white smoke above 2000 rpm

[tropicalescape]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

It is a fuel and/or a fuel burn problem.

How old is the fuel?
Have you tried adding some fuel treatment to the tank?
Have to you run the engine under full load for for a period of time (15 minutes at least) and if so did the smoke go away?

If you have enough white smoke to be very noticeable and are not losing coolant, and since it doesn't smoke till the engine is warm, it probably isn't a fresh water system leak.

Since you say the seawater flow is "normal" it would seem unlikely that it is vaporizing seawater in the exhaust as the seawater flow rate is much more than what is needed to cool the engine. But since it only "smokes" once warmed up it could be a temperature related issue, but I wouldn't start there.

I would start with adding some fuel treatment and running the engine hard a while.

I ran my tank dry a few weeks back and it sucked some ugly sludge stuff into the filter and started smoking like this boat ,I changed the filter and added some sort of fuel treatment from Autozone and "ran her hard" according to sales assoc. instructions ,no more smoke and cheap fix..

[sailorchic34]

That smoke in the video looks more gray to me then white, which could be a sticking injector. If you were loosing that much water, you would see a noticeable drop in the coolant level. If it does not small sweetish, its not antifreeze/cooleant. You can smell a coolant leak from a bad head gasket just by sniffing the exhaust. I'm betting the exhaust has a slight diesel smell. OK more then regular that is...

[rlg]

I will do the injectors, Ive been wanting to do this but hate to mess with an engine that runs so good. I really cannot smell unburnt diesel in the smoke or the sweet smell of a bad head gasket...

Ill try to get over my fear of westerbeke parts relating to fuel system....

Thanks all once again,Ill try to do it tomorrow

[rlg]

I ran the boat today for over an hour at 2800 rpm. The smoke was exactly as in video and doesn't smell AT ALL of diesel. Once it warms up it simply smokes more as the throttle opens and less as you close it. Since it does not smell or overheat, runs and sounds great, I have decided to try and get used to it. A friend suggested the new exhaust elbow, which is a different part updated by westerbeke for this motor, may inject the water differently causing some steam.

Like on the TV show Family Fued Im going to clap and say "good answer" and hope I don't hear a buzzer out in the ocean.

Im still open for comments, and thanks again

[DeepFrz]

After looking at the videos I didn't think there was much wrong. Having the injectors serviced is still a good idea, IMHO.

The smoke was exactly as in video and doesn't smell AT ALL of diesel.

I'll bite, you are running a gasoline engine...(grin)

[sailorchic34]

Whats the outdoor temperature where the boat is?

[rlg]

Its about 70 degrees today. It smokes more when its humid out and it hasnt seen cold since new exhaust elbow, but im expecting it to be a little more then also.

[tdoster]

I would bet a dozen doughnuts that it is either a faulty mixer, or the geometry is wrong in the piping. Water is making it's way back up into the exhaust manifold where it is turning to steam. The water flow would have to be high in this case to backflow into the exhaust manifold. A bad mixer may have a hard spot at the end of the flow tube causing it to splash. There may be too much of an angle in the hose from the mixer or too high between it and the muffler.

Is the mixer pointing at least 45 degrees down angle (if installed right off the manifold collar on that engine)

In any case, start there with what you have said.

If head gasket, you would find fluids in oil or antifreeze. If the exchanger, your antifreeze would no longer be green and your bucket empty and running hot.

Pressure check your system the same way you would with a car. Open the antifreeze cap on the manifold and first make sure it has nice green fluid and full, then check to 15 lbs (I think it was, check the Westerbeke shop manual online).

If all else checks out, then check the flow and impellers on both pumps. Don't forget the obvious cleaning out the water strainers.

But telling me you just changed the mixer and collar, I would bet it is there only from past experience on a different engine.

Why was the mixer changed in the first place?

And make the injectors last thing on that engine, they are a bit of a pain, but the one thing I love about that little Mitsubishi is the auto priming.

[tdoster]

Originally Posted by rlg

I have a westerbeke 46, 5300 hrs. It runs great and has since Ive had it with 1300 hrs.
Now she smokes white above 2000 rpm, only after fully warmed up.
If I keep revs lower, she'll smoke less, to nothing at 1200 or so.

Ive recently had the exhaust manifold off to replace the exhaust elbow, Im thinking this must be related but don't know exactly how.

Ive pressure tested the fresh water cooling system, no leaking.
Never has overheated but will always take a small amt of coolant whenever I check it.
Could there be a crack in the exhaust manifold?
Otherwise she runs great, hardly burns any oil....

