Lombardini Diesel Oil Light ?

J

Jim Schofield

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I have just taken ownership of a Westerly Warwick, 1975. We motor-sailed her home about 20 miles last Thursday. After about 1 hour, on over 3/4 power, the oil light came on. We shut it down, sailed on and restarted an hour later. Oil light again after 1/2 hour. It is a Lombardini LDW 401. The oil level looked ok and the engine started on the first turn each time. It's at least 15 years old, and I will change the oil this week, so I'm looking for any info available to steer me in the right direction. This is my first diesel engined boat, so I'm on a steep learning curve

Jim
 
Hi,
my boat has a Lombardini LDW 2204. Previously I had a LDW 2004.
Lombardini specifies AGIP DIESEL SIGMA oil (SAE 30-40) for its inboard engines. It is a mineral oil and quite viscous at low temperatures.
I'd check carefully the back of the engine instruments. Connectors may become loose.
Also check the connection of the oil pressure sensor on the engine.
 
It's not likely to be wiring, as the symptom is twice related to engine use. Engines can give a flicker on hot idle but you have had the warning light on at higher revs, not good. Was the block temp rising too far, ie poor cooling?

I think you need to temporarily replace or tee the sender with a mechanical pressure gauge (here's one at random, http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SMITHS-OI...789?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item1c52898635 ) This will allow you to see more detail, hot cold, load, idle and check out the switch.

Make sure its got good old fashioned 20/50 from ASDA in it, not some high tech synthetic.
 
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New oil and filter would be a sensible first step

In the absence of any more definite information I would use a SAE 15W-40 mineral or semi synthetic oil

The problem is not likely to be a bad connection as the sensor will almost certainly be a " normally closed" type. A bad connection would result in the warning light failing to come on when it should rather than coming on when it should not.

The sensor could of course be faulty , operating a too high a pressure.

There could genuinely be low oil pressure due to severe wear or defective pump.

Logically the way forward is' as Nick Robinson says, to test the oil pressure with a mechanical pressure gauge fitted in place of the warning light switch.
 
Can you speak to the previous owner to get his view? Is there an engine service history with the boat? Do you know when the oil and filter were last changed? What does the oil (on the dipstick) look like.....back and used or fresh?

I fully agree with Nick R, once you know it's running on fresh 20/50 mineral oil with a new filter it's time to install a pressure gauge to see what's going on
 
Thanks folks for agreeing re. pressure and right oil.

Also, don't let the OP overlook cooling, a cooking engine would drop oil pressure after a period of sustained load. It could be an overheat alarm NOT sounding rather than low oil pressure sounding incorrectly...

Ask me about the V12 E-type I had for the weekend...
 
Jim Schofield said:
Another question,

I have checked the maintenance manual, but can't see any info on oil pressure readings.

So if I get to that stage, what is a typical working pressure for an old single cylinder diesel ?

Jim
Click to expand...

Jim,

As the UK & Ireland Lombardini Marine distributors I can confirm that the oil specification for this engine should be SAE 15W/40 and that the oil pressure switch point should be set at 0.7bar.
This engine is no longer in production, but I will endeavour to get hold of a workshop manual to give you typical running oil pressures, but I'll need to come back to you later on that one.
As others have said, in the meantime I would suggest fitting a new oil filter and fresh oil as a starting point.

I hope this will help.

Best regards
Jon
 
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