Volvo Penta D6 lost oil into bilge

Ribliam

Ribliam

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Looking for a bit of advice on this

I changed my oil and filters including the crankcase filter on a 2006 model VP D6 coupled to a DPR outdrive, I travelled approx 70 miles on the boat last Friday from Crosshaven near Cork to Crookhaven in West Cork.
I tied my boat up at a mooring on Friday night and was not back on board until Sunday, before starting I was doing my pre start checks when I noticed what I thought at first was black water in the bilge but when I dipped the engine and discovered no oil showing on the dipstick I realised that this was in fact the engine oil. I have looked around the engine and cannot find any signs of where oil would have sprayed out,I did not get any low oil level warnings.

My suspicion is that my sump has leaked and that it only leaked shortly before I stopped the boat or when stopped.

Has anyone come across this with this type of engine?

The engine is fitted in an 8 metre Excalibur built rib, I have good access around the engine bay but realise the engine will have to come out to change the sump if it is the sump.

All advice greatly appreciated.. Thanks
 
first trip after an oil and filter change?
I'd guess it's highly unlikely to be the sump!
Most likely wrong threading the filter, or not tightening something...
I've no idea of this engine, i doubt it has a oil plug, so I'd check the oilfilter first.
I'd want to make sure that all the bits that were touched/moved/bolted/unbolted during the works are perfectly fit/tight/not leaking.

You didn't check the bilge after the 70nm run did you?
Hope you're not done any damage to the engine.

cheers

V.
 
Ribliam said:
Looking for a bit of advice on this

I changed my oil and filters including the crankcase filter on a 2006 model VP D6 coupled to a DPR outdrive, I travelled approx 70 miles on the boat last Friday from Crosshaven near Cork to Crookhaven in West Cork.
I tied my boat up at a mooring on Friday night and was not back on board until Sunday, before starting I was doing my pre start checks when I noticed what I thought at first was black water in the bilge but when I dipped the engine and discovered no oil showing on the dipstick I realised that this was in fact the engine oil. I have looked around the engine and cannot find any signs of where oil would have sprayed out,I did not get any low oil level warnings.

My suspicion is that my sump has leaked and that it only leaked shortly before I stopped the boat or when stopped.

Has anyone come across this with this type of engine?

The engine is fitted in an 8 metre Excalibur built rib, I have good access around the engine bay but realise the engine will have to come out to change the sump if it is the sump.

All advice greatly appreciated.. Thanks
Click to expand...

Strikes me the root cause is more likely to be as a consequence of the recent work. Has the oil filter worked loose?
 
Fill a d6 with oil correctly, never ever add more than 20 litres when doing an oil change.

I'd say you either have a leak, cooler end cap o rings spring to mind , or massive piston problem resulting in blow by , oil out of breather filling air filter box, seen that before. I'd refill and run engine, observe for leaks and oil pressure etc.
 
Thanks for advice so far..
I will need to bring the boat back to Cork before I can do anymore checks..
I was going to go along the lines as suggested by VP I have already checked the air breather box, all ok their also no sign of oil around the filters and no signs of oil being sprayed around engine bay.

I will update as soon as I have more info.
 
Did you suck the oil out from the rubber hose at the back right hand side of the engine? if so was the pipe cable tied back up correctly?
 
I had a sump rust through from the outside once which resulted in a bilge full of oil, so it can happen!
Taught me the benefit of pre start checks if nothing else as thats how I found out.
Imagine if I'd just started up!
 
volvopaul said:
Fill a d6 with oil correctly, never ever add more than 20 litres when doing an oil change.

I'd say you either have a leak, cooler end cap o rings spring to mind , or massive piston problem resulting in blow by , oil out of breather filling air filter box, seen that before. I'd refill and run engine, observe for leaks and oil pressure etc.
Click to expand...

Great advice - considering that my Volvo dealers managed to put 25 litres in each of mine last autumn!

