Occasional oil and antifreeze leak

[ArmySailor]

Greetings! I've got a strange problem on my Beta 20. After laying the boat up on the hard, there is a small amount of oil that leaked into the bilge. There also seems to be a little antifreeze. It seems to be about 1 oz or so. Definitely not just a few drops.

I know I'm not going crazy and imagining this, because the engine has it's own mini bilge, and I cleaned it thoroughly before laying the boat up. It was completely dry and oil free.


I change my oil every season when I winterize the boat. I completely drain and refill coolant once a year also, usually in summer. . Oh, but the antifreeze in the bilge is green, not my seasonal pink stuff.


No other engine problems or symptoms besides occasional low coolant that I top off every month or so. Sometimes white smoke when I start up on cold mornings.

Any ideas why a leak would occur over winter / spring? It's happened twice!

[tkeithlu]

One hypothesis would be that temperature cycles are pressurizing the systems, forcing leaks.

Another hypothesis would be that you have slow leaks and only notice them after months of accumulation.

Another would be that extraterrestial advanced aliens are trying to communicate through drip rate in your boat. UFO types are sure that this is the correct one, parsimony be damned.

I don't know. Is it creating problems beyond an increased budget for paper towels?

[ArmySailor]

Brilliant hypothesis! I think I'll look into the third as most likely. Gotta go reread that recently declassified govt report on UFOs.

But yes, functionally right now it's just a nuisance. However, I like to stay ahead of problems, and when a symptom like this magically appears I want to know the cause if possible.

And considering those fluids are the life blood of Irene (my engines name)...tres importante.

[stormalong]

Do you have a coolant recovery tank? It attaches to the tube at the base of the coolant cap and catches anything released from expansion due to heat. They are available at most auto parts stores. These tanks are designed to return the coolant to the heat exchanger when the engine gets cold and a vacuum is formed. My beta 50 always releases some coolant when the engine is driven hard.

Can't comment on the oil leak other than to check all of your connections. Do you have a remotely mounted oil filter? Are you tightening the oil filter according to spec? Are you noticing the oil directly under the oil breather tube where it hangs down from the valve cover?

BTW, there is no need to refresh coolant every year. Follow the recommendations in the owners manual.

[tkeithlu]

OK, get out the paper towels. See if you can trace the leaks upward, by wiping from the bottom above the puddles, seeing where the towels stain. Then clean everything above the puddles, and leave dry paper towels in place to catch the first drips. Tape them around hose fittings and other joints. Come back later and see if you've got some spotting. It's a process of chasing the !@#$%^&* leak to its source.

[SouthBaySailor]

The antifreeze may be leaking from water heater hose

[EngineerRetired]

Curious, what sort of engine hours?

[ArmySailor]

Originally Posted by stormalong

Do you have a coolant recovery tank? It attaches to the tube at the base of the coolant cap and catches anything released from expansion due to heat. They are available at most auto parts stores. These tanks are designed to return the coolant to the heat exchanger when the engine gets cold and a vacuum is formed. My beta 50 always releases some coolant when the engine is driven hard.

Can't comment on the oil leak other than to check all of your connections. Do you have a remotely mounted oil filter? Are you tightening the oil filter according to spec? Are you noticing the oil directly under the oil breather tube where it hangs down from the valve cover?

BTW, there is no need to refresh coolant every year. Follow the recommendations in the owners manual.

I do have a coolant overflow tank...sorta. The previous owner rigged a hose that goes incline and then does a loop-to-loop. I do watch it and have seen it fill the first and second loops on hot days and long hours, and I've also seen it decrease.

I don't have a remote mounted oil filter. but I'm not 100% I tighten the oil filter to spec. I recall it just being "hand tight" (but I do it on the high side of "hand tight".

Not sure about the oil breather tube, I'll have to look at that and get more specific on locating the leak. As somebody else mentioned, I'll take some time to clean the engine well, then see if I can notice any oil.

[ArmySailor]

Originally Posted by EngineerRetired

Curious, what sort of engine hours?

