Black sooty/bilge water

[Pedro]

1996 Penninsular powered 28 Te, after running the engine for several hours I accumulated some black sooty looking water in the bilge. No visible oil or exhaust leaks while at the dock. Not losing any oil measurable from crankcase. Any thoughts?

[Ben423]

Check your alternator belt. If it's slipping it can produce black dust that looks like soot and float on top of bilge water.

[Serenity]

I had the same issue. I wasn't losing oil or fuel. Even put down mats, nothing. After reading Ben's comment. I checked my belts and sure enough I had over a 1/2" play and black soot around the fins of the alternator. I never noticed the soot all the while I was looking for leaks. Great info.

[Pedro]

Will check the belts and monitor on these last few weeks of the season,

[rebuckley]

Pedro -
Did you get a resolution? I was going to say wipe the belt with a paper towel - see how much "black soot" comes off - also I would think you may get soot on the front of the engine as well if the belt is chaffing.

[Pedro]

Does not appear to be from the belts,
There was a tiny drip coming from the muffler hose,
Doesn't really seem like crankcase oil, no sheen, and no leaks at coolers or valve covers, however I'm wondering if the oil pan is dripping very slowly over the season but going to the keel pocket, then when it rains and enough water fills it then the water turns oily?

[rebuckley]

That exhaust leak could be it? Mix in the coolant water going out - with the actual exhaust (or even carbon build up internally on the hose) and you get black, sooty water. Under load, the leak may be a little more significant?

[Serenity]

I was taking to a fellow member at my club about bringing Serenity to a yard for winterization. This yard does a complete inspection of the motor and running gear as part of their service. I had mentioned in an earlier post that I thought I had oil in my bilge, although I couldn't see any leaks. I attributed the soot was from my alternator belt, which was loose. I still thought it was oil.
I brought the boat over to the yard and my suspicions were proven correct. I had a small pin hole leak in my oil pan next to my salt water pump. On top of that, I had severe corrosion on my turbo. Bottom line, the engine has to be pulled to get to the oil pan and my turbo has to be replaced. As the bride said to me Merry Christmas, Happy birthday and whatever holidays come your way. I guess I won't have to pay for winterization and I will be able to do a little r&r on those hard to get bilge pumps.

[Pedro]

Oil leak is my suspicion but I had a Mech check and he crawled all over and didn’t see anything,
Whatever it is it stained the bilge with a brown ring, I suspect the holding tank as well, Boat is on the hard and I will search again!

[rebuckley]

I was thinking of a quick way to rule out oil. Get a sample in a jar or clear bottle - let it sit for a day or two - if there is any oil - it will separate out and you will see water vs oil.

[Pedro]

Great idea! It will probably not be possible until spring as the engine is winterized and does,t seem to happen unless running,

[RobS]

What model thruster do you have? The Vetus 50 has an external gear oil reservoir. The gear oil tube fitting at the base of the thruster on mine leaked and I had an oily bilge and only discovered it after ruling out the engine as the culprit..

[Serenity]

Rob I have the Vetus 25. There is no reservoir that I could see. I had to replace the pc board o the ac panel and the only fluid was condensation from the ac unit. Dicksons Marine took pictures of the oil leak from the pan. The engine should be out today. They were having difficulty with moving the engine forward due to the V-drive. It appears that the Albin rudder prevents the shaft from being pulled out from the stern. They do not want to remove the rudder. Boating is fun
On another note, I just found out that the manual bilge pump is to remove water from the keel. I should have pics soon.

[RobS]

...The engine should be out today. They were having difficulty with moving the engine forward due to the V-drive. It appears that the Albin rudder prevents the shaft from being pulled out from the stern. They do not want to remove the rudder.

TOTALLY ridiculous and at your expense... This is not an "Albin thing." Sure Albin could have done what Mainship did and put a hole in the rudder to slide the shaft through... Regardless, it's just two bolts to drop the rudder shoe, and two bolts to slide the bearing housing off, and then shaft slides out the back with ease, either part way to clear the tranny or all the way out... Pulling that engine is a few hours work, no more..

[Serenity]

DSCN1527.JPG

Rob the shaft did not become an issue. Engine is out and in the shop. I have included some pics.

oil leak 11-7-2017 2-25-40 PM.JPG

The oil leak was at the starboard side dip stick.