Found the leak. Help needed.....

[wattsn]

... to identify the engine part.

I can do most things electrical etc but am no good with mechanics and therefore have little to no idea of my way around an engine.

I have had a leak from my port engine ever since I bought the boat (Sealine S38 with D4-260 engines with just 145 hours) but until now have been unable to identify where it is leaking. Tonight I did my contortionist impression and got down below and between the engines and can see quite clearly where it is leaking from. I will try to explain.

At the very rear of the engine there is an almost circular plate bolted to the engine about 10 inches in diameter. From the centre of this plate a large circular part exits through the transom to the outdrive. The leak is from the joint of this plate. There are 5 or 6 14mm bolts attaching it to the engine. At least 2 of these bolts have quite obviously attempted to be tightened as the green Volvo paint is cracked and broken away. The others are absolutely perfect. It is incredibly awkward to get access to these bolts and the only ones that can be reached are those that are showing signs of paint cracking.

Now to my questions.

1. From my poor description above can anyone identify the part that is leaking
2. Whilst I recognise any leak is not good, is this one something I should be immediately concerned about and get fixed or can it wait till next service
3. Is this a common fault with these engines

I am guessing to be fixed then the whole engine will need to be moved off its mounts and moved forward to gain access. Expensive I'm sure and annoying as the engines had a full £3000 service in May, just 10 engine hours ago.

Thanks for any advice.

Neil

 

[hlb]

Hopefully some one will come along knowing more about your particular engine.

But it sounds like your talking about the bell housing, there should be no water in there.

If there is, it's most likely the bellows on the out drive broke. If thats the problem, you need it sorting pronto. Boat out, engine out, drive off.

Hopefully I'm wrong. I sunk with that problem.

 

[wattsn]

Thanks for replying. It's oil that is leaking not water. I have found a pic of the D4-260 and attcahed it and have outlined the area which has the leak in red. On my engines though the circular plate with the bolts is green not grey. Best I can do I'm afraid.

 

[hlb]

Your red line is a bit thin. But thats the bell housing. There should be no oil in there. But if your not loosing much engine oil, it's not an emmediate worry. Needs sorting though.

 

[wattsn]

Thanks Haydn. Have made the line a bit thicker. It is definitely an oil leak. looking on marinepartseurope I am wondering if it is the reverse gear housing. Probably best if I just get my local service agent to have a quick look in the morning.

Thanks

 

[scottie]

oil leak

is it clean gearbox or dirty engine oil

 

[wattsn]

looks quite clean. Definitely not dirty black engine oil. Sort of greeny black. Mistook it for green coolant initially.

Told you I know nothing about engines

 

[hlb]

My engines and things, drip oil all the time, yet they never loose any. Check the engine and gear box levels. The odd leak looks far worse than it is.

 

[lenseman]

looks quite clean. Definitely not dirty black engine oil. Sort of greeny black. Mistook it for green coolant initially.

If it is gear oil, it should be and Extreme Pressure type of oil (EP). This smells like 'Cats Piss' and is unmistakable as to its pungent smell and is difficult to wash your hands to rid the smell if you get it on your hands in any quantity.

Engine oil will smell more like detergent.

In answer to your question number 2:

Check the oil levels hourly or daily and see if the levels fall dramatically? If yes, then you need to be concerned.

 

[hlb]

Please folk make it clear when posting, is it water or oil, saves a load of thinking.

 

[[2068]]

Thanks Haydn. Have made the line a bit thicker. It is definitely an oil leak. looking on marinepartseurope I am wondering if it is the reverse gear housing. Probably best if I just get my local service agent to have a quick look in the morning.

Thanks

Reverse gear housing???

Do you still have an S38, cos if so, there won't be a gearbox anywhere near there. The picture you have posted is a D4 shaftdrive engine. Yours will be sterndrive, which has a bellhousing with the gearbox in the sterndrive.

 

[wattsn]

Reverse gear housing???
which has a bellhousing with the gearbox in the sterndrive.

Thanks. Do not understand how I have oil leaking from the seal of the bell housing though. What fluids are contained within the bell housing?

