Re: [Cal_Boats] Yahnmar diesel problems (Linda)
What people don't realize is that marine fuel tanks are vented to the
outside air, which in a marine environment, is naturally laden with moisture.
This moisture will condense on the side of the tanks and eventually make
its way to the bottom of the tank and corrode the tank. This moisture also
will allow microbes to grow (generally referred to as algae) which can clog
filters. Biocide may kill the microbes but you are still left with their
carcasses. All this will settle to the bottom. You won't know it is there
for some time because the pick up tube on your tank is generally an inch or
two from the bottom of the tank.
What usually happens is that you get out in some rough weather and the fuel
sloshes around and stirs up all the crap on the bottom and re-suspends it
in the fuel. On the way back to the dock, or maybe you decide the weather
is too rough, you take down the sails, fire up the iron genny and all of
the sudden the she dies and may restart but every time you try to throttle
up, she dies again because the filter is clogged.
We had our CS 30 delivered to us from CT to the Delaware Bay as we were new
sailors at the time and were not comfortable doing an offshore delivery.
This is exactly what happened to the delivery crew. They got pushed 150
miles out into the Atlantic in 35kt winds and 20-30ft seas. They had an
accidental gybe in the middle of the night that ripped the Harken traveler car
right off the track and into one of the Lewmar blocks on the boom which
looks as if it were melted. They tried to use the engine but couldn't due to
the clogged filter and eventually had to sail into the Coast Guard dock in
Lewes, DE.
It doesn't take 30' seas to do this by the way. Simply tacking a few times
and moderate 2 foot waves can stir up the sludge.
I am acutely aware of this as I have a fuel polishing and tank cleaning
business on the Chesapeake and you can see photos of the crap I've pulled out
of tanks at _www.DocksideMobileMarineService.com_ (http://www.D
ocksideMobileMarineService.com)
As with anything, maintenance is the key to long life.
Paul West
Dockside Mobile Marine Service
443-614-4070
In a message dated 8/19/2010 1:13:48 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
da… [at] verizon.net writes:
I had the same thing happen to the fuel tank on my I h 33-2 when I got
back from Hurricane Ivan in 2004. The fuel tank had corroded and then popped
several small pin holes that had drained the entire tank of diesel down
into the bilge. I had 24 gals. My corrosion was at the rear inboard section
of the tank. I originally covered the area over with JB Weld and that
seemed to work very well. Although my wife continued to smell of diesel.
So… This year I called Florida Marine Tank (who originally made the first
tank) and had them make me a new one. Cost about $400. I was surprised
because in 2004 the price was only $175. Anyway, took the plunge and got
it. Replacing the tank was an absolute bear and took me 2 weekends to get
it all right. Good luck on finding the leak. It can be a challenge.
Darr LaFon
Alcyone II Cal 33-2 #67
Annapolis, Maryland
From: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com [mailto:Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com] On
Behalf Of Al Waschka
Sent: Wednesday, August 18, 2010 10:03 PM
To: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [Cal_Boats] Yahnmar diesel problems (Linda)
I had a similar problem with my 33, but the smell was obviously raw
diesel. After 6 months or so, I finally got diesel in the bilge. My tank had
corroded in the forward inboard (lowest) corner from having water in it. At
first the diesel was evaporating faster than it was leaking, so I just had
a dark reddish brown stain in the vicinity of the tank and diesel smell in
the cabin. When the tank finally failed, it just had a pinhole in it, but
it was enough to get about 1/8" of diesel in the bilge before I found it.
Trust me, that is a real mess to clean up. I pulled the cabin sole to get
access to the whole bilge to clean it to get rid of the diesel smell. The
hole was in the middle of a corroded area the size of a nickel. When I
scraped on it with a screwdriver after removing the tank, it pushed right in.
I was a few months or a bad wave slam from having 37 gallons of diesel in
the bilge.
If you didn't smell it when you left the boat and do smell it when you
come back, that doesn't sound like exhaust. But if it is stronger after
running the engine, it could be diesel, exhaust, engine lube oil, or
transmission oil. Don't stop looking until you find the leak. Diesel is bad, but if
it is exhaust you could have a carbon monoxide problem. It could be
cracking fuel or exhaust hoses, loose clamps, or worst case a leaking tank. My
33 has a water lift exhaust, it is plastic. IF there was no cooling water
it might melt and leak. Look all over your engine, too. There is a fuel
filter, a pump, and injector lines. If you can smell it, you should be
able to find it.
P.S. - Probably no blower in a diesel boat. Diesel fumes are not
explosive like gasoline and there is no requirement (as far as I know) for a blower
on a boat with a diesel engine. Also, my beeper (1985 Yanmar 3GM30)
signals low oil pressure or overtemperature. When you turn on the key there is
no oil pressure so the beeper sounds. When you crank the engine, the
pressure comes up and the beeper goes off.
Al
--- On Wed, 8/18/10, Linda <an… [at] gmail.com> wrote:
From: Linda <an… [at] gmail.com>
Subject: [Cal_Boats] Yahnmar diesel problems
To: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com
Date: Wednesday, August 18, 2010, 11:48 AM
Hello everyone!
I am the owner of a well maintained pre-owned 1989 I a 28 which we have
enjoyed here in the beautiful 28 which we district of NY without serious
incident for over 10 years. Because I have been recovering from chemotherapy
this season, I have not spent much time aboard until just recently. In the
past several weeks, I have felt good enough to spend some time with
"Sonsie" and have found something that puzzles and concerns me. I'm hoping you
can help me figure out the mystery.
Recently I have been noticing that, upon opening the boat after a time
away, there is a stronger than usual smell of petroleum. At first I thought a
bottle of furniture polish/wood cleaner had been knocked over, but that
wasn't the case. The smell was not pure diesel fumes, so I didn't suspect a
fuel leak and the bilge did not show any signs of oil. The water discharge
from the engine did not seemed decreased and the engine ran fine.
On Tuesday night, because there was no wind, I used the engine to take
some guests on a short jaunt to some points of interest on the lake, and when
we returned the petroleum smell in the cabin was very intense. Again, not
just pure diesel fumes, but more like a mix of something.
Yesterday I took the same guests sailing and used the engine only to get
out of the harbor. However, on the way back in, about 5 minutes after the
sails had been lowered and engine started, the warning beeper started
squealing. ( For this particular engine, upon turning the key, the beeper
squeals for a few seconds when the key is turned on and then stops, signaling
that it is safe to push the ignition button).
I am, sadly, not mechanically minded and have let my husband deal with the
engine maintenance in the past, so I must admit to being rather naive
about this sort of thing, but my guess is that my problem is with the exhaust
system. My theory is that the beeping at startup is a signal that the
blower has cleared out the fumes and that when it quits, it is safe to start the
engine.
Therefore, it seems that the intense petroleum odor after use would
indicate that the exhaust is not working properly, and that the beeping that
occurred last night as the engine was running was a warning that the blockage
was now at a point where my engine was at risk and I was in trouble. Am I
anywhere in the ballpark with this idea, or am I dealing with something else
all together?
I was able to turn off the engine and glide to my slip, but I am now very
concerned about what to do next. I can call a mechanic to look this over,
but I would like to have something intelligent to tell him when I call.
Your collective opinions would be greatly appreciated.
Kind regards,
Linda S.
"Sonsie"
1989 198 28
Watkins Glen, NY