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Peregrine1983 · 09-10-2017, 07:22

Hey all,

We have a Westerbeke 58 from 1991 on our Pearson 424. This goes into a Borg Warner velvet drive trans and a Walter V Drive. It has a wet exhaust.

The engine runs fine. The engine (according to the temp gauge) sits at about 185F, but I have used an infrared thermometer all over the engine and the highest temp I can record on the engine or thermostat housing is 174.9F.

After about 45 minutes of hard running, I get steam in my exhaust. A fair amount... picture a big pot of boiling water placed outside on a cold day.

There seems to be more than enough seawater getting into the exhaust as it really pours out the pipe on the stern, but clearly the exhaust is getting hot inside.

Any thoughts on why I'm getting steam?

**a64pilot** · 09-10-2017, 07:30

Try to measure the temp of the water discharge if possible, if it’s scalding not, then there isn’t enough flow

Peregrine1983 · 09-10-2017, 07:38

Thanks a64... Didn't think to take the temp of the water coming out. I will do that.

Peregrine1983 · 09-10-2017, 07:47

I should add that I just dove the boat and cleared the through hull as well as the sea strainer this past weekend - I had to as we sucked up something gnarly cruising off Jersey and had zero water coming in when I started her up on Sunday... But even after I cleaned out the through hull and strainer the steam remained.

The raw water is pulled in through the strainer, then it goes through the V-drive, then it goes to the engine. I know some other P424 owners have removed the cooling line to the V drive and gone straight from the strainer to the engine. This would probably improve raw water flow, but it just doesn't seem like a good idea to not have the V-drive cooled.

pstadt · 09-10-2017, 14:35

We've experienced this several times in our VP D2-40s and solved it each time by (stopping the engine first) taking the strainer cap off and using the blowing end of our small vacuum cleaner, back flushing through the strainer intake (and thus, the sail drive intake ports). I let it run for about a minute, let it fill back up a bit then flush it again. Close off the intake at the skin and prime the intake hose, filling up the strainer bowl and cap it. Don't forget to open the intake valve when done.
I've also jumped over the side and using a test tube bottle brush, cleaned the intake ports on the sail drive.
Lots of jellies in the Chesapeake and this seems to work pretty well.

Good luck!

Pat

DougR · 09-10-2017, 14:37

The Walters RV10 Vdrive has a cooling cavity on the top of the gear box casting, and it's easily cleaned. Just pop the top plate off the gear, 6 or 8 bolts, and there you have it. There is an oil line running thru the cavity to cool the oil and that's about it. There shouldn't be any reason that this causes any flow restriction unless it's full of goop.

DougR

rwidman · 09-10-2017, 14:39

Some folks would say that steam in the exhaust is a sign of a blown head gasket, warped head or something similar.

Fuss · 09-10-2017, 14:48

if steam is a new occurrence then.....your heat exchanger needs cleaning and your pump impeller checking.

Peregrine1983 · 09-10-2017, 16:11

Thanks very much all for the replies.

Pstadt - I have done similar things with our dinghy pump and/or an air horn. Works well!

Dougr - I've never checked and cleaned the v drive but I will now... I am thinking I may temporarily just connect straight to the motor cutting out the drive and see if I get steam.

Rwidman - I doubt if I have a bad gasket or warped head. That would mean ingress of coolant and water from the closed cooling circuit... and this engine does not go through coolant.

Fuss - the exchanger was just cleaned and serviced last year, so I'm doubtful that is the issue either.

Thanks again.

Fuss · 09-10-2017, 16:20

For whatever reason, it's not getting enough raw water cooling water, that's most likely the problem.... can you touch the exhaust hose for more than 1 second, if so, it's probably ok, if not, then not enough raw water cooling

Peregrine1983 · 09-10-2017, 16:29

Thanks Fuss. I think you're right. That's definitely the deal. The exchanger was my suspicion too until I looked at her svc records which showed a cleaning and refurbishing. The raw water pump just got a new impeller in March.

The V drive is the last unknown... I will report back what I find after I open that up and clean it or bypass it temporarily.

**a64pilot** · 09-10-2017, 16:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by rwidman

Some folks would say that steam in the exhaust is a sign of a blown head gasket, warped head or something similar.

I had thought of that too, but thought let’s try the easy cheap stuff first, and as the owner said it’s not eating coolant, and often when they do you smell pancake syrup, you know the sweet coolant smell.

Peregrine1983 · 09-10-2017, 16:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by a64pilot

I had thought of that too, but thought let’s try the easy cheap stuff first, and as the owner said it’s not eating coolant, and often when they do you smell pancake syrup, you know the sweet coolant smell.

Nah no maple syrup thankfully. She's definitely not burning coolant. Also with a bad head or gasket I'd expect a loss of power from bad compression or even burning oil which she doesn't do either.