Smoking KAD 42B

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Keithleask

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Hi all, had the boat out of the water for the past 8 months or so while upgrading a lot of things. Before I took it out I had very light engine smoking which an engineer who serviced my out drives ( when it was on the hard) said it could be the injectors need servicing / replacing. Since putting the boat back in only 6/7 weeks ago and not having taken it out anywhere the engines are smoking really heavily. I am thinking I have got a lot of water in the fuel tank. I had an issue with losing power just before it came out which I thought then might be either water contamination or sludge etc on the filters on the fuel pick ups. Why I am leaning to the water is both engines are smoking badly and starting is not as good as it was and if it was injectors surely they would not be all playing up at exactly the same time ? I have changed all the fuel filters, checked the turbos, free spinning, no damaged blades, changed both exhaust elbows and rubber connectors, elbows were corroded , I have probably made things worse because the fuel level in the tanks has been quite low right through the summer and Autumn, around 1/4 or so full. Engines are recorded as 660 hours ,I am thinking of having what fuel is left polished and having the tank cleaned before I tackle the injectors, any advice would be greatly appreciated, thanks ,
PS when I changed the filters in March no signs of water but not checked them since !
 
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Combined, that's why I think it's more likely to be water that's causing it rather than both sets of injectors going wrong at the same time !
 
Check the new filters for water?? inspect the tank, if it has no drain, can you get to the level gauge, remove it and have a squint inside......I would use some kind of a syphon and suck out the tank bottom if you have no tank drain............. what colour is the smoke?
 
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You say you haven't taken it out anywhere... The engines smoke, sometimes a lot until they are nice and warm and that may take half hour if they are just ticking over sitting on your berth.
 
Thanks for the reply, am going to check out the filters tomorrow when I am back down , don't think there are any drain plugs anywhere as I can see. The tank is behind a bulkhead with insulation etc so I doubt if there any drain cocks behind the insulation? The smoke is sort of grey / blue, not heavy blue as if valve guides were worn or rings broken ,
 
No , not been out at all, I let the engines tick over at around 12/1400 rpm for 20 /30 mins with a very slight reduction in the smoke but it is significantly worse than I can ever recall. It was only a faint wisp before! It jus seems very curious it is affecting both engines at the same time so I am looking at what affects them both at the same time and can only think it is fuel related?
 
Keithleask said:
No , not been out at all, I let the engines tick over at around 12/1400 rpm for 20 /30 mins with a very slight reduction in the smoke but it is significantly worse than I can ever recall. It was only a faint wisp before! It jus seems very curious it is affecting both engines at the same time so I am looking at what affects them both at the same time and can only think it is fuel related?
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I think possibly your memory is playing tricks :ambivalence: :D I've kad43's and especially when it's damp outside they smoke a fair bit at startup and always have from new. I generally start the engines and leave the pontoon immediately so as not to cause a nuisance to the neighbours..

If I remember I'll make a video this weekend and post so you can compare.
 
Ok thanks, that's very kind, I know the grey matter might be on the wane now but I think I would have remembered this much smoke in similar conditions last year and I honestly don't!
 
They could just be ready for a good run if they have not done any serious work for a while. Our KAD32 can get a bit smokey if it has been pottering around for a while.

Dont forget that in this weather you will get a lot more steam as well which can be mistaken for smoke.

Service them and get the tanks cleaned as good practice anyway, it wont do any harm.
 
reading the thread back I would be tempted to take the boat out and give it a bit of work to do, or at least moor up and run the engines in gear at reasonable RPM to load it up a bit see if that helps
 
What colour smoke is it, ? If white grey its poor atomisation which means low opening pressure and poor spray pattern, they may be sticking open causing hosing. The KAD engine does not like this and if it's the case can cause piston failure.

I'd get them removed and tested by a Bosch dealer.
 
Paul hi again, thanks for the response. That is a worry also! When I had a chap service the drives in the spring that is exactly what he suggested when the the smoke was really only a wisp! The smoke is light coloured greyish / possibly very slightly blue , really hard to say definitively like ah yes def white, def grey? Paul can these injectors be serviced? I read somewhere they should not be serviced just replaced?. Back to the smoke I don't think it's the valve guides unless the seals have gone a bit brittle and are letting by a bit, because the lack of use over the past 9 months or so there shouldn't have been any more wear on them so I am leaning to other possible causes? Thanks
 
Yes I think I will get the tanks cleaned out, Polish what fuel is left. , top up a bit and if the smoking has improved after the cleaning etc I can give it a run. Only concerned that if it is still as smoky as it was that I could possibly cause damage to the Pistons as Paul was pointing out?
 
Give it a dose of marine 16 diesel fuel complete , or some other fuel treatment, and take it out for a good run .
http://www.marine16.co.uk/acatalog/Diesel-Fuel-Complete-500ml-60.html

As suggested I suspect the smoke may, in part, be a function of the recent colder weather ?
An engine that starts first turn of the key throughout the summer may well be more reluctant in cold weather or after being rested several weeks .
Check the air filters again . I did have one that was filthy after one season.
 
Martin hi, thanks , def worth a shot I think, will check all the fuel and Air filters again on Saturday when I'm back there, thanks once again!
 
CX54WEK said:
They could just be ready for a good run if they have not done any serious work for a while. Our KAD32 can get a bit smokey if it has been pottering around for a while.

Dont forget that in this weather you will get a lot more steam as well which can be mistaken for smoke.

Service them and get the tanks cleaned as good practice anyway, it wont do any harm.
Click to expand...

Absolutely agree...sounds like they need a good thrashing and a proper warm through cycle.
If they still smoke after that then you can start eliminating the other area's that have been mentioned.
 
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