oil consumption

[wshelton]

I've got DD671N"s with about 1000 hours total time. Neither smoke on start up and would pass this "30 second start-up test". However, my port engine consumes about 2 to 3 qts. of oil over 10 to 12 hours running time. (RPM ranges between 1500 to 2000 during this time). The engines are strong and will turn up to 2400 WOT under load with good oil pressure and temps under 180. I have a good amount of oil under this engine in the bilge but no obvious oil leak on the engine. (I've not gotton in the bilge while running to look either. no one else to drive). I've read alot on this forum about the air box drains and the crank case vents plugged, and now, perhaps bad blower oil seals. How do I examine or trouble shoot the areas I have addressed here, and/or what is another possible cause? BTW,I have hardle any oil or gump coming out of these oil box drains--I have that going into a crap can. These resent comments on the forum about the "engine runaway" has me concerned about this oil consumtion, although if its blowing into the bilge, would that be ok?

[Genesis]

... it PROBABLY is not the blower seals. Severe leaks there usually show up in the airbox crap can.

Testing for blower seal leakage involves removing the airhorn and running the engine (at idle, out of gear!) and shining a light on the blower end plates. THIS IS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS - if any part of you or anything you have in there gets sucked into the open blower intake, it will do severe damage or even kill you instantly - so it is NOT for people who can't keep their hands and clothing where it belongs!

If the oil is showing up under the engine its probably leaking. There are a LOT of places where it can be coming from - clean up the engine and then run it a bit, and see where the oil is coming from. Its usually easy enough to find the source, but often difficult or impossible to fix.

[Nonchalant1]

Since it's coming from inside the engine, you can either see it or feel it on the engine somewhere. Clean the most likely suspects like oil filters, oil pressure senders, Hobbs switch, and oil changer pipe connection. Put down new diapers. Then run the engine at idle at the dock and go look.

If you have a separate oil bilge like my boat does, that's just under the engine pan and not connected to the water bilges, a difficult to see culprit is the oil changer pipe. It's usually attached way at the bottom of the oil pan where the drain plug used to be. I don't know your boat, but frequently this has to be checked by feel because you can't see it and can barely reach it. Wipe it dry, then do the idle test and feel if it's dripping (or loose). If so, you can tighten it with a wrench to stop the leak, but be careful not to strip the threads.

Doug

[Traveler 45C]

According to my DD Field Service Data Book, average oil consumption for your engine running @ 1800rpm for 10 hrs. is 1.25 qts. I don’t believe that takes external oil leaks into account.

Greg

[Genesis]

... are actually VERY small.

A teaspoon of oil will make a hell of a mess on a vibrating engine where it gets spread around real well.

If you've got standing LIQUID oil in the drip pans (the part of the bilge isolated from the water areas under each engine) that's a different issue - but an oil "mess" is almost always of no consequence to consumption at all.

I managed to crank up one with with my oil lines to the gear cooler disconnected (brain %art on my part!) Figured it out instantly as I was cranking from my engine-room start switch. The total loss of oil from the gear before I could yank the shutdown lever on the governor was somewhere around 2 quarts.

The mess took me the better part of a DAY to mop up, and more oil absorbant pads than you can shake a stick at. That was also accompanied with lots of boat-words (those are the ones that you can't use on Television )

[nick]

I feel your pain Karl. Followed a tip from someone years ago; "place a garbage bag under the oil drain plug, take out plug, collect oil in garbage bag for disposal" Well I did place the bag under a small block chevy I/O and the bag broke free from my hands and what a ... mess and
Stupid tip!!!!

Happy Easter!

[mikep996]

I suppose we've all taken what sounded like a good suggestion which turned out to be remarkably bad. But that's just part of learning.

Incidentally Nick,

I'm selling one of my New York Bridges, the one from Brooklyn to Manhattan. I can make you a darned good price and I'll accept Paypal!

[nick]

Let me know when you are done catching up on the upgrades to your 53, as I will be searching for one as soon as the kids are grown.

I will stopping by your marina soon to check on your progress!

Huntington Harbor Right

Marina?

Slip number?

Nick

andrian1@optonline.net

[mikep996]

I'm not sure I'll have the upgrades done by the time your kids are grown! Well, maybe if they are only toddlers right now...

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