When I queried this they emptied the oil out and, as Paul says, correctly refilled to 20 litres. They then chopped the dipstick tubes to read full at 20 litres! Which means that I'd run new engines with too much oil for 7 months.

We're lucky to benefit from Paul's knowledge on this forum
 
When I changed the oil filter on my boat I did not not notice that the rubber oil filter sealing ring did not come off with the old oil filter and was still stuck on the block, so when I fitted the new filter with the new sealing ring attached, there were 2, during the tightening one became twisted, so when I started the engine it leaked. fortunatly I spotted it and when I removed the filter both sealing rings came off with it.
Now when I do a filter change I put a mirror in the bilges, start the engine and shine a torch on the mirror and check to see if the filter leaks.
PS, To Andrew 38. Its not always disadvantageous to run with too much oil. In the early 1960's a Scottish Racing Team (Ecurie Ecosse) were successfully racing Jaguars against the Works Jaguar Team, whose Jaguars kept siezing up. But the Ecurie Ecoss Teams cars did not as they put extra oil in, well above the dipstick mark. Aparrently Jaguar then raised the high level mark on the dipstick.
Who is too say the Volvo mark is correct.
Sorry it wasent the early 1960's It was the 1956 & 1957 24 Hours at Le Mans.
 
Last edited:
Jim@sea said:
When I changed the oil filter on my boat I did not not notice that the rubber oil filter sealing ring did not come off with the old oil filter and was still stuck on the block, so when I fitted the new filter with the new sealing ring attached, there were 2, during the tightening one became twisted, so when I started the engine it leaked. fortunatly I spotted it and when I removed the filter both sealing rings came off with it.
Now when I do a filter change I put a mirror in the bilges, start the engine and shine a torch on the mirror and check to see if the filter leaks.
PS, To Andrew 38. Its not always disadvantageous to run with too much oil. In the early 1960's a Scottish Racing Team (Ecurie Ecosse) were successfully racing Jaguars against the Works Jaguar Team, whose Jaguars kept siezing up. But the Ecurie Ecoss Teams cars did not as they put extra oil in, well above the dipstick mark. Aparrently Jaguar then raised the high level mark on the dipstick.
Who is too say the Volvo mark is correct.
Sorry it wasent the early 1960's It was the 1956 & 1957 24 Hours at Le Mans.
Click to expand...

You're referring to 1960's petrol engines not modern diesels. I've been told from various sources, not only Volvopaul & Volvo Penta that the risk of damage comes from too much oil rather than too little.
 
Andrew38 said:
You're referring to 1960's petrol engines not modern diesels. I've been told from various sources, not only Volvopaul & Volvo Penta that the risk of damage comes from too much oil rather than too little.
Click to expand...

Sorry Andrew, too little oil will definitely damage your engine. Oil is a coolant as well as a lubricant, and while the engine will run quite happily with the level a bit below the min mark on the dipstick, I would not run for extended periods. Same for a bit over the dipstick mark.

For the Ecurie Ecosse Jags, the engines were probably consuming a bit of oil, and the extra fill gave them a bit more range. The cars used to run for 2-3 hours on a tank of fuel. These days they run for about an hour between pit stops.
 
rafiki_ said:
Sorry Andrew, too little oil will definitely damage your engine. Oil is a coolant as well as a lubricant, and while the engine will run quite happily with the level a bit below the min mark on the dipstick, I would not run for extended periods. Same for a bit over the dipstick mark.

For the Ecurie Ecosse Jags, the engines were probably consuming a bit of oil, and the extra fill gave them a bit more range. The cars used to run for 2-3 hours on a tank of fuel. These days they run for about an hour between pit stops.
Click to expand...

I know exactly where Andrew is coming from. Over dilligent owners often get themselves into trouble, overfilling can be damaging.

Marine engines have lube oil coolers and lube temperatures are well controlled. Majority of engines are automotive based as quantity of oil in the pan is based on automotive long drains. I always advise running a little on the low side, it can cause no damage.

