Bilge Oil

[ARGONAUTA]

I have a yanmar 4JH3E with 1000hrs and am expierencing oil in the bilge but cannot find a source at the oil filter, oil cooler, sending units, or along the pan bolts that I can feel. I lose 4oz/day. I believe oil is also comming out with the raw water exhaust. Can this be from a disintegrating oil cooler? If it is, why can I not find the source? This problem may have started after runnning for 6 hrs at my max rpm of 2800. I am frustrated and considering lifting the engine to expose the oil pan for a potential leak. Thans in advance to anyone who can help... Jerry

[MarkJ]

Try seeing if the raw water oil cooler has a annode. Ours does and it had completely been used up so then the water attacks the cooler itself. Perhaps it has eaten through and made a hole in the oil tube inside the cooler.

if so the cooler may need to be removed and taken to an AUTO radiator repair shop for reconditioning NOT a marnie guy if you value your wallet.

We had a Yanmar guy come and take it off and put it back on but not do the toher work


Mark

[ARGONAUTA]

Mark, Thanks for the insight. I will check the cooler out today but still concerned no obvious leaks from the cooler into the bilge. This would explain the oil in the exhaust if there is some interior cooler defect alowing raw water to mix with the oil...Jerry

[Chief Engineer]

Do you have oil in the bilge or oil in the exhaust?

Is the engine over filled?

[ARGONAUTA]

THANKS FOR RESPONDING, CHIEF ENGINEER. I AM IN THE BAHAMAS AND NOT SURE IF I TRUST THE LOCALS TO LIFT THE ENGINE AND SEEK OUT AN OIL PAN/GASKET LEAK. MAY NEED TO RETURN TO WEST PALM FOR SERVICE. THERE IS OIL IN THE BILGE AND EXHAUST SUGGESTING AN OIL PAN LEAK AS WELL AS MIXING OF OIL/SEAWATER IN THE OIL COOLER? I SEE NO OBVIOUS SOURCE FOR THE LEAK IN ALL THE FITTINGS,OIL FILTER AND COOLER,SENDING UNITS SO BELIEVE MY PROBLEM IS IN THE PAN WHICH DOES HAVE SOME SCALE AND RUST FLAKES IN THE BILGE. THANKS, JERRY

[ARGONAUTA]

THE ENGINE IS NOT OVER FILLED. THANKS CHIEF ENGINEER. jERRY

[PAR]

Wipe everything down with a solvent soaked rag. Clean and dry every place you can reach, then cut a custom fitting piece of cardboard to fit under the engine. Drips will be quickly located on the cardboard. ARGONAUTA do you own a custom Benford design?

[maxingout]

I had a similar oil leak on my port engine when the boat was new. It turned out to be a pinched o-ring on the oil pump (manufacturing defect). Once the o-ring was replaced, the leak went away.

[PAR]

Well Jerry found the leak (he dropped me a line), way to go. That cardboard trick works most every time. Now comes the fun part, you'll probably have to crawl around in the nasty bilge and if you're anything like me you'll have the wrong size wrench in your hand, just when you've gotten comfortable, close to the work site. Good Luck . . .

[Hudson Force]

I recently discovered a technique that was new to me for finding the source of an oil leak. I had used the paper bag in the engine sump to determine that the drip was on the starboard side of my engine, but I still didn't know the source. When scanning a motocycle maintenance site I saw advice that suggested a puff of talcum powder applied to show the leak.

This photo shows my powder application and the following shows the rack in the powder after running my engine....

I didn't hold my camera at the best angle to see the source, but this track was leading to my oil pressure sensor and an easy fix. Take care and joy, Aythya crew