Well, I did it today, I took out my boat and while riding I noticed that the port engine on our 1986 Sea-Ray Sundancer's oil gauge began to drop significantly and about after 15 minutes of running cruising speed it dropped into the red zone. *I immediately shut off that engine and checked the oil dipstick to find out that it was very low. *I also noticed that the engine "room" had oil splattered everywhere. *I had to get back to my dock on one engine, 8 miles from the dock, with a top speed of 6. *Well, after a bit of tweaking the trim and raising the bad engine's stern drive up, I was able to get it moving to 8 m.p.h. *It took me almost an hour to get to the dock. *Does anybody possibly know what could have gone wrong? *The engine is a Mercruiser 4 cyl. producing 190 hp.
My friend was thinking that it was a seal in the engine, but he says that was just a guess. *Any information on it would be appreciative.

Anyone do an oil filter change not to long ago??
Maybe 2 oil filter gaskets and only 1 filter.. *http://www.snowmobileworld-s2.com/forums/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sarcasm.gif

Steve,
* *My god I didn't even knoe that they made a 190hp 4cyl. That has to be really pushing those poor lil' 4's. *But down to business, your going to have to fill it with oil then run it most likely to find the leak. Have you looked around for a leak? The rear seal could've let loose, oil filter, & oil galley plug. Your valve cover gasket could've let loose also. Is the oil splattered around or on the bottom sloshing around? Don't take it in unless you have to as they are FREAKING EXPENSIVE. I'd be more than happy to come check it out monday night or tuesday. *Be glad that you caught the drop in oil pressure, my friend wasn't so lucky as his warning shut off failed on a $25,000 HI-PERF. engine in his Fountain. Imagine 850HP running dry spinning 5,500 rpm's. You are lucky Steve. You can email me directly at clamley@yahoo.com if you want some help as I have the time most of this week. Maybe we can have you back in the water by the 4th. I check my and this site several times a day.
Caleb

Well, I just got done talking to my borthers Girlfriends father, who is an expierienced mechanic, who is going to charge me $15 and hour plus parts, I find this rather cheap compaired to "Harbor Marine" *where we have previosely have taken it, they charge $90 an hour! *Sled Dogg, thanks for the offer, but I'm going to be out of town for the next week and a half.

And yes, that 190 4-cyl is pretty odd, I have so much room in there I could probably fit in another one. *When I talked to him he said the same thing you did, and he'll be happy to do the work for me. *

* * * *Something that really makes me mad is that I've lost pressure in that engine once last year, but that time when I looked for oil, I didn't see any, so I just poured in a quart and took off, she ran fine and then I put it away for the season and told the guy that charges $90 an hour to work on it over the winter, but he didn't.

* * * * Sled Dogg, do you know where the toledo harbour light is? *That is where I was when I had to shut it down, and it was a long ride home to bolles harbor.

sled dogg them 4 cyl marine engines can be made to rock. my uncle has a mini stock(chevette) with what started out as a 3 litre 4 cyl. omc, same as the 2.5 iron duke from pontiac,anyhow this engine now hits 325 hp. can be seen at the montville michigan track.I will not go into how he gets his power as he builds engines on the side for extra money and he would not find this funny if I was to let it out.I will however tell you that gaerte and a couple others including esslinger make some super hot 4 cyl. for usac midget div. these are in the 350 hp range.gaerte's engine is just a simple small bock chevy that has half the cyl. cut off,not really he has his own casting now,but they were in the begining.essliger builds ford design engines last one i worked on was a 2.3 ltr. same design of the mighty pinto.

I know what can be done to those 2.3's. But a boat motor is the most stressed motor you'll find and to put that duke in it at 190 HP is insane I say. They make 190HP v-6's for boats. I know plenty of people that have had trouble with the 120, 130, and 140 hp motors. Especially if they tried to prop them.
Caleb

I myself would take the 4 cyl. over the v-6 for one reason there is a main journal between every rod not the case on the v-6's.I know marine engines are stressed they are under constant loads for long periods.that is why I would chose the 4 cyl. the design lends itself to durability.I would tend to think,not seeing the engine to know for sure,that they had to much prop when they changed and spun the motor to high.I see myself going into a v.p. prop story,I will not but ,I will say that they are the best investment a underpowered boat owner could make.that is coming from a guy that builds engines on the side.I tell all that ask about boat engine mods(especially v-6& 4cyl. owners) to start there and if they cannot find what they want call, they never do.which is good because I cannot give them what they want if the prop did not take care of it.they do not work well on big engine boats all big blocks that we tried just cavitated right away and fell on their faces.