Engine and Transmission Tech

Hi everyone
New to thus forum and would like to pick your brains
I have this rover v8 engine believe it or not in a boat. I’ve just bought it
It’s a 3.5 with carburettor. It’s been slightly modified in respect of the exhaust manifold and inlet manifolds are water cooled with sea water pumped by a water pump on a pulley where maybe power steering pump may have been apart from that I’m sure it’s the same
Engine has been stationary for 4 years with the odd turn over here and there. I have heard this engine running and it sounds lovely
I got boat home and yesturday investigates engine. In engine well was a puddle of milky oil. I get to oil in a min. In my experience I’ve had with engine/cars a leak always looks worse than it is but the engine bay is caked in this milky oil. On inspection found no real evidence of a leak although I have not ran the engine yet
Back to oil. I dipped the dipstick and to no amazement the dipstick was milk. Straight away I’m thinking head gaskets inwhich is not uncommon.
Really my question is. If a engine such as this has been open to the elements can water ingress into oil. Can general moisture enter oil and give impression of head gasket failure. I’ve search internet and found that if engine has not run properly in 4 years or so water and moister can get in. Inwhich I find hard to believe but solution was to drain oil and replace filter and oil and run. Drain again and fit new filter and oil then give engine a good run and it should be ok.
Has anyone got any thoughts on this and is head gasket a easy job. I’m no mechanic but I’ve done a few in my time and know way around engine
Any advise be very appreciated

The short answer is yes, There is a common scenario with engines that sit in humid areas and are maybe started and run for short periods and not heated up all the way can and will condense moisture in the engine that looks like the common head gasket oil coolant intermix of a blown head gasket. (see this in forklifts)

On that note it is very unlikely (not impossible) a rover engine will blow head gasket and intermix oil and coolant.

Pop one of the rocker boxes off. If you find a lot of sludge in there it could indeed have been a condensation problem from standing. That does however make one wonder about the state of the bores, hopefully they are not rusted.
After you get it going with fresh oil & filter, a compression test would be worthwhile.

The engine needs 20/50 oil with good zddp. Lucas Oils Hot Rod and Classic is suitable.

Ivor

I did take a rocker cover off and it was full of damp and water droplets in there.
Let’s say it’s head gasket then. Is it worth doing? I would do myself but how far do you go with it.? New cam new tappers, all new gaskets how far do you go and is it worth it. I have heard this engine running and I admit it sounds lovely so hopefully it’s not as in a bad state as it looks
Weekend I’m changing oil and filter and running it. I will change oil and filters again and run for good length of time and fingers crossed it’s just condensation

I would do exactly as you are doing. I doubt it needs a head gasket but if it does it is not a difficult job, but the boat installation may add some challenge..