my old volvo md5

[nickfabbri]

For six months of owning a boat I have been wondering about the state of my 1979 volvo penta md5b. It has been regularly serviced by the previous owners and now myself. The problem is that it leaks oil. I know that all old engines leak, however I would like to know how much is too much. I have looked at the engine and i think that the leak is from the sump gasket which was originally made of rubber. If this is the case then i figure that two or three tablespoons for a couple of hours motoring is not too bad as what is the worse that can happen if it is only a sump leak. However when i talk to the engine manufacturers who are very keen to sell me a 5k replacement it is a catastrophic leak. Not sure who to believe.

Thanks

 

[duncanmack]

Quote
" I know that all old engines leak"

That ain't necessarily so.

Gaskets leak - replace them.
Sumps leak - repairable/replaceable
Seals leak - usually replacable.
Joints leak - fixable.

Only if a crankshaft has a groove worn in it by a seal is it not readily fixable.
Or if the crankcase pressure is excessive and oil is blowing out the breather/dipstick/filler cap. Those need an engine overhaul to remedy.

Actually that last isn't strictly true. You can get engine flushes which DO free off sticky rings and additives which do sucessfully soften up hard oil seals. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[nickfabbri]

I know that I can change the seals,gaskets etc however it is a real bind as i need to lift the engine to do so. So is it going to be too much of a problem if the leak does not get any worse to just leave it?

 

[duncanmack]

I agree it's a PITA to do some of these.

The leak, if it's as you describe, isn't terminal or potentially catastrophic (engine-wise) The problem is how to stop it making a horrendous mess of your bilges ( just spent a load of time and effort cleaning 33 years of oily sh1te out of boat)

If you can catch the mess and dispose (ecologically) of it then that's exactly what I'd do. Oil absorbant sheets and pillows come to mind. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

If it's going to be pumped out with the bilgewater then it's a big no-no. If you get caught then fixing the leak would have been cheaper.

On a positive note, if you have a sligh top-end leak then the engine doesn't rust so much. The smell of warm engine oil can be very comforting.....

Fix the leaks when cleaning the mess up becomes too much of a chore.

Edited because I re-read the original Q.

If the leak IS from the sump gasket it may be possible to do a good temporary bodge by degreasing along th edge of the sump and applying silicone sealer. It won't last for ever but you might be amazed just how long it might do.

 

[nickfabbri]

Cheers. I think that as i have a bilge keeler the oil all collects in a little pool between the engine mounts. so i can collect it in a tupperware container