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Old 01-03-2010, 07:45   #1
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Oil in Bilge..More Oil in the Engine!

OK here's a mystery....ran 50 miles yesterday for the first use of the boat other than an hour or so before. This morning the bilge has oil in it..really black oil (engine oil was just changed and l0oks clean on the dip stick) The dipstick showed that I have 2 qts too much oil in the engine. The oil was changed with the boat on a boatlift/cradle. I assume it must be over filled due to the angle of the boat or something. Checked in the lift it was right on full. The engine smoked more than it should yesterday's run..probably due to overfilled with oil. I find no leaks, no visible wet spots on the engine or trans...but there is quite a bit of really black oil in the bilge..... When I changed the oil it took 8 quarts with filter change. It's a perkins 4-236 with 340 hours on it...... No bubbles or evidence of diesel in the oil..but not sure how I would tell.
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Old 01-03-2010, 08:06   #2
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I just told Skip, get some of this stuff for your bilge..
Oil Eating Microbes for Safe Oil Spill Cleaning and Bioremediation
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Old 01-03-2010, 08:14   #3
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Fishman,

Does that stuff really work -If so, how long before you can pump the bilge without worry of pumping oil over the side?
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Old 01-03-2010, 08:34   #4
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That would have been one heck of an angle to end up with that much of an overfill. How much oil is you engine supposed to take? What color was the smoke? Black smoke is usually from oil getting into the combustion chambers. Is it possible that oil engine oild somehow was spilled intop the bilge when you were changing the oil? That would be a nice cheap explanation. Alas, in my experience with engines, that's never happened to me.
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Old 01-03-2010, 08:39   #5
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I have the same question as slowshoes. The instructions say 15-30 minutes. That is incredibly short for a biological to react. Then cleanup appears to have the wonder-disclaimer...
"Disposal procedures In most areas may be flushed down drain with water. Consult Agencies for special requirements in your area"

Have you seen this in action on a bilge?

Also, I agree with bloodhunter, it seems that would have been a heck of an angle, to be off by two quarts.
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Old 01-03-2010, 08:49   #6
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if your motor has 2 quarts of oil over normal then you're lucky you didn't have more problems than you did .. like a runaway and destruction.
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Old 01-03-2010, 09:04   #7
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Are you SURE it's all oil?
There is a possibility (although remote) cooling water could have found its way to the pan via a bad gasket, seal etc. Also could be the same scenario but diesel from the injector pump, lift pump etc.
I'd drain it and start over if it were mine.

Lets hope it's just overfilled.
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Old 01-03-2010, 09:25   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by senormechanico View Post
Are you SURE it's all oil?
There is a possibility (although remote) cooling water could have found its way to the pan via a bad gasket, seal etc. Also could be the same scenario but diesel from the injector pump, lift pump etc.
I'd drain it and start over if it were mine.

Lets hope it's just overfilled.
Very good post..nothing to add but this..

Stay away from the bug thing...your inviting aboard the very things many of you all are complaining about a lot on this forum as how to get rid of..
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Old 01-03-2010, 09:34   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by slowshoes View Post
Fishman,

Does that stuff really work -If so, how long before you can pump the bilge without worry of pumping oil over the side?
Yes, it does. It may take multiple doses and we DID NOT follow the short timeline in the instructions. Any floating motor oil should be removed with a "diaper", boom, or soak pad first. For the rest, follow the instructions and apply to anything that's had the oil on it (tankage, wiring, etc.). When your done spraying, pour the remainder in the bilge (with water in it). Leave alone for a few days. The longer the better. This stuff continued working in the areas we did not rinse off and has been steadily reducing the "bilge funk" odor to near nothing. We opened up the boat Saturday and found along with a bilge full of rain water, more light tan emulsified crud. I guess the bugs were still working. Our bilge and everything in it was completely coated in oil from a leaky timing chain cover. It was all over everything. The stuff works as long as it's kept damp and the temps remain within operational ranges.

See the last of this thread for more sources.
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...s-31113-5.html
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Old 01-03-2010, 12:24   #10
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Fishman,

Thanks for the info and link - I'm going to give it a try for my own bilge this spring. It seems like a enviromentally friendly way to get the bilge clean.

Cheechako,

I agree with the above post about draining and starting over. Eight quarts seems like alot of oil, but I'm not familiar with that engine. Seems like if there was a good splash of diesel in there the whole boat would be smelling of it - does it smell strongly of diesel in the bilge?
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Old 01-03-2010, 13:44   #11
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"No bubbles or evidence of diesel in the oil..but not sure how I would tell." By the smell, taste, and feel of it. But for about $25 you can send out an oil sample for testing. Blackstone labs (online) or a kit from your local oil seller, you mail them about 2 ounces of oil and they'll tell you what it really is, whether there are signs of bearing wear, fuel or water contamination, how the viscosity is holding up, and more. And it can be worth having that every thousand hours just to let you know how the engine is wearing, and whether you're throwing out good oil when you change it.

Could also be transmission fluid, or oil leaking past the rear main seal of the engine, hidden between engine and tranny. Sharp eyes, good light, and there are ways to check but they all require patience and persistance.

The "BilgeZorb" floats work pretty well at sucking up the greater part of the oil from bilge water. I'm told that hair (literally, barbershop floor trimmings) in a mesh bag will do the same thing.
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Old 01-03-2010, 13:46   #12
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took the excess out and ran about 3 hours today not pushing it. It appears to be aleast a quart and ahalf over the mark again....so the only thing it can be is diesel I guess. Arghhh. I have a lift pump kit and will try to get it on tonite /tomorrow. The bilge looks bad, but is mostly water from the stuffing box...the black oil floating on top. ....It's gotta be from the oil change....it's just too black. If it's not the lift pump I think our little cruise is over....wish me luck. We are in transit to the keys so no time for oil analysis etc. If I put the oil I took out in a glass jar will the fuel separate from the engine oil?
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Old 01-03-2010, 14:00   #13
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Yes if left long enough.

Sorry to hear about this...what a bummer!

The quick test:

Take a paper towel and touch a loaded side of your dipstick on it...if diesel contaminated it will bleed out quite a ways faster then normal oil will...water will not.
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Old 01-03-2010, 15:34   #14
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Oil in Bilge

I have used a 3 gallon vacum oil change pump to remove oily gunk from the bilge. Dump it in 5 gal buckets with lids for proper disposal on shore. You can use a brush and regular degreaser to finish the cleanup and put it in buckets too. Shut off bilge pump to avoid (expensive ) spill.
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Old 01-03-2010, 16:05   #15
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Put make up oil and sump sample side by side on cutting board surface incline to approx 20-30 degs the less viscous one wins, samples must be same temp.
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