VP KAMD 300 - Brown Smoke above 2200rpm

[64Kiwi]

Hi
My boat has twin KAMD 300s with about 1250 hours on both. Engines start first time every time even after a few months lying idle (weather has been crap). At just over 2000rpm the port engine emits brownish smoke (not dense), the engines run fire with good temps but not sure how to diagnose from here? Suggestions have been injectors and/or blowers leaking. Anyone have any ideas or guides where to start or on how to check the injectors? I have booked my local VP engineer to have a look, but just after some feedback from anyone. Thanks

 

[volvopaul]

Volvopenta say to remove and service the injectors at 500 hours as they are a 2 stage unit , at your hours I would certainly be pulling them and having them tested as the opening pressures will have dropped , new nozzles sort that .

That engine along with most of the 2.4 and 3.6 litres units suffer from work turbos so I’d have them checked , remember the edc engines feed information to each other to give optimal performance so your other engine could be lacking in power at the same rpm causing this engine to work harder hence the smoke.

Is your man familiar with this model , also when were the valve clearances last checked ? It’s every 2 years or 200 hours whichever comes first .

 

[aerobat]

You should find a mechanic who hooks mechanic pressure gauges to both engines ( pretty easy to do ) to check how the boost develops at compressor engaging and disengaging again . This tells a lot i learned during the survey on my kad44 . Look if both pressures are similar .

 

[64Kiwi]

Thanks for the quick responses! I will look into the valve clearances, as there is no record of them being done. The mechanic will test and check the blowers for leaks on both engines. I didn't realise the EDC feeds information between engines—good to know. I'll add the injectors to the list as well, as they are a two stage unit I presume best left to a professional? Thanks again.