sump clean

[LittleSister]

Looks to me like there is a sump drain at the rear of the sump.

I would waste my time using it though, just follow the instruction, run till hot and pump out.

Looks like it could be but,if so, getting at it would be awkward.

I assumed it was where the sump pump suction pipe was connected.

I realise it's terribly unfashionable to read previous posts ( ) but take a peek at post #5

 

[PaulRainbow]

I realise it's terribly unfashionable to read previous posts ( ) but take a peek at post #5

I did, but it didn't mention the extraction pump and the parts you mentioned were not visible in the picture i was looking at, ah, i see you added an edit

 

[Poignard]

Here is a photo (from the BUKH Workshop Manual) showing the pipe connecting the sump pump and the sump.

As the engine is most likely sloping aft, and the pump is connected to the lowest part of the sump, I expect it does a pretty good job of getting everything out; especially if the oil is warm.

I wish my DV10 had such a convenient system.

I also like the fact that the gearbox can be pumped out.

 

[Graham376]

1. Never put diesel in the engine to 'flush' it unless you really, really know what you are doing. Best case you will waste some diesel and have an engine that now burns more oil than previously. Worst case is irreversible damage.

I agree about using diesel but in days gone past it was normal practice on engine service to run until warm with flushing oil before refilling with proper stuff.

 

[Moodysailor]

I agree about using diesel but in days gone past it was normal practice on engine service to run until warm with flushing oil before refilling with proper stuff.

Hi Graham,

Absolutely agree re: diesel for flushing.

Re: flushing oils generally, I used to work for engine manufacturers, and I would disagree with this from a manufacturers perspective. Flushing oils were produced due to a demand in the market to remove some deposits from very 'dirty' engines -we are talking 60's engine designs. The owners wanted a way to prolong the life before an overhaul (and in some cases just to make the oil appear clean prior to a sale) so these products appeared.

Modern diesel oils are much cleaner than their older counterparts and do a much better job at maintaining the engine internals. In addition, modern diesels are also much cleaner and allow less combustion by-products into the oil, so the need for flushing oils is no longer there.

The downsides of using a flushing oil are many and varied, especially with a modern oil in a modern design engine (the Bukh maybe considered an older design to us, but has a relatively modern combustion design in the context of this subject).

Others experience may vary, but I wouldn't advise anyone to use a flushing oil on an engine that has done significant hours and has not had this through it before. It should not be required as long as regular maintenance is carried out.

As an anecdote, the 'dirtiest' engines I used to see were the Perkins 4.107/8. When I worked for Perkins Sabre, we started a re-manufacturing program and I spent a summer as an apprentice driving around picking up old engines that had been in ice-cream trucks. We stripped them down and rebuilt them as marine long-blocks for the re-man program. A lot of those had serious neglect and sometimes you couldn't even see the individual coils on the valve springs due to the sludge. None of those had flushing oils in, and some still ran - I hate to think what would have happened if someone had tried and dislodged all that muck!

 

[Slowboat35]

Why do you need to clean out the sludge? Is there a great deal of it - do you even know there is any at all?
Unless the engine is very tired and has habitually gone for years on end without oil changes it's unlikley there will be much if any.
Unless present in large amounts sludge just lies in the bottom of the sump and goes nowhere. If any does shift the filter is there to catch it. It does no harm unless you've cut your filter open and found it clogging. If a post-mortem on the filter shows no sign of clogging I'd suggest you simply don't don't have a problem and don't actually need to do anything.
A long screwdriver or similar rod inserted down the dipstick hole to scrape the sump will tell you instantly if there is any. I'd suggest that it it doesn't feel like there's a layer of putty in the bottom and no gooey dollop of sludge comes back on the end of the rod there's absolutely nothing to worry about.
Frankly if there is enough sludge to worry about it'll probably clog the pumpout line first, if that remains free-flowing it probably (almost certainly) means you don't actually have a sludge problem at all.
As moodysailor says above pop the rocker cover off if you remain concerned (or just look down the oil filler hole , if you have a sludge problem it'll show up all black and encrusted in there as obvious as you like. (don't mistake white water/oil emulsion for sludge, it isn't).

 

[peter gibbs]

Changing oil in my old Bukh dv36. Out comes the old oil using the lift pump. However, my concern is that I may have left some sludge in the sump.
How can I get it out... there is no sump drain. Can anyone suggest how best to flush out any muck in the sump, please?

There is a filter in the system - is there sludge present in that? If not no prob.

Getting rid of the last scintilla of corrupted oil is not worth the effort. You have some engine oil in the garage? Slosh a cupfull in and let it settle. then remove - it will look pretty clear I reckon. Job done. back to the bar....


PWG

 

[LittleSister]