Atomic 4 meltdown

[cygnus x1]

Lost oil pressure, alarm when off, shut engine down, bildge was filed with oil. I got it back to the dock, tried to add oil, ran straight through to bildge. Could not see where leak was from. Engine turns over, not locked up? Pulling engine to have a look-see? Any ideas, seals, etc? Block damage? Rebuild (short block replacement)?

[Ball Racing]

Oil pan may be rusted through.

[joe_db]

I can't even imagine what else it could be.
You 'll need to pull the engine to replace it.

[romantic comedy]

May be the valve cover?????
How about all the oil pressure take off points.

I would keep looking before you pull the engine. i would think that a pan leak would start out small. You seem to have a huge leak, that should be easy to find.

[ndutton]

If you're pouring it in and it's going right through to the bilge with the engine at rest there's a 'hole in the bucket', gotta be. Your quick shut down may have saved you.

[cygnus x1]

Thanks All. I talked with Ken (THANKS Ken) at Moyer Marine and he said the same thing. I could not find anything by a good look see with a mirror or feeling around with my hand. Very little working room in a Catalina C30. I'm having it pulled so I can get a better look. It has 3000 + hrs and was smoking badly (tried the MM oil treatment over the winter layup) so I was planning on at least a ring job this winter. I guess it was more tired than I thought!

[sastanley]

Nah...it is just your motor telling you to get on with the ring job!

Welcome to the forum!

(sidebar) - Is the name of your C-30 "Cygnus"? That was the old name of my boat, before a proper renaming ceremony.

[cygnus x1]

Actually boat name is MAHAHO, which is Cree Indian for water spirit. My user name comes from a Rush song, but is also a black hole, kind of like a boat "hole in the water where you throw money". So maybe I should have named it that way? I will have to figure out how to add my info, '80 Catalina C30 TRBS, hull number 1704, out of Douglas, Michigan.
As far as the leak, the engine was pulled today at the marina, and they said they could not see any hole in the oil pan??? I won't get a chance to get over there until the weekend...so??? I said to add oil and see where it comes out (rocket science?). I guess it just disappeared into that black hole.

[67c&ccorv]

Are you certain you didn't overfill the engine with oil and it leaked out of the front air seal on the crankshaft?

Which isn't a "seal" at all...just a gap.

[cygnus x1]

Dip stick showed no oil...it was all in the bilge. Added two quarts, so it would not have overfilled. I let the marina know that exact thing.

[sastanley]

Stop paying the marina.."thanks for yanking it guys, I'll be over in a few days".
They usually charge by the hour!

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[JOHN COOKSON]

Catastrophic Failure Of The Rear Oil Seal?

As far as the leak, the engine was pulled today at the marina, and they said they could not see any hole in the oil pan???

Is this possible???? With no hole in the oil pan I can't think of anything else.

TRUE GRIT

[joe_db]

Put more oil in and see what happens

Is this possible???? With no hole in the oil pan I can't think of anything else.

TRUE GRIT

[Marian Claire]

Do you have the 2 to 1 reduction gear? I believe it has a drain plug and if it "fell" out it could dump oil. Dan S/V Marian Claire

[sastanley]

Dan, Catalina 30, so almost 100% sure he's got a direct drive. The prop shaft heads under the floor at the aft end of the engine compartment...not enough room to bolt on a reduction gear.

But, it never hurts to make suggestions and ask questions since none of us really know what is wrong yet.