Beta Marine mystery

[GinoDelG]

I recently had a new Beta Marine 60 diesel engine installed on my boat. I’ve had an oil analysis done each time I’ve changed the oil. The first two were perfect, but the third one showed 2809 ppm of sodium, which is three times higher than normal. The oil analysis company says its either a salt water leak or coolant, they can’t tell which. Its causing higher than normal engine wear. The engine is a year old and has less than 500 hours on it. My mechanic and Beta are stumped. Has anyone else seen this problem?

[Compass790]

Is it using coolant?
Would have thought its up to Beta marine to fix it or replace if they cant. My guess would be blown head gasket without knowing your engine. If it has an oil cooler thats another possibility for leakage. Hope you get an answer from someone who knows the Beta 60. I'd push for a quick resolution, don't leave it till your warranty runs out & document your dealings with the agent.

[GILow]

Originally Posted by GinoDelG

I recently had a new Beta Marine 60 diesel engine installed on my boat. I’ve had an oil analysis done each time I’ve changed the oil. The first two were perfect, but the third one showed 2809 ppm of sodium, which is three times higher than normal. The oil analysis company says its either a salt water leak or coolant, they can’t tell which. Its causing higher than normal engine wear. The engine is a year old and has less than 500 hours on it. My mechanic and Beta are stumped. Has anyone else seen this problem?

Does your Beta have the stainless steel pipe between the water pump">raw water pump and the heat exchanger? For some of us this has caused VERY rapid anode wastage and may have caused damage inside the heat exchanger.

[BillKny]

While this is an indication of a problem, it doesn't PROVE anything, yet.

Sample contamination at any point, or just a mistake at the lab as both possible. That much sodium would mean a MAJOR coolant leak, there just isn't much sodium in antifreeze, you would have noticed the level dropping.

That would be close to a liter if it was added seawater. Hard to imagine someone careful enough to do oil analysis each change not noticing the color change in the oil this would cause.

I'd get another sample as soon as I could after running for a few hours. If that was again high, I'd start to work hard to track it down.

[donradcliffe]

How does the oil look visually? I worked on an engine where an o-ring let go in the oil cooler and the oil looked like chocolate milkshake.

[kaisardog]

for all the causes of high sodium w a diesel engine oil analysis, see:

https://www.machinerylubrication.com...-potassium-oil

none of those things should be happening in a year old diesel. file a written warranty claim ASAP (addressed both to Beta and the installer yard. ) TG it's under warranty. (I'd be demanding a new engine, myself.)

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by Compass790

Is it using coolant?
Would have thought its up to Beta marine to fix it or replace if they cant. My guess would be blown head gasket without knowing your engine. If it has an oil cooler thats another possibility for leakage. Hope you get an answer from someone who knows the Beta 60. I'd push for a quick resolution, don't leave it till your warranty runs out & document your dealings with the agent.

Thew raw water is separate from the coolant which goes through the engine. I don't see an obvious way for the sea water to enter the oil.
The only possibility I can see is sea water which goes out the exhaust somehow getting back through an exhaust valve and maybe into the oil that way.

Originally Posted by GILow

Does your Beta have the stainless steel pipe between the raw water pump and the heat exchanger? For some of us this has caused VERY rapid anode wastage and may have caused damage inside the heat exchanger.

Anodes being eaten up quickly is a problem on Beta's. The anodes are tiny.

[skipperpete]

Originally Posted by GinoDelG

I recently had a new Beta Marine 60 diesel engine installed on my boat. I’ve had an oil analysis done each time I’ve changed the oil. The first two were perfect, but the third one showed 2809 ppm of sodium, which is three times higher than normal. The oil analysis company says its either a salt water leak or coolant, they can’t tell which. Its causing higher than normal engine wear. The engine is a year old and has less than 500 hours on it. My mechanic and Beta are stumped. Has anyone else seen this problem?

Have you checked the operation of the vent loop and the amount of residual water in the Aqualock.

[GinoDelG]

A second analysis shows the sodium has dropped 80 percent and no sign of excess wear. Before the major leak occurred I had discovered that one of the two nuts holding the raw water pump on had come loose. My current theory is that this let salt water get in. Once fixed the sodium level dropped. I think the reason it hasn’t dropped to zero is that when I change the oil I’m only able to remove 2 of the 2.5 gallons. I’m curious what the next analysis will reveal. Stay tuned.

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by GinoDelG

A second analysis shows the sodium has dropped 80 percent and no sign of excess wear. Before the major leak occurred I had discovered that one of the two nuts holding the raw water pump on had come loose. My current theory is that this let salt water get in. Once fixed the sodium level dropped. I think the reason it hasn’t dropped to zero is that when I change the oil I’m only able to remove 2 of the 2.5 gallons. I’m curious what the next analysis will reveal. Stay tuned.

I personally don't think that loose nuts on the water pump would allow salt water into the oil since the water pump has rubber lip seals containing salt water in the impeller chamber. However, that said, salt water could get in easily if the inner lip seal is worn and not containing the pressure built up in that same chamber.

[skipperpete]

Originally Posted by GinoDelG

A second analysis shows the sodium has dropped 80 percent and no sign of excess wear. Before the major leak occurred I had discovered that one of the two nuts holding the raw water pump on had come loose. My current theory is that this let salt water get in. Once fixed the sodium level dropped. I think the reason it hasn’t dropped to zero is that when I change the oil I’m only able to remove 2 of the 2.5 gallons. I’m curious what the next analysis will reveal. Stay tuned.

Does your Betamarine 60 have the oil cooler that also acts as the oil filter base? If that leaked it might be a possible source of cross contamination.... but it would only be coolant, and usually it presents as oil in the coolant ,not coolant in the oil.
Pete.