oil with the cheapest oil I could find, and run it on a fake a lake. Get it warm then drop the oil again. Refill it with more cheap new oil and run it again till it’s warm. Check the oil. Is it getting cleaner or is it just as nasty as when you started? This will tell you if you have more issues or if you got lucky.

[gumby]

Missing freeze plug? and water in the oil. 9 times out of 10 block is cracked. one time the head is cracked. I wouldn't spend the money buying new bearings and all the gaskets to put it all together to find out the block is cracked. I would get the motor out. How? not sure I have never pulled one. I think I would separate the V drive from the tranny and pull the motor and tranny together. if it is like my old DD there is a flex plate bolted to the flywheel. (kinda like a clutch) the center is splined so if the motor would go far enough towards the back of the boat you could separate at the bell housing. It went in so it will come out. Then... Tare it completely down send the block out to get checked for cracks.(It is cracked almost sure of it) If it pushed a freeze plug that is not brass. It is cracked. If it is brass you stand a SMALL small chance isn't. That will bring you to your next problem. now you have a motor that is tore down block is cracked are the Heads? Do you get a long block? Will they take your core in pieces? (Not every one will) some want it together. You have paid for a hot tank. Do you just try to find a block? Pull the heads apart send them out to get checked? Valve job now new seats? Keep the the springs get new? Do you see what i am getting at? You have a huge basket of unknowns (Because it froze). Get the motor out buy a long block get the motor back in. Go boating. Next season don't think I live in Texas it don't get cold enough here!!! because it dose. Obviously.

[lee]

Try draining some of the oil out, pour in some transmission fluid and run engine. That will thin the "batter" so the rest will come out. Change the oil and see if you get more water in the oil when run it again.

[IDBoating]

It went in so it will come out.

The dirty little secret about that is the drivetrain is often installed before the top deck is attached to the hull. Makes things far easier at the factories... but servicing large items afterward can be a giant PITA. If you really want to learn this painful lesson, do engine work on a jetski. I have a 97 Seadoo GSX that, to work on the fuel tank, requires the entire engine and complex exhaust system to be removed! (The fuel tank is forward of the engine but the forward hatch isn't large enough to pass the fuel tank, so it has to come out via the under-seat opening where the engine lives.) This is painless at the factory because they build the entire machine, and only THEN attach the top deck.

On my 24Ve, there were foam blocks under the locker floors where the optional factory hard tanks would have been installed. Simply impossible to remove them in one piece, which means the hard tanks also would have been impossible. I sawed them in half with a hand saw and took them out in pieces. I have no idea what would have happened if it was necessary to replace one of the factory hard tanks.

[gumby]

I am just curious? or am I missing something? The freeze plug is out right? A bad head gasket doesn't push out freeze plugs do they? Bad intake gaskets don't push out freeze plugs do they? I might be wrong but it is kinda in the name "Freeze Plug" I am curious what I am missing? So do you think it had a bad intake/head gasket milked up the oil. Then the motor froze pushed out the freeze plug? In your case the block/heads might not be cracked? I don't see how you push out a freeze plug out of the motor with the motor not freezing. Someone please explain?

[KoolAid]

I am just curious? or am I missing something? The freeze plug is out right? A bad head gasket doesn't push out freeze plugs do they? Bad intake gaskets don't push out freeze plugs do they? I might be wrong but it is kinda in the name "Freeze Plug" I am curious what I am missing? So do you think it had a bad intake/head gasket milked up the oil. Then the motor froze pushed out the freeze plug? In your case the block/heads might not be cracked? I don't see how you push out a freeze plug out of the motor with the motor not freezing. Someone please explain?

Freeze plugs is just a bad name for them. They are really casting plugs. Term freeze plug was used as an indicator that the engine froze and is toast. The block could crack at the head or anywhere in the block. So hard to tell. Typically when they do not bring in water on the first few runs, by the end of the summer the heat cycle really brings the crack(s) open and then they finish off the engine. My guess is that the block cracked at the head and water is being sucked in.

His best bet is to find a 5.7L long block and swap it out. I personally do not feel that it's an "if" the engine is damaged, its a "it is" damaged and it's a matter of time before it shows it, even if it doesn't right off the bat.

[lee]

^^^^ Correct

[gumby]

ok so I am not crazy. Bad head gasket/intake don't push out freeze pugs. I guess we should call them sand plugs. They are there to dump the sand out of the casting after It is pored.The sand is hardened with resin and suffer dioxide(SO2) Then casted.The sand is then broken up and then poured out of the freeze plug holes.(sand makes the voids for the water jacket) My point was you are wasting money thinking you can get the milk out and but some new bearings in it slap it back together it will be fine. If the freeze plug is out milk in the oil block/heads are cracked. My thoughts were true in thinking that I might be missing something.I learn new things every day.

[UNSTUCK]

It's a fools game not to diagnose any failure. Especially a high price failure like this one. His "wasted money" will be a couple bucks spent on oil and some of his time. A failed freeze plug does not immediately mean cracked block. I've had a few go bad and leak/fall out in the summer heat of Arizona.

Yes, it is likely a block issue. Man, I'd feel stupid replacing a motor that needed minor repairs though that were easy enough for anyone to diagnose.

[laserfish]

Well, I did not feel like putting back what I had already removed from the engine. I was in the process of replacing the impeller when I discovered the freeze/sand plug out. The sheer volume of water/batter in the engine convinces me that there has to be a crack somewhere. There is approximately 800 hours on this engine. If the heads have no cracks, would you guys purchase a short block and reuse the heads or a complete long block and bolt everything to it. Can I go to someone like Jegs, Blueprint etc for the long block or do I need to get a marine rebuilder engine? There are probably only several million 5.7 gen II engines out there. Just trying to get input before making a hasty decision. Thanks for the opinions, I value the input.

[BrentP]

So what happened? Did it freeze for a long time you didnt expect?

[laserfish]

No idea. Always winterized. Maybe an early freeze I did not expect?? Wish I knew. Still kicking myself regardless.