I bought it with suspected engine hours of 800-900. I don't know how reliable that is though. The odometer went kaput two owners ago.

I have put about 140 hours on it based on my log, since 2017.

[sailingchiro]

Both of my Beta 20's leaked right out of the box. Added the expansion container for the antifreeze, that leak stopped. Mine leak oil out of the oil change pump and plumbing. Can't get to stop, learning to live with it.

BTW, if you change your oil and leave the boat, it might be leaking from the pump assembly from the oil change. I would think there is oil trapped in the pump during the change that leaks out after you leave.

Personally, I am not a fan of the oil pump assembly for changing the oil. Mine tend to leak quite a bit and really makes a mess.

[sailingchiro]

Purchased my coolant recovery tanks from Autozone for about $8. They work great. Solved my problem.

[stormalong]

Originally Posted by ArmySailor

I do have a coolant overflow tank...sorta. The previous owner rigged a hose that goes incline and then does a loop-to-loop. I do watch it and have seen it fill the first and second loops on hot days and long hours, and I've also seen it decrease.

I don't have a remote mounted oil filter. but I'm not 100% I tighten the oil filter to spec. I recall it just being "hand tight" (but I do it on the high side of "hand tight".

Not sure about the oil breather tube, I'll have to look at that and get more specific on locating the leak. As somebody else mentioned, I'll take some time to clean the engine well, then see if I can notice any oil.

IIRC the spec is 3/4 turn after the filter face contacts the mount face. Hand tight is not to spec. You should be using a filter wrench to be sure that it is tight enough. That rubber ring seal is at oil pressure level - that could be 50 psi on a cold engine start. As the engine warms up that pressure reduces so you may not see a leak unless you watch right after the engine is started.

As someone else posted, A coolant recovery tank cost $8. A few loops of tubing is not the same thing.

[ArmySailor]

Originally Posted by stormalong

IIRC the spec is 3/4 turn after the filter face contacts the mount face. Hand tight is not to spec. You should be using a filter wrench to be sure that it is tight enough. That rubber ring seal is at oil pressure level - that could be 50 psi on a cold engine start. As the engine warms up that pressure reduces so you may not see a leak unless you watch right after the engine is started.

As someone else posted, A coolant recovery tank cost $8. A few loops of tubing is not the same thing.

So here is what I've been following from the manual, "NB: It is best practice to have either a drip tray or cloth wrapped round the filter to catch any oil that maybe left in the system and assist with keeping the
bilge clean. Spread a thin film of lube oil around the
new filter`s rubber gasket to ensure a good seal and
screw in hand tight."

I've never seen anything referencing filter face and mount face. Can you point me right direction ?

[sailingchiro]

I wrap a plastic grocery bag around the filter before removing it to collect oil spillage, once it is loose, just drop in to the bag.
Yes, layer of oil on seal of filter.
As for tightness, my uncle told me once the filter seal touches the block, turn to hand tight or around 3/4 turn. I was 8 at the time and worked at my uncles garage. Can't tell you how many oil changes I have done but haven't seen them leak or come loose. He told me, never to tighten with wrench. But he was crazy. I have never had to use a wrench to tighten oil filter.
But that was when we were rebuilding brake cylinders and grinding valves in heads. Times may have changed.

[stormalong]

Originally Posted by ArmySailor

So here is what I've been following from the manual, "NB: It is best practice to have either a drip tray or cloth wrapped round the filter to catch any oil that maybe left in the system and assist with keeping the
bilge clean. Spread a thin film of lube oil around the
new filter`s rubber gasket to ensure a good seal and
screw in hand tight."

I've never seen anything referencing filter face and mount face. Can you point me right direction ?

I think it is printed on the filters. I use Kubota OEM filters. That has been my practice and I have no oil leaks. YMMV. I suggest that you call Beta in North Carolina. My filter is remote mounted for easy access. If yours is screwed directly into the engine block getting the filter off without leaking some oil is probably impossible.