Beware of Engine Room Mechanical Oil Pressure Gauges

[Bob Bradley]

I had a real eye opener yesterday. I was running slowly on radar in thick fog heading out to go fishing. I started to throttle up as I cleared the reef passage north of Fischer's Island and heard a growling noise so I slowed down thinking I had picked up a rope in on of me screws. I isolated it to the stbd engine.

As I went into the cabin to get my mask and snorkel I thought I smelled oil so I picked up the ER hatch. Saw a lot of oil so I pulled the gear dipstick to find none showing on it. My buddy Ron spotted oil dripping from the tranni oil pressure gauge. I topped off the gear and ran it briefly while he watched, and the oil poured rapidly from the body of the gauge. These are standard SW pressure gauges.

I'm replacing it today, but also getting small ball valves so I can keep them turned off unless I need to see them. Fortunately it appears that I did not damage the gear, but had it been the engine oil pressure gauge that failed the result might have been catastrophic.

 

[brettportzer]

In the same vein, does anyone have an opinion on the accuracy of the electrical Stewart Warner Deluxe Oil Pressure gauge vs their Deluxe Mechanical gauge?

Seems like the electrical would be safer, for this type of reason.

 

[jim rosenthal]

Bob, I had the same thing happen years ago on my previous boat, which had TD gears and only a bridge helm. The Bourdon tube inside the drive oil pressure gauge let go and dumped gallons of hot 30wt oil into the inside of the bridge console. What a hot mess, literally. I couldn't even begin cleaning it up for hours, it was so hot. Those were SW gauges, too, I think.

 

[Bob Bradley]

Update to the story. That failed gauge is going to cost me a $10k twin disk tranni job. After cleaning up the mess I topped off the gear with fresh oil and took a test run. Tranni was slipping and growling over 1600rpm.

If you have mechanical gauges in the ER, I strongly recommend that you disconnect them.

 

[rsmith]

There should be an orfice at the takeoff point that limits flow if a failure like this would occur. Who ever put the gauges in should have known.

 

[rsmith]

Bummer Bob your at the height of the canyon season this month.

 

[Bob Bradley]

Making the best of it. My son and I leave tomorrow morning for a few days of drift boat nymphing for trout on the North Platte in Wyoming.

 

[Boatsb]

Come on there has to be some magic spray or additives to fix it.

 

[Bob Bradley]

Scott, I fear that the only additive that will help this is cash. I am going to see if insurance will take pity on me. After all, it is a catastrophic failure that wasn't caused by neglect or wear. I don't see why a failed gauge would be any different than hitting a boulder. We'll see.

 

[Captain Ralph]

What model clutch is this?

R&R whole clutch?
Repaired on board?
Clutch packs and what bearings & shafts?

Not to be noisy, just interested in how different clutches, in different boats get fixed.

rc

 

[Bob Bradley]

Don't know. This one's over my pay grade.

 

[q240z]

Bob, you have my condolences but I appreciate the info. I was just recently contemplating adding mechanical gauges in my Roamer ER, and SW are my preferred brand. Sounds like a hard pass is the way to go.

 

[Jims43DC]

Bob, you have my condolences but I appreciate the info. I was just recently contemplating adding mechanical gauges in my Roamer ER, and SW are my preferred brand. Sounds like a hard pass is the way to go.

No reason that you can't put a ball valve before the gauge and only open it when you check gauge while in the engine space.

 

[q240z]

Well, one reason I can think of is that I don't see much of an up-side to having the added complexity (for now, anyway). I've never had ER gauges or panels and haven't felt the need, though I know some people like them.

 

[brettportzer]

I have mechanical gear pressure gauges at the helm. Had the same at the flybridge before I removed that.

Mechanical oil pressure gauge in the engine "area".