Bilge Cleaning

[hummingway]

My motor is under the sole of the pilothouse. At the front of the motor there is a sump and at the bottom a hole that passes through the bulkhead. This hole has had cloth of some type stuffed in it to keep oil from passing through but allow water. On the other side is the bilge with a pump. I want to remove the cloth, clean the sump and bilge and then put cloth back in. I was thinking I'd just use an old cotton sheet but wanted to know if anyone had experience with this? A similiar design? Is it possible the cloth is something special?

Thanks.

[beneteau-500]

I used these oil soak cotton socks when my old perkins started to leak oil they wont soak up water but will soak the oil i use to have two of them there beneath engine before that the oil was fouling up bilge pump if you look at this web site you will no what i mean i got them from them plus the soak pads

Shelving Systems, Industrial Racking & Storage Shelving - ESE Direct

[captain465]

Rather than putting "cloth" in the limber hole, why not just put down a section of oil absorbant pad in that area That will allow water to flow freely to the bilg pump area and absorb any oil that might be there. I have been doing something similar for over 12 years. I replace the absorbant pad about every three months, wether it needs it or not.( about $1.00 in most marine supplies)

[hummingway]

Limber hole. It's nice to have a name for it. I've got pads on the boat, I think that's what I'll do then. It may be what was in there since up until recently it was working quite well.

[captain465]

Just one additional note........If you have a float switch for the bilge pump, make sure that the absorbant pad does not interfere with it's operation.

[allanpeda]

Not exactly following you here, but I do know that certain textiles sop up oil while not really sopping up water at all. If that is how this thing works, you'll certainly want a synthetic fabric, probably from a similar plastic used for sopping up oil spills. This is the type of problem where I suppose you can try a few fabrics and see, but I doubt cotton will be the best choice.

From the article: this is a blend of polypropylene and polyester.

[captain465]

Why re-invent the wheel??? Oil absorbant pads are relitivly cheep and readaly available.

[allanpeda]

Originally Posted by captain465

Why re-invent the wheel??? Oil absorbant pads are relitivly cheep and readaly available.

Whatever works. I'm not sure what this thing is intended to do. If a scrap of polyester rag works, then great. If you buy an oil pad and it is stitched up to a bracket it might shred.

No need to make it complicated. It's just a rag.

[svcambria]

Baby diapers will absorb oil too. There just don't seem to be dedicated oil absorption products available in third-world Mexico...

Michael

[captain465]

Be carfull if trying to use baby diapers as a oil absorbant.......they will break down and fall apart from the water......oil absorbant pads are woven of a plastic material that will not shred. THey will absorb only oil, and allow water to flow through.

[hummingway]

A fellow mod told me the pads are prohibitively expensive in England. Fortunately not so here and I always have lots on the boat. It's interesting that cotton socks work but I imagine that the pads will be a lot easier to fit to the limber hole (if I say it a few times I might rememeber that name).