Part of installation review should always be dipstick calbration, as installation angles vary.

Why is running on the high side potentially damaging...........Windage, typically marine engines have low profile oil pans and the rear rod, rods, are close to the running lube oil level. Our over dilligent owner topping up a little extra to be on the safe side runs the risk of whipping up a storm in the oil pan (windage) which turns lubricant into milkshake very quickly.

Lube oil coolers are generally plate type which work very well, until they have to deal with milk shake then their efficiency goes all to heck. The bubbles in the aerated lube stick to the cooling plates insulating them from the lube oil. You are quite correct, oil plays a huge part in cooling on a high output diesel engine, as soon as oil aerates temperatures go up to 100 Degrees C very quickly, by 120 Degrees C most conventional lubes are in trouble. Modern engines burn very little lube oil, keep em on the low side and keep them cool.

In the case of the OP's engine suspect he will find he has done something dumb when servicing the motor.
 
Last edited:
Latestarter1 said:
I know exactly where Andrew is coming from. Over dilligent owners often get themselves into trouble, overfilling can be damaging.

Marine engines have lube oil coolers and lube temperatures are well controlled. Majority of engines are automotive based as quantity of oil in the pan is based on automotive long drains. I always advise running a little on the low side, it can cause no damage.

Part of installation review should always be dipstick calbration, as installation angles vary.

Why is running on the high side potentially damaging...........Windage, typically marine engines have low profile oil pans and the rear rod, rods, are close to the running lube oil level. Our over dilligent owner topping up a little extra to be on the safe side runs the risk of whipping up a storm in the oil pan (windage) which turns lubricant into milkshake very quickly.

Lube oil coolers are generally plate type which work very well, until they have to deal with milk shake then their efficiency goes all to heck. The bubbles in the aerated lube stick to the cooling plates insulating them from the lube oil. You are quite correct, oil plays a huge part in cooling on a high output diesel engine, as soon as oil aerates temperatures go up to 100 Degrees C very quickly, by 120 Degrees C most conventional lubes are in trouble. Modern engines burn very little lube oil, keep em on the low side and keep them cool.

In the case of the OP's engine suspect he will find he has done something dumb when servicing the motor.
Click to expand...

LS, I agree with you. I didn't want the OP to get the idea that the engine can run happily with minimal oil. There is a big difference between just below the min, and not showing on the stick!!
 
Following on from the checks on filters etc I bit the bullet and decided to remove the engine although I still had no proof of a hole in the sump but was very suspicious due to the amount of rust that was coming away in layers when I cleaned around the side of the sump.

While I was lifting out the engine I had to lift out an angle to clear the transom shield, while the engine was at an angle I could see oil weeping out from the side of the sump about half way up towards the stern. When the engine was removed and after cleaning around the sump bolts I removed the sump to find that the sump still had approx. 10 litres of oil in it which to me was a relief as it meant that I had run with low oil as opposed to no oil.

I have ordered a new sump and hope to be back on the water shortly thank for all help / advice.

Attached are a few pictures showing, the pin holes in the sump,the oil that was remaining in the sump after removing,and the engine bay before and after cleaning.

View attachment 19222

View attachment 19223

View attachment 19224

View attachment 19225
 
Ribliam said:
Following on from the checks on filters etc I bit the bullet and decided to remove the engine although I still had no proof of a hole in the sump but was very suspicious due to the amount of rust that was coming away in layers when I cleaned around the side of the sump.

While I was lifting out the engine I had to lift out an angle to clear the transom shield, while the engine was at an angle I could see oil weeping out from the side of the sump about half way up towards the stern. When the engine was removed and after cleaning around the sump bolts I removed the sump to find that the sump still had approx. 10 litres of oil in it which to me was a relief as it meant that I had run with low oil as opposed to no oil.

I have ordered a new sump and hope to be back on the water shortly thank for all help / advice.

Well done, and good luck with the new sump. Hope you are on-board agoan soon.
Click to expand...
 
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