Injector pipe failure

[David_J]

Our engine is a Volvo Penta KAMD43.
It has done less than 60 hours.
On Saturday a high pressure injector pipe fractured filling the engine bay with a mist of vapourised diesel. The engine was covered, there was fuel running down the alternator, the acoustic lining was covered. It will stink of diesel for ever.

Fortunately we realised a problem existed before it killed us.

When we found it there were several litres of diesel in the bilges and everything was covered. On opening the hatch the engine bay was just a fog of vapourised diesel and smoke from where it was baking on the hot engine.

Really scary stuff.

Has anyone else ever had an injector pipe failure???

This is just the latest in a string of escalating safety related failures.

What does the panel think?

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[kimhollamby]

First thing I would check David is if there is any obvious signs of impact of foot-fall damage. Injector pipe failues are not unknown, sometimes they can be promoted by physical abuse of one kind or another.

You did well to spot the issue and sort it out.


<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[hlb]

A bit of diesel sprayed around will do yer engines alot of good. The aroma also helps to kill the bog fumes!../forums/images/icons/smile.gif

I had an injector pipe come loose last week. On the scale of problems I'd give it one out of a hundred.

<hr width=100% size=1> Get Yer Flags ear</font color=red>
Haydn

 

[Oldhand]

Never experienced or seen such a failure on any marine or land based diesel from 6bhp to 1800bhp. I suspect the failure was most likely due to damage to the pipe during engine installation in the boat. It might pay you to get an independant engineer/surveyor to examine and report on the pipe failure, it probably should be sent to metalurgical lab. I hope you are still in warranty and have sympathetic boat and engine suppliers, they need to get together and sort out the mess for you.

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[David_J]

Thanks Kim.

I took pictures which show no obvious signs of external damage to the pipe. No sign of it being stomped on or anything like that or deformed through over tightening. That was the first inference from Volvo and the Beneteau dealer. Owner meddling created the problem perhaps!!!
Thank goodness for digital cameras. If I knew how to, I would post one of the shots. It shows a pristine pipe and fuel everywhere. Boat is only six months or so old and well in waranty. Less than sixty engine hours.

Haydn
Love your humour. An injector pipe working loose on the nut I can almost come to terms with but a pipe failure. Thats really rare even on our big engines, but then they more and more now have to have the double wall pipes. SOLAS and all that.

Thanks for the comments and help folks.

If anyone else has experienced such a failure I would love to know.

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[hlb]

Sorry. Not realised boat only six months old. But have seen many broken injector pipes in my time. Just think these days, folk get a bit to upset about a bit of diesel swilling about. It's a boat, full of the vagrencies of boats. Everything leaks or breaks at some point. It dont matter if it's new or old. Now wheres my hanky..../forums/images/icons/laugh.gif

<hr width=100% size=1> Get Yer Flags ear</font color=red>
Haydn

 

[longjohnsilver]

Just get the pipe replaced and give the engine bay a good clean with a degreaser, bilgex is good, and all should be well.

It's not unknown for a pipe to fracture thru vibration, or maybe there was a fault in the manufacture. Replace and clean and you'll soon forget it even happened.

And yes I had a similar failure some years ago, not a problem as I keep a spare set of injector pipes. Again I put this down to vibration.
<hr width=100% size=1><P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by longjohnsilver on 07/06/2004 21:22 (server time).</FONT></P>

 

[[2068]]

It won't stink for ever, unless something wooden or fabric got dieselled (e.g. carpet, in which case, replace).

Engines can be degreased, fibreglass bilges can be cleaned. The acoustic lining and maybe the air filter should be replaced. It will be perfect again...

dv.
<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by dvinell on 07/06/2004 22:39 (server time).</FONT></P>

 

[toad]

I've seen several injector pipe failures over the years, mainly on road vehicles, and every time it's been caused by frequency vibration, normally when someone has worked on the engine and not replaced the dampers, which are the metal support brackets with the rubber inserts in. I seem to recall the early escort diesels suffered from this and they brought out a modification with some extra dampers on the pipe. It may be that you have a length of unsupported pipe that is vibrating in sympathy with your normal engine revs. Just an idea.

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[David_J]

Thanks for that.
This is what the dealer said who sold the boat to me.
Fortunately the photos I have showing fuel coming out also show an "unmarked looking" pipe with support bracket in place so the distance from the support bracket to the nut on the injector is only around a pipe run of 6/8 cm.
I have to assume its good old materials failure at this point.

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[PaulF]

Along with several other posters, I have experienced injector pipes breaking.

In my experience it has been on 40 year old Fords. On which there are small clamping dampers that should be put on, and this largely stops it.
As soon as a pipe breaks there will be a power loss of maybe 20%, the fuel pump will try to compensate for drop in revs by upping the fuel to all injectors including the one washing your engine compartment. Certainly on a Ford it is evident by the drop in revs and an increase in smoke level. If the engine throttle is 'blipped' in neutral the pickup will be nowhere near as crisp. This should alert the skipper to have a nose around. I had one break coming home across Christchuch Bay in calm conditions, so my crew took the helm, we stopped one motor and changed the pipe in 20 mins on the move.

This is a reminder to me to have a look at the Volvo pipes and see how practical it would be to carry a spare, as I did with the Ford engined boat.

I must admit a failure on such a new installation ought to raise eyebrows re the vibration possibilities, maybe there was some physical damage?. Good luck.

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[ulava]

Had the same thing happen twice,same eng first time was at 25kn blew the rings and dumped all oil from sump. warranty was up but only three months.I now always carry an emegency fuel line (from fuel pump to injectors )if you see any sign of diesel near the injectors,stop and fit it and carry on but at bellow 1500rpm just before the supper chargers kick in . the rebuild cost was just short of 6k

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[longjohnsilver]

How did a fractured injector pipe efectively cause catastrophic engine failure?

<hr width=100% size=1>