TAMD41P - steam or smoke? Video quiz...

[Mike k]

sudden steam usually means restricted water supply.Happened to me once ,couldn't see behind for steam and it turned out to be either a bag sucked over the inlet scoop or build up in the strainer or a mixture of the two. Mine always steams a bit underway but always has but 'sudden' means something else.

 

[freddyuk]

I did a couple of tests today before tearing the thing apart.
Starting from cold I put a rubber glove over the water filler and ran it up to about 45c idling. No pressure there at all in the cooling system. The front waterway was very hot as I could not hold my hand on it suggesting it was 50c+ but the gauge said 40c which would be "warm"?
There is a crack in the brass disc inside the rad cap but the rubber seal is ok.
I checked the oil filler cap and there is crankcase compression as quite a bit of air blowing out there but I am not sure if it is normally zero on an engine with some hours on it.
I checked the dipstick and there is no change in oil level which is still bang on the full mark after an oil change so no water in the oil..
I checked the exhaust output and plenty of water being ejected and a little oil smoke but its not had a run but just idling. No sign of oil slick in the water.
So no real evidence of head gasket as yet.??

 

[Restoration man]

My boat has similar symptoms , steams more less top speed and increased engine temp,I get this every year toward the back end of every year , I think it’s combination of lots different things
1)colder ambient
2)growth / barnacles /debris on the props
3) direction the winds blowing
4) amount people / gear on board
5) the heat exchanger getting bit blocked
Any one of the above or maybe more
Last time I used our boat Last year it was going really slow but I had loads of mates on board and thought that was the problem and sea was rough and freezing cold ,it actually started to over heated a bit , I was expecting to have to totally strip the Cooing system , but I had a nice surprise when I went to visit the boat on the hard after being lifted out , this explains my latest problem , but funnily enough couldn’t tell it was on the prop no vibration or anything, to say I was pleased to see that crap on the prop was an understatement,

 

[freddyuk]

Crikey!
I am going to get a look underneath soon as I can arrange it.
I re did the pressure test today as being a complete doughnut I remembered I had not actually sealed off the overflow tube!! Done properly the rubber glove does slowly inflate as you would expect as the water gets hotter but it does not get any more then "flabby" so no real pressure building up. The thermostat had not opened at this stage as I am in the marina. The radiator cap has a splits in the brass disc above the rubber seal so I am going to replace it. The markings are TH21 06 and 1000 so what does this mean as regards pressure rating?? I really dont want to pay £38 +vat and shipping for one. (Nanni T4.390)

 

[jamie langstone]

Crikey!
I am going to get a look underneath soon as I can arrange it.
I re did the pressure test today as being a complete doughnut I remembered I had not actually sealed off the overflow tube!! Done properly the rubber glove does slowly inflate as you would expect as the water gets hotter but it does not get any more then "flabby" so no real pressure building up. The thermostat had not opened at this stage as I am in the marina. The radiator cap has a splits in the brass disc above the rubber seal so I am going to replace it. The markings are TH21 06 and 1000 so what does this mean as regards pressure rating?? I really dont want to pay £38 +vat and shipping for one. (Nanni T4.390)

I tried every were but in the end I had to get it from Nanni

 

[freddyuk]

Ordered direct from A R P with thermostat but no O rings in stock. Great. I also can confirm for the record the radiator caps are the same for the older Nanni T4.390 and the newer T.400. I suggested they added this info to the website as it is not there.

 

[freddyuk]

Update on this problem..... have removed the outlet pipe on the brand new raw water pump to check pressure and out drops a piece of rubber impeller.
So this was upstream of the new impeller and was in the engine before the old impeller was installed as I removed that myself and it is 100% complete. So whoever removed the previous impeller before I bought the boat must have known there was debris somewhere in the engine but ignored it and fitted a new impeller.
Then we checked the main sea cock. The pipe was removed to check for any blockage in the valve and elbow. The spigot/hose tail broke into several pieces! It could have sunk the boat at any time. Well known fault with Jeanneau Merryfishers. I am replacing with stainless steel hose tail.
We now have to check the rest of the cooling system looking for any other bits of rubber impeller.

Still no parts from ARP? Bad service from them.

 

[Plum]

Update on this problem..... have removed the outlet pipe on the brand new raw water pump to check pressure and out drops a piece of rubber impeller.
So this was upstream of the new impeller and was in the engine before the old impeller was installed as I removed that myself and it is 100% complete. So whoever removed the previous impeller before I bought the boat must have known there was debris somewhere in the engine but ignored it and fitted a new impeller.
Then we checked the main sea cock. The pipe was removed to check for any blockage in the valve and elbow. The spigot/hose tail broke into several pieces! It could have sunk the boat at any time. Well known fault with Jeanneau Merryfishers. I am replacing with stainless steel hose tail.
We now have to check the rest of the cooling system looking for any other bits of rubber impeller.