Whats the right order to approach this? Im obviously hoping its not cracked head, cylinder, or head gasket.

Any ideas, suggestions, are welcome and appreciated

thanks, Rob

Rob,

After thinking about it more. I would raise my bet to two dozen doughnuts.

I am going to tell you a story that will embarrass me to illustrate my point.

a couple decades ago, I had a Morgan OI 33 with a Volvo MD2B in it. It started smoking like that, so we tested everything we could, called the best volvo mechanic in town and all scratched our heads. We wanted to put a little more HP in the floating condo, so just decided to swap it for an MD3 and add another 10HP. In the process, we had a new exhaust built and pretty new stainless mixer built. After putting the engine in, same issue, same smoke. Had the fuel checked and it was a little questionable, so replaced the tank and all filters. Still smoke. Pulled the engine out and it went back to the shop. Perfect. New exhaust, engine bench tests fine, new fuel tanks...

We put the old exhaust back in and tested again. Same thing. Finally, we tested the new and old mixers and found they were both bad. Had them build a new one and tested this time before putting on the boat. About 6K back then, which was a lot of money for something that could have been $185. But had an extra 10 HP that shaved off 38 minutes to Catalina Island.


The smoke that you describe was exactly what we saw. Water from the mixer is making it's way back into the exhaust manifold and turning to steam.

I like chocolate glazed.

[rlg]

Hey tdoster,

Just when Ive learned to live with it...

Im pretty sure youre right, the question I have is how is this going to hurt the engine?
The new exhaust elbow is differently shaped, replaced by westerbeke..
Im trying to upload a photo

[Target9000]

Originally Posted by rlg

Hey tdoster,

Just when Ive learned to live with it...

Im pretty sure youre right, the question I have is how is this going to hurt the engine?
The new exhaust elbow is differently shaped, replaced by westerbeke..
Im trying to upload a photo

I think you might owe that man some donuts.

[NahanniV]

Originally Posted by rlg

Hey tdoster,

Just when Ive learned to live with it...

Im pretty sure youre right, the question I have is how is this going to hurt the engine?
The new exhaust elbow is differently shaped, replaced by westerbeke..
Im trying to upload a photo

What's the hose clamp do ?

looks like you could make up a dry riser out of pipe if you have the space. Just make up an inverted U out of iron elbows and nipples. Insert it between the manifold and the injection elbow. Then cover it with exhaust lagging after you check for leaks.

If you have the space it would help to prevent possible back-flooding.

Cheers,
JM.

[tdoster]

Originally Posted by NahanniV

What's the hose clamp do ?

looks like you could make up a dry riser out of pipe if you have the space. Just make up an inverted U out of iron elbows and nipples. Insert it between the manifold and the injection elbow. Then cover it with exhaust lagging after you check for leaks.

If you have the space it would help to prevent possible back-flooding.

Cheers,
JM.

On the W46, there is a coupling between the manifold and mixer that is made out of common iron pipe that corrodes in about 5-10 years max, usually closer to 5 in salt water. The good news is the part is cheap, the bad news is it does not last long. The clamp is how it is all held together to make getting it on and off a lot easier. The issue if you have backflow is two-fold. First, that coupling is going to go in about a year. Second, you risk dumping water into at least #4 and steam cleaning it, which I have heard more than once caused an untimely demise of that engine. #4 is really super close to that coupler.

[tdoster]

Originally Posted by rlg

Hey tdoster,

Just when Ive learned to live with it...

Im pretty sure youre right, the question I have is how is this going to hurt the engine?
The new exhaust elbow is differently shaped, replaced by westerbeke..
Im trying to upload a photo

If it was replaced by Westerbeke, have them come back out and fix what they replaced. If you pull off the coupling (since it is still fresh and easy to remove), you should see signs of steam cleaning.

You will see on mine that the coupling is a lot longer than yours, then there is a 4" drop after the mixer to a 90 degree elbow to take it back to the muffler.

I think you risk getting #4 steam cleaned if you don't get it fixed and that is probably going to kill it over time. I recall this happening to someone on the cape dory forums before he had to replace his entire engine. I will see if I can find that post.

[rlg]

I think I found the problem. When I took off the clamp that holds the exhaust riser I saw that it wasnt lined up perfectly...
I lined them up and reinstalled the special clamp and it went a bit tighter.
Ill have to test it another day but I think the water was hitting the lip of the riser and splashing back towards the cylinder..
I admit I should have noticed this earlier, taken it apart earlier, .....

tdoster gets the donuts