 

[wattsn]

Please folk make it clear when posting, is it water or oil, saves a load of thinking.

My mistake. Sorry Haydn and others. As I added, definitely an oil leak.

 

[oldsaltoz]

Sounds like it could be the oil seal on the drive shaft allowing a small leak from the gearbox.

Check the gearbox oil level after it has been standing for good few hours, place a small container under the leak and go for a run. Leave the container inpace for a few ours and check content again.

If only a very small leak continue to monitor and keep the container in place to reduce clean up.

You say you have had this small leak for some time, it may be that the gearbox was opened when cold and oil added, allowing for expansion when heated, this may have contributed to the leak. I doubt it's going to stop leaking without major work but should be ok to use if monitored.

I only top up my Sail drives when warm, or the filler left loose after filling till warm up.

There are some industrial chemical additives available that contain long chain polymers that do a good job on gearbox seals, I saw a drive box output shaft that pulled a conveyor belt with 4,000 tonnes on it. Took about 4 hours to stop the leak completely. It was stripped a couple of years later and you could see the thickness of material on the internal ends of the shafts.

Avagoodweekend......

 

[[2068]]

Sounds like it could be the oil seal on the drive shaft allowing a small leak from the gearbox.
Check the gearbox ...

There still isn't any gearbox, but it could be oil leaking from the crankshaft seal at the rear of the engine. There isn't much inside that bellhousing other than a flywheel, a drive coupling, and a shaft disappearing off to the outdrive.

 

[PCUK]

I would have said crankshaft oil seal until you mentioned it was clean greenish oil.

Most engines lose a little oil here and there and do not suffer any problems. My engine bay is covered with oil absorbent cloths which keep everything clean and prevent bilge water taking oil overboard.

£3000 for a service did you have the engines completely rebuilt? I'd get the very rich "engineers" to come back and sort it free of charge. For that price the engines should be better than perfect!

 

[omega2]

If it is gear oil, it should be and Extreme Pressure type of oil (EP). This smells like 'Cats Piss' and is unmistakable as to its pungent smell and is difficult to wash your hands to rid the smell if you get it on your hands in any quantity.

Engine oil will smell more like detergent.

In answer to your question number 2:

Check the oil levels hourly or daily and see if the levels fall dramatically? If yes, then you need to be concerned.

and if tastes sweet it will be coolant.

 

[wattsn]

Took the boat to Neyland this morning and went for a chat with the Dale Sailing engineers. They have confirmed (from the camera phone pics I showed them) that it is definitely leaking from the bell housing. Like everyone here he has confirmed that there should be no oil in there unless it is comng from somewhere else and finding its way into the bell housing.

Before the run this morning I cleaned the oil up from the builgfe recess area with some kitchen roll (I would say about 2 x teaspoons of oil) and on coming back in later (after about 45 minute run at 3000rpm) there is no oil there. Will check again this evening when she has cooled and sat on her berth for a good few hours.

And yes, they have confirmed it would be an expensive job to fix (whatever is causing it) as it will likely mean taking the engine out which means removing an area of the cockpit floor etc. Anyway, will be taking it back to them this week or next for them to have a better look and also for them to connect their Vodia computer to try and diagnose the alarm condition (which may be linked or just coincidence). The fault sequence on the EVC display is 1.4.6 which the book says is a starter motor fault. However, engine starts just fine so that may be just a faulty sensor or something.

Thanks for all the replies. I hate it when things go wrong

PS I must check the bill for the last service as I keep saying £3000 and everyone keeps saying that was extortionate so I may need to stand corrected. However, I'm sure it was closer to £3000 than £2000.

 

[wattsn]

£3000 for a service did you have the engines completely rebuilt? I'd get the very rich "engineers" to come back and sort it free of charge. For that price the engines should be better than perfect!

Well, I will be getting in touch with Volspec this week but doubt very much I have any come back on them. PITA though

 

[PCUK]

In future you may want to consider a non-dealer Volvo specialist for your servicing. £2000 is still extortionate for a service. Be interesting to know what they did for the money, to give a better indication of why it was so expensive.