I was never thinking of re-engining my Corniche..

Nick2

New member
Joined
8 Nov 2002
Messages
1,174
Location
Gerrards Cross
Visit site
But..........

The engineer has had a look today and reckons that its not a head gasket but a small gasket below the rocker cover (Ok I'm no mechanical hotshot...) which is easily fixable and should cure the small oil leakage.

The thing that bugs me at present is the constant coolant loss from each engine. The facts are that after a run there is coolant loss and it lays in the bilges yet the engines have not (so far at least) overheated. I don't think its coming out of the expansion tank but I am going to stick the pipe into a bottle to test it.

I wonder whether anyone can suggest an explanation for this loss and what I can do to rectify it baring in mind they are Volvo TAMD41bs?

I am glad that so many agreed with me that replacing the engines would be silly....... ;-)

Thanks

Nick

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://arweb.co.uk/argallery/Nick2>http://arweb.co.uk/argallery/Nick2</A>
 

longjohnsilver

Well-known member
Joined
30 May 2001
Messages
18,840
Visit site
Bet it is coming from the expansion tank if it is cooloant in the bilges, are you sure it's not seawater from the sternglands? Do you have to top up the freash water cooling system after each trip? If so, maybe you're overfilling it. It should find its own level and stay there with no top ups required.

Maybe best to stop worrying about these things. BTW it is worth just tightening the rocker cover every now and then, they normally ahve a cork gasket which can shrink a little and let some oil out which of course leaks onto the join between the head and block, hence you thort the head gasket had gone.

Only worry if engine overheats or you find oil in the cooling system.

Otherwise relax and enjoy!

<hr width=100% size=1>
 

Nick2

New member
Joined
8 Nov 2002
Messages
1,174
Location
Gerrards Cross
Visit site
John

No not me ...I have never really worried about this sort of thing.......honest...

;-)

Nick

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://arweb.co.uk/argallery/Nick2>http://arweb.co.uk/argallery/Nick2</A>
 

martinwoolwich

New member
Joined
16 May 2001
Messages
259
Location
Vancouver , BC Canada
Visit site
FOR GOODNESS SAKE!!

In future pleae restrict your posts like

"I was never thinking of re-engining my Corniche"

To the PBO forum.

The purpose of the MBM forum is for blue ensign flying, yoghurt pot sailing, swanky rich git boating types.

We posh uns tend not to go into the engine room at all. We have Chief engineers for this sort of thing.

The puropse of this forum is strictly to show off how swanky and posh we all are.

Thank you

Cmdr. Big Git

<hr width=100% size=1>
 

omega2

Active member
Joined
17 Oct 2002
Messages
3,492
Location
Essex Bradwell UK
Visit site
I had the same thing with our elderly Sabre's, we put a bottle onto the overflow pipe and were able to "catch" about 2 pints of coolant after 2 hours running, a mate suggested that if the head gasket had been replaced (which it had) the head should be retorqued. This was done and hey presto no water loss since. I suppose we were lucky to get the result we got, but maybe you could be suffering from the same malady.

<hr width=100% size=1>J HAMER
 

Renegade_Master

New member
Joined
27 Jan 2003
Messages
4,434
Location
Spain
Visit site
Is the water in the bilge after a trip green? if so its anti freeze and either from the expansion tank or water pump or filler cap or..................

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.suncoastmarine.co.uk>Sun Coast Sea School & Charter</A>
 

joanne2

New member
Joined
31 Aug 2002
Messages
180
Location
Hythe Marina
Visit site
The reason Nick is worried about all this is because I'm not out spending at the moment so he has to have something else to worry about.

Oh dear, sorry to have sharing all his worries with you, perhaps I'd better start shopping again - Yipee!!

Joanne


<hr width=100% size=1>
 

Renegade_Master

New member
Joined
27 Jan 2003
Messages
4,434
Location
Spain
Visit site
yup the starboard engine on my Broom (Perkins) had a custom made overflow plastic thank thingy which cought it all

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.suncoastmarine.co.uk>Sun Coast Sea School & Charter</A>
 

kimhollamby

Active member
Joined
16 May 2001
Messages
3,909
Location
Berkshire, Somerset, Hampshire
www.kimhollamby.com
Are you topping up the coolant every trip, to the mark on the expansion bottles? Is it then blowing it out to a lower level that is generally the same?

