Engine and Steering problems - Phantom 50

[BGS]

After 2 hour cruise at 18 knots, slowed to enter port and suddenly black smoke began to billow from starboard exhaust.

I stopped engine and brought boat in on port engine. Steering fine. Boat secured at berth no problem.

Next day, decided to take her home 60 miles to get engine checked out at home berth. On leaving port, powered only by port engine, I took boat out into 1.5m swell for about 1 mile. I could only manage 8 knots on one engine which was reving at 1500rpm. The steering was extremely stiff and was hard to move from lock to lock. It almost felt like it was sticking at half lock and needed real force to get full lock. Given the swell, the boat was surfing down waves and very hard to control.

I brought the boat back into port and secured her safely.

I have been told that the steering pump on the Phantom 50 is operated by the starboard engine. Hence the steering difficulty.

Has anyone else experienced this severity of steering problem when running on one engine?

 

[jimmy_the_builder]

What you've been told is exactly right - the power steering is operated by just the one engine. I think this is commonly the starboard engine on Fairlines (certainly is on mine). When I lost the stbd engine a couple of years ago, because of transmission probs, I steered the boat using the autopilot instead. I believe that this does work the a/p pump quite hard, but it gets you home.

Cheers
Jimmy

 

[kashurst]

I believe outdrive boats use an engine driven pump for steering and hydraulics but shaft drives usually have a separate electric pump. It may be that the electric PS pump runs off the ignition on the duff engine side. Did you try turning the ignition on, on both engines?
Lots of black smoke sounds like a turbo issue - hopefully its just got stuck rather than anything worse

 

[henryf]

Just check to see if one of your helm positions is power assisted, the other isn't ie. lower helm power assisted, flybridge manual steering. I'm not saying this from experience on the Phantom 50 just something I would check.

As for the black smoke have you looked around the engine room for air restrictions or anything obviously loose? I'm not sure I would be setting off on a 60 mile journey knowing something is not right on the boat. Let the engineer come to you.

Henry

 

[rafiki_]

Rafiki's not a Fairline, but as with the F/L's the PAS pump is driven off the stbd engine only.

 

[volvopaul]

Were talking about shaft drive d12s here, one engine will have the pump as a gear driven unit, sealine tend to fit a 24 volt electric system bit like a hyd power pack on a tender lift, which in my opinion is a cheap pants way of doing it as the relays burn out, gear driven is best, although if you loose an engine it's back to manual steering. This was done to give a big flybridge boat a sports feel to the steering.

No idea what the smoking could be other than a blocked air filter , or maybe a blown turbo.

 

[BGS]

Thanks for all the helpful comments. I guess the steering was made even more tricky because of the conditions.

The engineers suspect the black smoke was caused by a faulty fuel injector. They have removed them and sent them to be tested.

I will let you know the outcome.

Many thanks.

 

[volvopaul]

Thanks for all the helpful comments. I guess the steering was made even more tricky because of the conditions.

The engineers suspect the black smoke was caused by a faulty fuel injector. They have removed them and sent them to be tested.

I will let you know the outcome.

Many thanks.

I think someone is having your pants down here, did they plug the vodia in to work out the injection pressure and injection timing, leak back etc, you don't assume it's an injector and just go ripping them out in hope the Bosch diesel shop will tell you the answer to your problem. Most d12s with black smoke issue have a favourite glitch, which if there vp dealers should know where to start in the first place. Is the boat uk or abroad?

 

[crazy4557]

I think someone is having your pants down here, did they plug the vodia in to work out the injection pressure and injection timing, leak back etc, you don't assume it's an injector and just go ripping them out in hope the Bosch diesel shop will tell you the answer to your problem. Most d12s with black smoke issue have a favourite glitch, which if there vp dealers should know where to start in the first place. Is the boat uk or abroad?

I agree with you on that issue Paul! Especially when the issue's not resolved and a big bill arrives!

 

[BGS]

The engineer plugged in a hand held computer analysis device. He tested the compression which read 100% on one cylinder and was around 83% in the others. The cylinders were flooded with deisel. When the engine was cranked it wouldn't start but did pump fuel out with the water in the exhaust. It also made a clanking noise. Sounded pretty bad. He seemed pretty sure it was an injector. He had the same problem on several other boats. It is disappointing that a 3 year old engine, regularly serviced, with only 3,600 miles should develop a problem like this already. Still. That's life in boating I guess!
Oh, the boat is in Mallorca! Cheers.

 

[volvopaul]

The engineer plugged in a hand held computer analysis device. He tested the compression which read 100% on one cylinder and was around 83% in the others. The cylinders were flooded with deisel. When the engine was cranked it wouldn't start but did pump fuel out with the water in the exhaust. It also made a clanking noise. Sounded pretty bad. He seemed pretty sure it was an injector. He had the same problem on several other boats. It is disappointing that a 3 year old engine, regularly serviced, with only 3,600 miles should develop a problem like this already. Still. That's life in boating I guess!
Oh, the boat is in Mallorca! Cheers.

Oh that doesn't sound good, I wonder what the bores are like now after the fuel has washed them clean of oil, I'd be looking at contacting Volvo over warranty issues on that engine as your looking at a big bill if it needs a rebuild.

 

[BGS]

I will see what happens this week! Fingers crossed

 

[Latestarter1]

Cannot get my head around the 3,600 miles stuff, what are vessels actual engine hours?

Before the dust has settled obtain separate fuel samples from your tanks, primary and secondary fuel filters. This must be done as a matter of urgency. May also be smart to obtain sample from where you last bunkered if it was only a short time before the failure.

D12 unit injectors both Bosch and Delphi designs are extremely robust and are easy to diagnose unlike those used on D9's.

Sorry to sound a little abrupt when you are up to your neck in it, however there are some simple steps required to protect your investment. Remember Volvo extended warranty specifically excludes fuel system failures.

Good luck.