Yanmar 2GM20 water discharge/leak?

[MikeZ]

Hi,

I find that after cruising (and using the engine) I always have a small amount of water in the bilge around the engine. It seems to me that water is being discharged from the engine since the engine bilge is not connected to the keel bilge. The water tastes like sea water. The engine has 150 hours on it and looks like new. I notice that there is a pipe coming out of the engine which looks like a sea water drain of some sort, but I am not sure what it is for, exactly. The yacht is a 1998 Dehler 33 CR. I can't find where this water might be coming from.

My question is: is some water around the engine normal or should I be looking for a leak?


<hr width=100% size=1><P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by MikeZ on 02/08/2004 12:57 (server time).</FONT></P>

 

[jh001ace]

There is a water drain pipe on the right hand side of the engine under the mainfold, this is used to drain the cooling water from the block/manifold during lay-up, it has (or at least on my engine) a plastic finger bolt which is used to open or close off the drain pipe. If this is not the cause of the problem, the first obvious place to look would be the water pump which is run via a belt from the crank pulley, check all pipe connections and also the seal for the cover for the impellor, to do this its best to remove the pump- an easy job, it would be a good idea to change the impellor at this point if it has not been done this year. If all this looks ok, it it has to be a cas of hunting for the leak with a tourch, it could be somethig very simple or somthing more serious like a cracked block. Hope this helps a bit.

Regards

Jerry

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[Evadne]

Two less than alarming possiblities spring to mind:

I get water in the bilges after motoring from the shaft, if I don't remember to keep the stern tube greaser done up.

If the valve on the anti-siphon tube isn't closing properly you'll get a drip of (warm) salt water. A small cup under the outlet will tell you if this is the source.

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[Walnut]

Have you tried running the engine without going anywhere to make sure that it is coming from the engine and not anywhere else, e.g., waves, prop shaft. Another engine possibilities are from around the anodes.

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[mark_sabin]

I experienced the same on our 2GM20 but we also had a bit of steam coming out of the exhaust. The cause was the waterpump bearing or shaft seal (cant remember what it was now, sorry) but anyway its behind the impellor. It was corroded and letting water into the bilge thus reducing the water going round the engine. Easy to see if this is the problem. Very easy job to do though you have to be careful in reseating the new bearing/seal. An impellor change at the same time is a good idea.

Mark

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