Still no parts from ARP? Bad service from them.

Oh dear, sorry to hear of your problems. I had the same problem of a crumbling hose tail which nearly sunk my boat. I replaced all the skin fittings, ball valves and hose tails made of DZR Brass from ASAP Supplies. I have used this material before was still good after 15 years. I would not use stainless steel for the hose tail. Too risky.

www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk

 

[freddyuk]

Two more bits of impeller found in the oil cooler. So if this caused a drop in sea water cooling which directly cools the turbo and the turbo overheated without causing the engine temperature to rise and the turbo then fails this would cause steaming and a drop in revs and power. Make any sense?

 

[paradave]

A happy conclusion to this thread from my point of view. Volvopaul replaced the elbow on my engine as part of the service just before Xmas and soon after the boat went on the hard for the winter.

Back out for the first time yesterday and she’s like a new boat. Significantly less steam (these 41ps are always going to produce some I guess) but the main difference was the performance. We were struggling to get to 18 knots WoT before and cruised at 15 knots. Yesterday, straight up to 21-22 knots and a very comfortable cruise at 18 knots. The engine found 400 more revs too so I imagine the back pressure from the old elbow was really holding it back.

All in all, faster, smoother with way less steam - it’s like a different boat. Very happy indeed.

 

[Jamie Dundee]

A happy conclusion to this thread from my point of view. Volvopaul replaced the elbow on my engine as part of the service just before Xmas and soon after the boat went on the hard for the winter.

Back out for the first time yesterday and she’s like a new boat. Significantly less steam (these 41ps are always going to produce some I guess) but the main difference was the performance. We were struggling to get to 18 knots WoT before and cruised at 15 knots. Yesterday, straight up to 21-22 knots and a very comfortable cruise at 18 knots. The engine found 400 more revs too so I imagine the back pressure from the old elbow was really holding it back.

All in all, faster, smoother with way less steam - it’s like a different boat. Very happy indeed.

Looking forward to mine going in at the end of this month Changed the belts, replaced the impeller and filled with diesel today, give the engine a run tomorrow then change the fuel filters and we’re ready to go (apart from antifoul, polishing, cleaning, putting the carpet and curtains back…….?).

 

[jamie langstone]

A happy conclusion to this thread from my point of view. Volvopaul replaced the elbow on my engine as part of the service just before Xmas and soon after the boat went on the hard for the winter.

Back out for the first time yesterday and she’s like a new boat. Significantly less steam (these 41ps are always going to produce some I guess) but the main difference was the performance. We were struggling to get to 18 knots WoT before and cruised at 15 knots. Yesterday, straight up to 21-22 knots and a very comfortable cruise at 18 knots. The engine found 400 more revs too so I imagine the back pressure from the old elbow was really holding it back.

All in all, faster, smoother with way less steam - it’s like a different boat. Very happy indeed.

I have serviced my engine TAMD41-p and also changed the elbow and also had the prop refurbished so hopefully i will get the same result .

 

[paradave]

Looking forward to hearing from both Jamies on how well it’s worked. I think I’ve been putting up with slightly poor performance for 2 years.

 

[freddyuk]

I have a new elbow waiting to be fitted. I cured the lack of speed and revs by getting the barnacles off the prop and keel. Although I have the Nanni engine the principles are the same I guess. Maybe the new elbow will give me speed boat performance - although I doubt it. I am terrified of not getting the elbow bolts out as they are not very beefy.

 

[Pleinmont]

Good results there Paradave ? ? ? should be pleased with that!

My engineer said not to worry unduly about replacing my TAMD41 elbow if engine not overheating (which it's not and revs/speed ok but I do get steam). The elbow has definitely been on there for well over 6 years+.
Would feel more comfortable knowing it's clean and free flowing for the sake of a few hundred quid.
On the list to replace this Spring.

 

[freddyuk]

I just had a very nice guy offer to replace my elbow. We could not release the exhaust pipe without possible damage but got a good look at the inside and it was in good condition so was refitted. I have a new spare in stock. This is a factory fitted elbow and has done about 950 hours of mainly pottering by previous owner. A test run revealed revs up to 3200 and just normal steam from exhaust. Could not get on the plane due to weed growth which kills the MF805 perfromance.
So apart from another year of weed growth the boat seems fine. I am getting a bottom wash and will confirm speed and revs are what they should be.

 

[Mr Googler]

When you looked inside….do you mean from the turbo side?

Need to see it from the bottom…..looking up the exhaust in effect as that’s where water meets heat and they block….corrode etc…

 

[freddyuk]

OK noted. At least I know it will come off now without snapping bolts. When I have more tools I can have a go at getting the pipe off and replace the whole thing.