PCM 343 Oil Leak

[tftackett01]

I've got a 2008 SV211 with the PCM 343 with about 1200 hrs. I'm losing oil into the bilge area. I'm running Castrol GTX 10W40. I couldn't locate the leak so I carried it to our local inboard dealer (Axis/Malibu/Moomba) who is PCM certified. After running the boat, degreasing bilge, and running again, he said that he couldn't locate the leak. He then proceeded to tell me that they also had problems on those 343 5.7L engines on the older Axis boats when they were used surfing, or running with the bow high. Something about the oil pan being shallow on the front of the engine. He recommended switching to a straight 40W oil.

I personally think that he didn't care to work on the boat since it wasn't purchased from him, and had rather just sell me a new T22.

Has anyone else had problems losing oil and been told something similar?

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[Quinner]

Who changed the oil last?? Re: the leak, Are you absolutely certain the rubber gasket came off with the old oil filter?? Would also suggest using 15w-40 per PCM's recommendation not 10w-40. 15w-40 Rotella is good stuff, will be labeled Diesel Oil, that's OK.

[skiinxs]

Could be the oil pan rusting through. This has been a known problem, surprised your PCM tech didn't know about it.

[Evening Shade]

I previously had a ZR450 that would leak oil in the bilge. My Nautique dealer could never locate a leak. The only place I could find a possible leak was from the oil filter. Oil would slowly leak until it fill the lip of the oil filter and would then overflow and run down the side of the oil filter into the bilge. No matter how tight I screwed the oil filter on it would still leak a little bit.

[tftackett01]

Who changed the oil last?? Re: the leak, Are you absolutely certain the rubber gasket came off with the old oil filter?? Would also suggest using 15w-40 per PCM's recommendation not 10w-40. 15w-40 Rotella is good stuff, will be labeled Diesel Oil, that's OK.

Oil was changed last spring by a dealer (a different Axis/Malibu dealer). I've always had a great experience with them. They just happen to be 3 hours away and I also have to pull the boat through some of the worst traffic/drivers in America to get to them. Thought I'd try to give this local guy an opportunity since they're 30 minutes away.

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[tftackett01]

I'm going to try slipping a piece of white posterboard underneath the engine this weekend and letting it sit for several days to maybe narrow it down.

Ive owned it for four summers and never lost a drop of oil until last summer

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[Quinner]

The oil filter would be an easy check, get a plastic bag underneath/around it and unscrew and remove the old filter, check the filter as well as mating surface for rubber gaskets, if you find 2 you most likely found your leak, get a new filter and replace it (likely a Motorcraft FL1a) and then top off the oil. You could re-use the old filter if you choose, for $5 I would just replace. FYI, always lubricate the gasket before installing the filter.

[skiinxs]

I had one a few years ago that had a bad oil filter adapter causing the same leak @Evening Shade mentioned. It would fill up the groove in the top of the filter (I never actually let it get to the point where it would spill over). At first I assumed that the factory filter wasn't tight enough or had a bad seal. But after I did the first oil change with a good filter (K&N) and it did the same thing, I knew it had to be the adapter. After changing the adapter I never had another drop in the groove. It must have been slightly warped or just not a flat mating surface. A few years earlier I had one that leaked but the mating surface on the adapter had paint on one side, you could see a tape line where the masking tape allowed paint on the mating surface. If a leaking filter is your issue, it will be easy to see oil in the groove on the top of the oil filter.

[Jimboslice54]

Could be the rear main seal, seen that before. You hit any stumps lately?
Have you checked your drain hose for any cracks?

[tftackett01]

Could be the rear main seal, seen that before. You hit any stumps lately?
Have you checked your drain hose for any cracks?

Haven't hit anything.

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[teamseal]

There are numerous places your engine could leak. two very common areas are oil pan drain kit at the pan. The SBC oil pan has a propensity to rust out around that thread boss. Another place I have seen leakage is the remote oil filter hose fittings. have actually seen the inside of the AN fitting crack and cause leaking and the harder one tries to tighten the worse the leaking gets. Bad news if you brought it to this shop I would pull the engine/trans to find it if it was not immediately evident as to where it was coming from.

[tftackett01]

There are numerous places your engine could leak. two very common areas are oil pan drain kit at the pan. The SBC oil pan has a propensity to rust out around that thread boss. Another place I have seen leakage is the remote oil filter hose fittings. have actually seen the inside of the AN fitting crack and cause leaking and the harder one tries to tighten the worse the leaking gets. Bad news if you brought it to this shop I would pull the engine/trans to find it if it was not immediately evident as to where it was coming from.

How many hours would you normally charge to pull and reinstall the engine?

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