TAMD41B oil leak

[paulc1978]

Hi all
I recently purchased a Fairline fitted with 2 Volvo Penta TAMD41B's. I took her out for the first time and only for 30 minutes and when I returned to the mooring I checked the engines and saw the bilge was full of oil, I estimate 2-3 litres. I checked the starboard engines dip stick and it showed off the dip stick. I have been advised this is probably due to a blocked crankcase breather but this year engine does not appear to have one. I have since changed the oil filter, fuel filter and air filter and plan to fill up with oil and complete another short trip to try and see where this is leaking but was wondering if anyone else on here has any suggestions.

 

[atol]

if the impellor pump seals have been leaking salt water,this can cause the oil sump pan to rust through below the pump under the engine.
oil filter oring failure,or filter not screwed on tight.
old oil loses viscosity and sprays out through breather on tappet cover!
crack in oil cooler pipe under heat exchanger stack
crack in oil pipe to turbo
damaged hose or oil cooler on gearbox
big end seal worn
i have a VP41L so similar engine,this is what i would look for on mine

 

[Jamie Dundee]

Oil sump pan is an issue on these engines, however if it hasn’t dumped the whole 11 litres hopefully won’t be this, you’ll find out when you refill. As the boat is a recent purchase and you, presumably, had the engines serviced, loose oil filter would be my guess. In trying not to overtighten the spin on fuel filter I ended up with a slight leak, nipped up a bit tighter and all was good.

 

[paulc1978]

Thanks everyone. I refilled he oil and done another sea trial and strangely nothing leaked. I am going to give the bilge a good clean and complete another sea trail soon. Very strange but am keeping my fingers crossed for the next trial.

 

[paulc1978]

Cleaned the bilge and completed another sea trail but its still losing oil. This time it was only a small amount, roughly a litre. I had a mechanic on board with me and neither of us could see when the oil was leaking from.

 

[Pleinmont]

Sorry to resurrect an old thread but did you ever find the source of the leak?

My TAMD41P has occasionally had a bit of oil leaking from somewhere around the oil cooler/heat exchanger - but only happens at max revs. If cruising around 3000-3200rpm it's fine trip after trip.
It did it once ages ago, engineer had a look, cleaned it up then didn't happen again till I did WOT 3400rpm again for about 30 seconds recently.
Checked engine compartment and it had leaked again. Doesn't seem to matter if new or old engine oil.
Something is either loose or cracked though - just odd that it only happens at WOT.
You can see a drip coming out of the heat exchanger and where it has dribbled down the pipe alongside.
Under way it then collects in the bilge on the right.
Going to get the engine serviced again this month so will ask engineer to have another look. Other than that the engine runs fine, no overheating or smoke etc.

 

[Plum]

Sorry to resurrect an old thread but did you ever find the source of the leak?

My TAMD41P has occasionally had a bit of oil leaking from somewhere around the oil cooler/heat exchanger - but only happens at max revs. If cruising around 3000-3200rpm it's fine trip after trip.
It did it once ages ago, engineer had a look, cleaned it up then didn't happen again till I did WOT 3400rpm again for about 30 seconds recently.
Checked engine compartment and it had leaked again. Doesn't seem to matter if new or old engine oil.
Something is either loose or cracked though - just odd that it only happens at WOT.
You can see a drip coming out of the heat exchanger and where it has dribbled down the pipe alongside.
Under way it then collects in the bilge on the right.
Going to get the engine serviced again this month so will ask engineer to have another look. Other than that the engine runs fine, no overheating or smoke etc.

I have the same engine. The oil is not coming out of that heat exchanger at the top of your picture as that only contains water/coolant. However, just above the end of that heat exchanger is the dipstick. Check that the little tiny O-ring is in place that seals the dipstick into the top of its tube. High crankcase pressure, particularly at high revs/load, will try to push oil up that tube and out of the top then, I guess, onto the top of that heat exchanger and then drip off the bottom of it and, as you said, you can see some oil has run down the outside of the dipstick tube.

There may be more than one oil leak to get that amount, but check this first. The dimensions of the O-ring are:- 4mm ID, 2.5mm diameter cross-section

www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk

 

[Pleinmont]

Hi Plum
Many thanks for your advice and message - yes I think you are right, which is a weight off my mind!
I went down today for a run and it was not leaking at normal revs which was good. I checked all around and took more photos and it's not coming out anywhere else.

Now you mention the dipstick, I remember there was a mini o-ring that broke on the dipstick handle ages ago. I got a new one but it didn't quite fit on properly so I left it off. The dipstick is prob a little loose in that pipe. Makes sense - will try again to get the right o-ring or a new dipstick and see how that goes.

Crazy how the smallest things can cause the most amount of anxiety!