OIL GONE! ZIP! NADA!

[northchannelsailor]

I will try to get a phone or mirror view this weekend. Stay tuned. Still having a hard time getting my head around a pan. Especially in a fresh water environment

[northchannelsailor]

NCS, Welcome. I've done a few races on a Hughes 38 way back in the day.

That must of been a blast. Any stories to share? Check out this video of a race from hull 1

https://youtu.be/9D7kBtdMM9g

[joe_db]

I will try to get a phone or mirror view this weekend. Stay tuned. Still having a hard time getting my head around a pan. Especially in a fresh water environment

There is literally no other way for the oil to get out unless the drain plug came out.

[sastanley]

Even though I've never done it myself, removing the motor is not that big of a deal. 310lbs. all up. Given your motor location, maybe you can rig something onto the boom and to a winch to crank her out of there, then slide it back on some webbing strops along the boom and up into the cockpit!

[northchannelsailor]

Ya I'm over it. Laying on my belly and scratching my head. The time is near.

[northchannelsailor]

Weapons of choice.


Some shots underneath and near the front of the suspected leaks. What am I looking at?

[Marty Levenson]

drain plug?

Could that be the drain plug? Can you feel it with your fingertips? It looks like it protrudes (ie., it has a plug screwed in), but if instead, that is a hole then perhaps the plug is gone...?

Does someone recall where the drain plug is located on the pan?

Another possibility is a slow leak: loose plug or no gasket?

[joe_db]

I think the drain is in the side - forward end.

https://www.moyermarine.com/mmi360/r6z1.html

[Administrator]

Yep. It's on the same side of the engine as the shift lever and at the opposite end of the engine. The Westerbeke manual (here) around page 98 or so says it's a pipe plug, so no gasket, I'm guessing.

Should be obvious to your weapons of choice.

Good call, Joe/Marty.

You don't by chance see a pipe plug in the bilge? Or maybe the PO removed it in a crude attempt to change the oil?

Don't pull anything just yet, I'd say...

Bill

[ndutton]

Don't pull anything just yet, I'd say...

I disagree. Even if the plug has disappeared (best case scenario), if he can neither see nor touch it there's no way he'll be able to replace it. I still vote for raising the engine out of its hole to get to the bottom of this. It's been going on for at least a week already and could have been resolved in a day (if it is actually the plug).

[Administrator]

I would take those few minutes to be sure about the plug.

Bill

[roadnsky]

Yep. It's on the same side of the engine as the shift lever and at the opposite end of the engine...

Here's a pic...

[ndutton]

Just my opinion

If it's the plug, the engine needs to come out of its hole to replace. If it's not the plug, all other possibilities that result in losing all oil with the engine at rest involve the pan which also necessitates pulling the engine up and out of its hole.

I don't see any way it can be avoided so the sooner the better. It sounds like a lot of work but it really isn't. Shaft, fuel line, water hose, exhaust, cables and wires, maybe two hours round trip.

[Marty Levenson]

engine pull

If you do need to pull the A4, be absolutely sure the output coupling is completely disengaged from the shaft before lifting! For me, a bent shaft was quite expensive and time-consuming to replace.

[joe_db]

If it is the plug, you might be able to reach down there. If not, you only "sort of" have to remove the engine. Probably just lift it 6 inches, put the plug in, and lower it back.
This does raise an issue - how the heck did it come out? Did the PO reach down there and loosen it?