That behaviour was an issue on the 44s I ran; we soon got adjusted to the fact that the manufacturer's mark was, in effect, a little high and the engines settled down to a lower level without further loss.

<hr width=100% size=1>
 

Talon

New member
Joined
22 Dec 2003
Messages
426
Visit site
Kim is right, we had the same thing with our AD31's we kept topping them up to the mark and it kept blowing it back out, leave them for a while and if you find that the expansion tank is actually emptying out then you obviously have a more serious leak.

I would also say that a possible cause is the filler cap as previously mentioned by someone, the spring is set to release at a certain pressure and allow water to blow out of the breather into the bildge. If you find the one engine is leaking and the other is not, swap the filler caps and see if the leak moves to the other engine.

We replaced both our filler caps last year.

<hr width=100% size=1>Alex

boat2.jpg

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.mad-als.com>http://www.mad-als.com</A>
 
D

Deleted User YDKXO

Guest
Had the same on my boat but only on the port engine. I got fed up topping up the expansion tank and eventually just left it to find its own level which it did
Somebody told me that this was more likely to happen on the engine which heats the calorifier although I cant see why?

<hr width=100% size=1>
 

Nick2

New member
Joined
8 Nov 2002
Messages
1,174
Location
Gerrards Cross
Visit site
Yes I always top up then there is always coolant in bilges. My next task is to work out whether the stuff is coming out of the pipes at the tank end and will report back. I guess the odd thing is that so far no overheating which makes the "finding own level" theory quite feasible.

Thanks

Nick

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://arweb.co.uk/argallery/Nick2>http://arweb.co.uk/argallery/Nick2</A>
 

Nick2

New member
Joined
8 Nov 2002
Messages
1,174
Location
Gerrards Cross
Visit site
Yes I always top up then there is always coolant in bilges. My next task is to work out whether the stuff is coming out of the pipes at the tank end and will report back. I guess the odd thing is that so far no overheating which makes the "finding own level" theory quite feasible.

The thing is that there is no sign of water in tank after a run let alone a lower level which is very odd and is the bit that worries me.

Thanks

Nick

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://arweb.co.uk/argallery/Nick2>http://arweb.co.uk/argallery/Nick2</A>
 

Wiggo

New member
Joined
10 Sep 2003
Messages
6,021
Location
In front of the bloody computer again
Visit site
Nick, as has been said, the 'lower level' theory is quite feasible, but takes nerve to test...

Also, my own pet theory is the fresh water pumps. They have a very simple plain bearing and seal, and a hole on th eunderside to let water out through if the seal starts to fail. Any water coming out through there will be flung everywhere by the pulley, so you won't find a 'leak' as such. Suggest you find the hole on the pump body (see <A target="_blank" HREF=http://accessorycatalogue.penta.volvo.se/images/products/large/23/2371.jpg>here</A>, it's just visible to the left fo the pump axis, below the pulley), and dry it with a bit of kitchen roll. Go for a run, then dap clean kitchen roll to the hole and see if it comes back wet.

<hr width=100% size=1><-- insert witty sig file here -->

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.fairlinetarga29.info>Buy my boat!</A>
 

Talon

New member
Joined
22 Dec 2003
Messages
426
Visit site
Well the fact you are losing that much and it is appearing in the bildge is good news, it means it is a leak you can find and deal with. When your antifreeze is disapearing, there is nothing in the bildge and there is no sign of a leak, that is the time to worry! That means there is a leak into the sea water system and it is chucking it out the exhaust.

That would normally mean new heat exchangers or new manifolds!



<hr width=100% size=1>Alex

boat2.jpg

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.mad-als.com>http://www.mad-als.com</A>
 

apollo

...
Joined
12 Sep 2003
Messages
3,543
Location
Thames
Visit site
Nick

Try poking those nice new clear plastic pipes you bought into a plastic bottle.

Then see whats in there after a run?

Mike

<hr width=100% size=1>
 
Top