In gear or N when sailing?

Shut up Michael, you're only making static.
There may be a few drops of water in the engine oil, forced down the piston rings during the starting attempt. The Volvo can handle that, as soon as operating temp is reached, it evaporates.

 

CDK.. I realize that your celebrity status on Boat Design net does not permit the challenging of your wisdom.....BUT...read it and weep ..


http://www.jmst.org.tw/marine/18-4/496-503.pdf

You may run your diesel engines with water intrusion , oil contamination, via the exhaust system, but don't recommend this idiotic practice to anyone else .

 

I'll take that advice all day long. If the dipstick doesn't show excess fluid then I would do what CDK says. An engine probably has at least as much water as a cylinder might hold from condensation any given day. Empty the cylinders, run it and check the oil. If it is good, run it at operating temperature to cook off any moisture. If you are prone to sensationalism hold you hands to your head one with the phone in it while you call a mechanic to pull the engine and complete a major overhaul...

 

Bglad...the title of this Internet site is BOATDESGN.NET...unerstand ? The topics discussed are not how much or how long you can run your diesel engine with water in the oil and smoking starter motors, its how too AVOID THIS via good design. Get back on topic...and read the document I just sent you about salt VAPOUR !!! in the exhaust.

 

You should really keep your hole shut pierzga. Every other comment you posted in the few days you are around is dead wrong. But you like to challenge or insult those members with hands on expertise as if they were amateurs like you.

Find another playground, and let the adults play here.

The advice given by CDK was correct and proven.

Regards
Richard

 

OP can pick up a book or read an article. He has posted here to gain the benefit of others experience and or knowledge. If you don't have any then sit, read and learn. Your ignorance or lack of experience shines through with your every additional comment but keep going and continue building on your shining (in)credibility...

 

Sorry, we got the engine running again immediately by turning it back and forth by hand with large spanner on the front. There was no visible water in the oil. My question was in relation to:

A: What happened?
B: Why did it happen?
C: How do I prevent it happening again?

The hydraulic lock was only a guess on my behalf considering the symptoms. I came here looking for insight from other people. Thanks for the help so far Another thought was it was full of diesel, but I cant see how diesel can flow upward from the fuel tanks? Could this happen?

The raw water intake starts at the keel and goes straight to the raw water pump on the engine. The raw water pump is somewhere around the water line. The raw water intake pipe does not make any anti siphon loops on its way to the raw water pump. Could water in rough seas be pushing its way into the exhaust through the raw water pump? Also the raw water pump leaks salt water out of the shaft.

I am sitting on this boat right now in Eden, half way from Adelaide to Brisbane after just crossing Bass Strait.

 

Check out Daiquiri's post #11 where he has put a link for where the vented loop should be. It should not be between the inlet thru-hull and raw water pump or it will cause the pump to suck air. Goes after the pump usually just before the exhaust outlet as shown in the diagram. The diagram shows how the muffler should be arranged to prevent it sloshing water back into the engine exhaust. You should be able to figure it out pretty easily once you understand the concept.

You need to fix the raw water pump pretty quickly since the leaking saltwater will seize the pump bearing if left too long.

 

Thanks. I missed that link the first time. I'm reading now.

We are just trying to get the boat back to Brisbane where we can perform some real maintenance, repairs and re evaluation of systems.

 

If you determine it is coming from the seawater supply close the valve when you are sailing. Just remember to open it before you start the engine next.

 

Yes we have discussed that but we are worried about forgetting to turn it on. We run the motor every few hours for charging.

 

"Yes we have discussed that but we are worried about forgetting to turn it on."

The starting key hung on the valve will help as a reminder.

FF

 

Why is there so much confusion about sailing with the gearbox in neutral?

Marine gearboxes have cone clutches, manually operated, or plate clutches, hydraulically operated. Both use only mechanical means to transmit engine power to the prop shaft.
For both there is no valid reason to keep the gearbox engaged while sailing: that only causes drag.

A gearbox with cone clutches can cause what DennisRB experienced, a good reason to put the lever in neutral when no engine power is needed.
A plate clutch gearbox returns to neutral regardless of the lever position: the pump providing clutch pressure is mounted on the incoming shaft. When that shaft doesn't rotate, there is no oil pressure.

Warnings that the oil may overheat also do not apply to marine gearboxes, because heat generated is a percentage of the transmitted power. In neutral no power is transmitted; a percentage of zero is also zero.

These misunderstandings probably originate from automatic car transmissions, where the duration of towing is limited because of friction generated in the torque converter. But the marine transmission is a completely different animal.

 

It may depend on the brand of transmission you have. There are at least 3 caution notices in the ZF-Hurth transmission manuals that state the transmission must be in neutral (freewheel) or preferably reverse (locked) to prevent damage to the transmission when sailing.

 

Dunno if it's dangerous for gearboxes or not but.... Disagree with you about that statement.. There is definitely power transmitted, from the propeller to bearings and to gearbox, and it will warm up the oil. How much is a different question..
BR Teddy