fuel in oil

[Jon Ash]

Ahoy: Imagine the dismay when my last oil analysis came back with fuel in the oil. Quite a bit actually. Enough to make the level a bit high. Could be from a bad injector, or a couple of hours of slow, cold boat moving this winter. The engine is the Nanni Mercedes with only 4000 hours. Any similar experiences and hopefully solutions? Thanks for the help

Jon Ash

S/V Caribbean Soul P40 64

[P. Sherwood]

It wasn´t with a Nanni but with my Perkins 4.108
that I had a comparable problem -- diesel fuel in
the crankcase oil and crankcase oil in the fuel;
rising oil levels on the dipstick and ugly
blackness rapidly fouling fuel filters. The
problem turned out to be the seals in the
injector pump. About a boat unit ($1K) or 1.5
boat units to get the injector pump rebuilt at a place in Tacoma WA. HTH.

Phil
s/v Cynosure
Bahia de Caraquez

[Bill Schmidt]

When we had fuel in the oil of our Nanni on Wind Witch, we fixed it real good. The fix is called YANMAR! G'luck.

[Michael]

Well, someone hit bill with the cranky stick this morning.  The reason he always gets black dogs, by the way, is that they don't show the grease stains.

Of course, you know that fuel in the oil is a Very Bad Thing depending on amount of contamination.  Here is what appears to be a useful and thoughtful discussion of contaminants in the oil.  http://www.machinerylubrication.com/Read/1033/diesel-engine-oil-contaminants

The first part of the discussion says that excessive idling and cold running can lead to the problem.  This sounds like the typical day-use situation.  Maybe an oil-change (well, certainly an oil-change) and more hard running will make the problem magically vanish.

Otherwise, I suggest shaving a Portuguese water dog and adding the hair to the fuel mixture.

Michael

On 6/14/2010 8:00 AM, Bill Schmidt wrote:

When we had fuel in the oil of our Nanni on Wind Witch, we fixed it real good. The fix is called YANMAR! G'luck.

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[Donal Botkin]

Not a good thing, but not necessarily a Very Bad Thing. First, unlike gasoline, diesel fuel is a natural lubricant and non-flammable under the conditions likely to occur in a crankcase. There are 2-cycle diesels that inject the fuel (no added oil) right into the crankcase.  

Most likely cause of this kind of contamination is slow starting, as every time the injector squirts without ignition, the fuel has to go somewhere--out the exhaust or, more likely, down the cylinder wall into the oil pan. Running at operating temperature (180 degrees) vaporizes the diesel fuel and it is burned via the crankcase breather connected to the intake. 

But as Michael said, cool running is not good for a diesel. I'd check the glow plug amps if the engine isn't starting in a few seconds as there could be a bad glow plug or bad wiring. (I had both)  

View[ + ]Finder

Donal Botkin

1 Peninsula Rd, Gate-B

Belvedere, CA. 94920

[Michael]

Regarding slow starting, I had purchased hotter glow plugs to install, but after (a) new wiring, (b) moving the start battery closer to the motor and (c) adjusting the valve lifters, the thing starts so easy I do not need them.  Cool, huh?

Or hot...

Michael

[William Ennis]

Hello,

Does anyone know the size of the cutlass bearing for our P40s?

We're trying, valiantly, to install a Hydrovane. Does anyone know of any way to reach the transom? We have a 1984 P40 and can only reach the transom from the port side, and that not very well. I'd love to hear of some hose that I can disconnect to gain full access!

Thanks.

Bill

“Seriousness is the only refuge of the shallow.” Oscar Wilde

[Michael]

On Cayenne, it appears that the prior owners cut large access ports in
the deck, did what they had to do, and then installed deck plates.
Seemed to work pretty well...

> �Seriousness is the only refuge of the shallow.� Oscar Wilde
>
>
>

[Jeff and Jane Woodward]

Hi Bill,
Mine is a BIRD.  I don't know the inch specs, but each size cuttless has a name for the size and the one we use is a BIRD.  I do know we have a 1-1/4" shaft.
 
Hope this helps.
 
Jeff
Adagio, P-40 #109, 1986
 
> Date: Mon, 14 Jun 2010 09:11:44 -0800
> From: ben...@ak.net
> Subject: [Passport] Items
> To: Passpor...@googlegroups.com

[William Ennis]

Hi, Michael,

Round deck plates? 6-8 in diameter? You walk over them and no leaks? They sealed the cockpit sole wood core?

B.

>> “Seriousness is the only refuge of the shallow.” Oscar Wilde

[Michael]

They are on the deck at the level of the teak rubrail. On Cayenne,
that's a pretty wide deck. Not on the cockpit sole.

M

>>> �Seriousness is the only refuge of the shallow.� Oscar Wilde

[P. Sherwood]

Maybe '84s were built a little differently (I
have an '87). I can get at the transom from the
starboard lazarette (I got rid of that lift-out
tub that was in there once upon a time), less
easily now than before I installed the hydraulic
autopilot but still well enough to reach the
antenna tuner, backstay chainplate bolts, and a
little ways to port of the center line. The port
lazarette is set up for propane tanks with a
form-fitting insert that does not lift out. But I
can slither all the way back there under the
cockpit if absolutely necessary. I´m a big guy
but it´s not as hard or daunting as it first
seems. I´m told the exit process is pretty funny to watch ...

Phil
s/v Cynosure
Bahia de Caraquez

[rcy...@optonline.net]

Same set up on my 87. I like the starboard lift out tub to check on things periodically.
Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T

[William Ennis]

So, you don't have a starboard "catch-all" lazarette? I suppose that I could remove the entire compartment and work it that way. What about taking seas on her stern? No problem with water down into that precious hold?

On our 1984 P-40 (hull #78), there are no access points for below the cockpit spaces. The only way in is through the companionway entrance. With the starboard-side aft berth (afterbirth?), there is no way to access the starboard quarter at all, and for port-side, one must shinny around cockpit drain through-hulls/hose, and such. Physically, I'm not sure there is any way to access the backstay chainplate bolts. I'd love to remove an ancient loran antenna base, but I simply can't reach it. There is plastic pipe that leads from the engine compartment to the port-side stern dorade and a now-defunct squirrel cage fan to ventilate the engine compartment. At least, that's what I've always thought it did. The presence of the pipe in the dorade prevents access to the loran base.

We've been hesitant to remove that piping since we don't know if the engine needs that venting in warmer climates. Thoughts on that?

Thanks for the ideas. Jeez, what a project.

Bill
S/V Wings

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"He who behaves like a beast escapes the pain of being a man." Dr. Johnson

[Beller Family]

The bearing on our 1982 P40 is: 1 1/4" x 1 3/4" x 5"

That's the one in the strut which is the one that usually wears out.

There is another cutless bearing in the stern tube where it exits the aft
end of the keel. I don't have the dimensions on that one.

-Jeff Beller
S/V Journey