Sooty deposits

[BigLes]

My boat has the original (20 year old) Volvo MD5 single cylinder inboard diesel. Although she starts and runs OK I do get black sooty deposits across the transom of the boat and up the externally hung rudder. Is it a worn or poorly adjusted injector, or could it be, more seriously, worn piston rings?

Any suggestions from experience?

Many thanks

Les

 

[Col]

Sounds about normal. You could try a can of STP injector cleaner in your tank. It certainly won't hurt

 

[DepSol]

Or if you are going along the line of additives give Soltron a go. spoke to some more people the other day on the MBM Cruising club who buy it just to stop the soot depositing on their transom and for that reason only but have also seen its other benefits aswell.

Dom


I just want my boat back in the water ;-(

 

[Piers]

...and having been part of the lead team on the MBM Channel Islands cruise, I confirm DepSol is right when he says another boat (a big Trader) uses it to stop the black smoke he used to have....and now the Trader keeps its back end clean, so to speak.

Piers du Pré
MBM Cruising Club enthusiast
www.dupre.co.uk/fsPlaydeau.htm

 

[oldharry]

Diesel engines are getting an increasingly bad press from non-technically minded conservationists because of their particulate emissions of soot. Recent attempts to refine diesels mean the particles are smaller, therefore less visible, and what the eye dont see the heart dont grieve over. But they are still there - just not visible any more! Keeps the conservationists happy but actually causes more health problems because it remains airborn much longer.

If your engines emisisions are landing on your transom its a total pain, but it means they are reasonably large and are rapidly settling down - arguably less damaging to the environment....

Try putting a right angle bend adaptor on the exhaust so that everything is directed downwards into the water, and you may well find the problem on your transom largely solved.

Many working boats have black painted transoms to solve the problem of unsightly deposits. And if DepSols beloved additive (we had a 'chat' about it a few months ago on this forum!) does actually reduce soot, then that is environmentally even better, and I might even be caught using it myself....!

 

[Piers]

Thanks for the comments - and by the way, Depsol's S*****N elixir appears less expensive in Guernsey - give him a PM and ask....

Piers du Pré
MBM Cruising Club enthusiast
www.dupre.co.uk/fsPlaydeau.htm

 

[BigLes]

It sounds as though DepSol should be tried!

Do I get it from a chandler (no doubt expensive) or can it be bought from a motor accessory shop (ie Halfords etc.)?

If that doesn't work then it looks like an exhaust pipe extension - right angled if necessary.

 

[PeterGibbs]

Worry yourself only if smoke hangs in the air from the exhaust. All transoms have sooty deposits on them from the engine, whatever its vintage.

PWG

 

[Piers]

I'll send you a PM....

Piers du Pré
MBM Cruising Club enthusiast
www.dupre.co.uk/fsPlaydeau.htm