Yanmar engines

[Ray Morley]

Last May i sold my Albin 28, by accident (last February someone came into the boatyard and asked if the boat was for sale and like most I said sure. They bought it) So I went looking and found an Albin Trawler 36 feet with two yanmar engines. And yes, they are the Yanmar 6 Lp . Each engine has about 450 hours. I discovered the engines ran well except the port engine was blowing blue grey smoke. It was a lot of smoke not just whispers. In fact my previous albin with the same engine never smoked it just ran very well. So I had my mechanic adjust the valves and discovered that normal maintenance was always completed but timing belts, and valve adjustment had not been done.

We thought the valve adjustment would make the smoke problem go away it didn't. The starboard engines runs well, no smoke sounds great, etc. The port engine is troublesome. It continues to blow blue grey smoke. So I was thinking the injectors (one or more) could be bad, but I was also thinking it could be the turbo charger. Can they "plug up" . I was also thinking the chances of the injectors being bad with such low hours may no be the problem but it might very well be the turbo charger. I love the boat went to Nantucket, and that's when I discovered the problem. Not only did the engine blow smoke there was a great deal of black sooty carbon all over the engine room. In fact the soot found it's way into the storage lockers and galley draws in the cabin.

Before i start with a hit and miss approach I am hoping someone has some ideas. You can answer this post or even call me on my cell 978 337 1561. The name of my boat is "Sea Inn"

Ray Morley
Ipswich Inn
Ipswich Ma.

[RobS]

Blue Smoke: Are you "making oil" or using oil ?

Soot in Engine Room: Investigate for an exhaust leak.

[Ray Morley]

oil does not drop. Not using oil it seems we are making oil. any ideas?

Ray Morley
Sea Inn

[RobS]

By "making" I mean diesel fuel into the crankcase... Consider an oil sample on both engines and compare fuel % in the oil. Fuel in the oil could be issue with pump or injectors.

[TorreyWP]

Sounds like incomplete combustion to me, possibly caused by over fueling or a piston ring issue. You may be on the right track with doing the timing belt service and having the injectors serviced. Beyond that, with the injectors out it might be a good time to get a comp. test done. Special tools may be required to do the test.

[catalina_mike]

A comprehensive oil analysis will tell the story but they are more useful over time. My friend who is a LE rep solved the reason a detroit two stroke tore up several times using tests. If your injectors are having a issue you will be putting more diesel in the engine than it can process. Then the fuel dilution rate will climb and the smoke will occur. If your oil level is dropping (over time) and a low fuel dilution rate is present it is rings or valve guides etc.. Again test results over time tell the story.

[RobS]

You don't need tests over time to find a "red flag". Especially in the case of a twin screw here. Fuel dilution can be the result of the operator repeatedly running the engine(s) dockside with zero load, or motoring around just over idle speed. These scenarios due not allow proper heat for full combustion and the fuel accumulates in the lube oil. Since this is a twin screw if one is high and one is not high he can rule out "operation" as the culprit.

[Sprig1]

Hi don't know if this will help. Check the air intake lines for obstructions go all the way to the motor. That happened on an old excavator I had it smoked really badly and that was the problem